Starting a couple of decades of Maeva-and-daddy-watching-films-while-mummy-self-cares correctly, with Bob Odenkirk murdering a bunch of people...

Well indeed it should be, but I don't find it surprising - as @kezdugdale.bsky.social and I wrote for @uofgpolicy.bsky.social back in April. www.gla.ac.uk/research/az/...

Duncan Weldon@duncanweldon.bsky.social · 6d ago

One of the biggest ever shakeups in the organisation of English government which could well herald a major political economy turning point. Sort of surprised it’s not on more news website front pages.

Well indeed it should be, but I don't find it surprising - as @kezdugdale.bsky.social and I wrote for @uofgpolicy.bsky.social back in April. www.gla.ac.uk/research/az/...

Duncan Weldon@duncanweldon.bsky.social · 6d ago

One of the biggest ever shakeups in the organisation of English government which could well herald a major political economy turning point. Sort of surprised it’s not on more news website front pages.

And here is my piece for @instituteforgovernment.org.uk elaborating a bit on these initial reflections www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/andy...

Andy Burnham’s devolution announcement is a strong start on his priority agenda | Institute for Government

Changes on tax, new powers and institutions show Burnham means business.

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

Thomas Pope@tompope.bsky.social · 6d ago

Some thoughts on the government's devo announcement today: Overall, this is a great start on the govt's flagship agenda 1/

Have to start the pushback against corruption in football somewhere...

Fifa World Cup: Uefa to boycott tournament if Gianni Infantino's investment plans go through

Uefa's 55 member associations vote to boycott the World Cup if Fifa proceeds with its plan to sell stakes in its competitions.

bbc.co.uk

Allister Heath, June 5th 1940: We've lost the war against Nazi Germany. Time to scrap liberal democracy.

If there are any lingering supporters of the idea that society is a meritocracy, have a read of this column by one of the most stupid people ever to make it to the top of public life in the UK.

Leo Hickman@leohickman.carbonbrief.org · last wk.

Aaaaaaannnd, 24 hours later, normal service is resumed... The Daily Telegraph has published a response column by a politician with, yes, *extremely* close links to climate-sceptic lobbyists and who recently said in parliament that climate change was *checks notes* “likely to be beneficial”

"The new Prime Minister is wise to focus on the cost of living." Our new report finds that only 53% of Britons are satisfied with their standard of living today, compared with 72% in 1989. @keiranpedley.bsky.social writes for @politicshome.bsky.social 👇 https://tinyurl.com/49f5x5dm

The tone of Burnham's first week has met voters where they are

The new Prime Minister is wise to focus on the cost of living. That is the issue that will define his premiership.

politicshome.com

There's a TikTok (yes, I have an acct - sue me) of Burnham and Healey blind rating pub snacks in which both were very personable and quite likable. He has a lot more to do to build confidence in his leadership re. policy but he's established himself as a much better communicator for modern media.

Anna H@athenepallas.bsky.social · 2w ago

I'm not remotely the audience for TikTok, but if Burnham is learning lessons from probably the most gifted political communicator around right now, good for him: www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

When the story of why humanity didn't stop climate change is written, it will feature front pages like this. Even as the skies blacken with climate change-induced wildfires, right wing media continue their relentless crusade against measures to tackle it.

Because it's a day ending in Y, The (Dire) Times has an exclusive chat with Maya Firestarter of "human rights charity" (I know, stop laughing) Sex Matters claiming Amnesty was always evil or whatever.

There's nothing I can say about the right's moronically ahistorical backlash against Nolan's The Odyssey that hasn't already been said, but having seen it, it really is very good and you should see it in IMAX if you can. Best film I've seen in the cinema in ages.

Given the median person's life could be dramatically improved by just giving them £50k, e.g. by alleviating all sorts of debts and thus allowing them to actually accrue wealth, you'd think the Rawlsian answer would be to just take the £50?

Julianna 💎@batariangal.eurosky.social · 2w ago

Will Stancil tweeting about the “£50k vs. 50% chance of £1 million” question

Will Stancil tweeting about the “£50k vs. 50% chance of £1 million” question

The base case on the future of the AI financial bubble now ranges from "it doesn't look great" to impending "massive capital destruction" as companies like OpenAI fail to ever repay their debt, and we get a repeat of the 2008 crash but with different assets ftav.substack.com/p/this-is-nu...

This is nuts. When's the crash?

Also: accosting an pop-economist, benchmarking private investments, gambling at Wetherspoons, and burying the dead

ftav.substack.com

Was severance payment ever an issue for past Ministers who left govt then re-entered (not exactly an uncommon situation)? I don't recall it coming up before?

YouGov@yougov.co.uk · 2w ago

With demands in some quarters for Angela Rayner to repay her severance pay as housing secretary now that she has regained the position, 72% of Britons say ministers should not receive severance pay upon leaving the government yougov.com/en-gb/daily-...

Amen to this @daveproudlove.bsky.social It’s really not complicated - if you want to restore a sense of community in an increasingly atomised world, then you need to rebuild those institutions that bring people together.

Reform retreating further into the tepid bath of radical right navel gazing.

The Guardian@theguardian.com · 2w ago

Reform councillors told to describe donations inquiry as establishment stitch-up

Getting to grips with Burnham's Cabinet. Alexander kept at the Scotland Office? The guy who presided over their disastrous campaign in May? If anything, it suggests he and his team have no idea what to do with Scotland (or don't care).

"THE ODYSSEY is historically inaccurate" Oh word, did you notice that there is a Cyclops in it

Perhaps time to work as if the Gavin Williamsons of the world no longer exist... In fairness, I recall @pippacrerar.bsky.social etc on Politics Weekly voicing well-educated doubts on that reporting at the time...

Liam Thorp@liamthorp.bsky.social · 2w ago

Quite amusing that all these Westminster journos were completely certain that Mahmood was getting Chancellor and almost laughing at Burnham for saying he was going to stop the leaks I might be wrong but don’t think one outlet or reporter had Healey as Chancellor

Quite amusing that all these Westminster journos were completely certain that Mahmood was getting Chancellor and almost laughing at Burnham for saying he was going to stop the leaks I might be wrong but don’t think one outlet or reporter had Healey as Chancellor

Tbh I think that the constant insistence that Miliband not being made Chancellor is about the bond markets rather ignores the fact that he and Burnham tend to see eye-to-eye on the economy, fiscal policy and so on. I.e. we're to believe that the markets operate on vibes (not that they don't...)

UK passport holder who happens to have a baby? Well since the baby can't use an e-gate, you can wait in a queue at the UK border for an indeterminate length of time while one guy works through dozens of passengers. Need to feed the baby? Fuck you. Need to change the baby? Also fuck you.

Not a great sign if Burnham's most important appointment ends up being someone whose policy positioning is led by their small-p political positioning and not vice-versa. It's not like that was a crucial weakness of the Starmer government or anything.

Stephen Bush@stephenkb.bsky.social · 3w ago

Given how much of what Shabana's allies say she wants to do and thinks on the economy you read and go 'this is word salad', I think hard at this stage to really predict what it will actually be like, beyond: it will be crackers.

But I thought identity politics was a left-wing obsession?

Josiah Mortimer@josiahmortimer.bsky.social · 3w ago

🔴 Reform UK Plans To Jail Candidates For Using Irish, Gaelic Or Cornish On Election Leaflets EXCLUSIVE: Nigel Farage’s party propose amendment to the Government’s elections Bill which would mean candidates using Irish and Scottish Gaelic would face up to six months in prison

Finding this an interesting episode of @holyroodsources.bsky.social, but one thing I think is missed is that the idea of an independent Scottish Labour Party has roots beyond even the idea of an independent Scottish Conservative Party. At the very least I recall discussing just this in 2015.

An Independent Scottish Labour Party? | with Jack McConnel

Holyrood Sources · Episode

open.spotify.com

Polymarket have legitimately been advertising their site as future-predicting (at least to US investors), when their inputs come largely from 'whales' like Posh George.

Cat Neilan@catneilan.bsky.social · 4w ago

"Posh" George Cottrell has lost $1m in the last year, betting on the crypto-based prediction market Polymarket Cottrell has been in the spotlight over his relationship with Nigel Farage, and questions about financial support for the man he reportedly calls “Daddy” observer.co.uk/news/politic...