New Home Office impact assessment finds that cutting skilled and social care visas will cost the UK up to £10 billion with a central estimate of -£5.4 billion. It would be good if this got even a fraction of the coverage devoted to the endless debate about boats, flags and Turkish barber shops
Videos claiming that the government is introducing a £500 “Christmas Decoration Tax” are being shared online. As you may have guessed, this isn’t true.
No, the government isn’t introducing a £500 ‘Christmas Decoration Tax’ – Full Fact
Videos shared online falsely claim the government is bringing in a £500 “Christmas Decoration Tax” this year.
fullfact.org
"This has nothing to do with the inconsistencies that have characterised Trump's behaviour on other occasions, but is part of a carefully crafted strategy to reconfigure the world order." Summary of European reaction to Trump's fashy interference. ~AA www.eurotopics.net/en/349639/ne...
New US Security Strategy: a threat to Europe?
The US government has sharply criticised Europe in its National Security Strategy.
eurotopics.net
Thou shalt stop attacking Ms. Rachel for caring about the lives of children.
I assume every single European government is calling in the US Ambassador to say….well one can only imagine.
Gentle reminder that the European Union was established because the first four decades of our 20th century were mostly internecine war and genocide.
"For the first time in 25 years, child mortality rates for preventable diseases are projected to increase, after having declined for 25 years." This is the legacy of aid cuts. ~AA time.com/7338791/chil...
For the First Time This Century, Child Mortality Is Likely to Rise
The latest report from the Gates Foundation predicts an alarming trend for the health of children around the world.
time.com
The number of global deaths of children under-5 is projected to increase this year (from 4.6m to 4.8m) for the first time this century. (FT) The price of aid cuts.
Breaking. Liz Truss wins this year's FIFA Prize for Economics.
The flag-shagging accounts hate all of these policies, want to deny the existence of child poverty and are happy for the kids to suffer for their parents' circumstances. Despite the "Man of the People" schtick www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
What is in the UK government’s child poverty strategy?
Several elements had already been announced, including lifting the two-child benefit cap and increasing free school meals
theguardian.com
[to the tune of Eleanor Rigby] Jonathan Gullis Studies his shorts on the train with a sense of unease Too much Febreze
Reform accepted £9 million from a former Boris Johnson backer & crypto-multimillionaire. Today, Nigel Farage postures as a righteous defender of the same democracy he actively undermines. Democracy should never be for sale. It's time for a cap on political donations.
The harmful and biased medical advice from social medial influencers, highlighting lack of expertise and financial conflicts. Many specific examples and recommendations provided bmj.com/content/391/...
Ireland will not take part in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 after it was confirmed that Israel would be allowed to participate in the competition. Spain and the Netherlands have also confirmed that they have withdrawn from the contest. jrnl.ie/6893728
Ireland will not participate in Eurovision 2026 after Israel is allowed to compete
Spain and the Netherlands have also confirmed that they have withdrawn from the contest.
jrnl.ie
A Thailand-based crypto investor has handed a record-breaking £9 million to Reform UK, shortly before Nigel Farage used media interviews to plug his crypto firm and promise lower taxes and deregulation on the industry bylinetimes.com/2025/12/04/c...
Crypto Investor Donates £9 Million to Reform UK After Nigel Farage Plugs His Company and Tells Industry 'I Am Your Champion'
The Reform leader recently used media interviews to back Christopher Harborne's company while promising to cut taxes and regulations on crypto firms
bylinetimes.com
There was something "fundamentally wrong" with how Israel conducted its military operation in Gaza and there are "strong reasons to believe" that war crimes have been committed, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said
Israel's conduct of war in Gaza 'fundamentally wrong'
There was something "fundamentally wrong" with how Israel conducted its military operation in Gaza and there are "strong reasons to believe" that war crimes have been committed, United Nations Secreta...
rte.ie
Time to admit the truth: Brexit has been an unmitigated economic failure, says The Telegraph. Brexit Effect: UK GDP down 8% Investment down 18% Productivity down 4% Employment down 4% Immigration not cut No trade benefits No regulatory freedom Why do some still vote for Farage? archive.ph/L2Gqp
Access Restricted
telegraph.co.uk
The "Rachel from accounts" thing is sexist, classist, misogyny, and anyone who uses it should be utterly ashamed of themselves. Too many dinosaurs in this country who cannot abide women who succeed. Conservative Deputy Chairman Matt Vickers MP should do better 👇 #PMQs
This is how Chris Mason, like a child filled with wonder, described "the choreography and theatre that surrounds a Budget" in Feb 2024, when a male Tory Chancellor was in post. "Plans, or even just options, can be floated... Reaction to them can be tested. Opponents can be teased or wrongfooted." 👀
Philip Stephens@philipstephens.bsky.social · 8mo agoSo much for all that bleating about being misled by the Treasury from the BBC's political editor Chris Mason ..... www.ft.com/content/48c2...
I wonder if it's time to retire the role of "political editor" altogether Return most of the coverage to the Economics Editor, the Health Editor, the Home Affairs team & so on. Leave the "who-said-what-to-whom" & "what-does-it-mean-for-the-polls" to others. The BBC doesn't need to foreground this.
Ian Dunt@iandunt.bsky.social · 8mo agoWatched BBC 6 o clock news. Just a completely unserious broadcast. Chris Mason, acting like a children's entertainer, giving a prolonged impenetrable editorial. Not a whiff of informative content about the Budget or what it means for the country. Just playschool blah blah bollocks.
“we must all now confront the reality that the Brexit deal we have has significantly hurt our economy” Keir Starmer
A reminder that London is far safer than many major cities, that crime is falling and that racists hate both these truths because they undermine their vicious little divisive narrative. Multiculturalism works. London works. And those who hate both things hate themselves most of all.
Otto English@ottoenglish.bsky.social · 9mo agoThere were 93 homicides in London last year: population 9 million In New York - population 8.5 million - there were 391. London's homicide figure is 6 times lower than LA, 9 times lower than Miami, 17 times lower than Chicago. And it's falling year on year despite the population increasing
Very positive experiences of #NHS out of hours urgent care in past week. Something is definitely improving in terms of access.
👏 Keir Starmer PM: "How Brexit was sold and delivered was wrong. Wild promises were made to the British people and not fulfilled." "The idea that leaving the EU was the answer to all our cares and concerns has clearly been proved wrong."
Let's just take a moment to reflect on the self-sacrifice and hope this person embodies - not the evil, hateful monsters thirsting for violence.
A case study in far right propaganda success. Tory governments run down public services over decades & then the the populist right breeds in ruined communities by scapegoating Black & brown immigrants. Why one small town with very little immigration turned to Reform UK www.bbc.com/news/article...
Buxton: Why one small town with very little immigration turned to Reform UK
How national concerns affected a local election in the heart of the Peak District.
bbc.com
