Once again, I come back to the fact these guys have created a situation where one of the UK's leading, cis female athletes is scared to go to the loo alone, and the fact that they are celebrating this as a step forward for women's rights.

Equality and Human Rights Commission@equalityhumanright.bsky.social · 12h ago

Our code of practice for services, public functions and associations comes into force today. It provides practical guidance on how the Equality Act 2010 applies to services, public functions and associations. Find out more: https://ow.ly/alIf50Zwrkx

Today the new Code of Practice comes into force, systematically excluding trans people from public facilities and services across the UK. It will go down in history as the Starmer government’s shame. But it’s not too late for Andy Burnham to change course.

NEET numbers are primarily a labour market issue not an education one. We know this as numbers have also risen in Wales and Scotland which have different education systems.

Jim Lauder@mrjlauder.bsky.social · 3d ago

First, on this bit, Reeves and Starmer are culprits more so than Tory edu ministers - min wage hikes, emp NI, new workers' rights (all stuff I agree with in the abstract) all piled on at once... Yes, you're going to get a NEETs issue. That's pretty basic economics.

I read about 40 of them a year, so I am not sure what that says about me tbh.

Marie Le Conte@youngvulgarian.marieleconte.com · 5d ago

completely lost it at this, oh my god

The Prime Minister plans to 'rewire the state' and give more power to councils and mayors, who are better placed to deliver locally catered economic policy. Income tax sharing to mayors will be key to this. The UK is the most fiscally centralised country in the G7, holding back wages and growth.

The tax retention news is so big it has overshadowed some of chunky stuff in the press release that complements it and fills out the devolution strategy pursued by the new PM. Some initial reactions by me and some @centreforcities.bsky.social thinking below to get you started 👇

Stephen Bush@stephenkb.bsky.social · 6d ago

This is a great move:

Looking forward to hearing more about this tomorrow from the PM. Tax sharing is a very substantial pro-growth reform that will help reverse one of the biggest mistake of the Thatcher era.

The Guardian@theguardian.com · 6d ago

Burnham to free mayors from ‘Treasury death grip’ with new devolved powers

This is big deal. www.bbc.com/news/article...

Andy Burnham to give regional mayors share of income tax

The prime minister says the move will give power to "every postcode" but critics say the plans lack detail.

bbc.com

It is kind of odd to focus so much on culture/dignity/identity of work (all important subjects), and ignore the basic point of “most people just want to get paid more.” The public policy version of “we bought an office ping pong table instead of giving u a raise.”

Sam Freedman@samfr.bsky.social · last wk.

I am so deeply fed up of this discussion happening over and over without anyone mentioning that lack of said parity might be do with the wage premia for general academic qualifications rather than snobbery.

Really thoughtful piece by @stephenkb.bsky.social to point out that NEET is, after all, an economic issue. Think it is tempting to see it as a purely a supply problem: the government has a lot more levers on that side. Reviving a local economy with dynamic job demands is far harder.

Stephen Bush@stephenkb.bsky.social · last wk.

Started writing on Andy Burnham’s education proposal thinking “not sure about this”. Realised in writing “no, I am sure: it sucks!”

Boyfriend, after watching HOTD: “I spent two seasons rooting for someone to take power. Then they did it but made all the wrong choices, and now I hate them.” Me: “But I thought u weren’t interested in Labour?”

I understand that voting is a right. But also, we need a representative democracy not skewed by lower turnouts of (often disadvantaged) groups. And I don’t think it is too much to say that there is an element of responsibility in that.

David Klemperer@dmk1793.bsky.social · last wk.

Great write-up here of some really encouraging news re: the growing consenus in favour of compulsory voting

There r several areas that have completely distorted public discourses which make good policymaking impossible. And it tends to be policies that apply to specific groups and that the general public do not have to be concerned with (welfare, prisons, immigration, etc.)

Nathan@nwylabour.bsky.social · last wk.

Lower in GDP terms than 2013, and lower still when you look at working age welfare spending (after all, we do have an ageing population). And yet the fiction that we are a generous country somehow persists.

People would rather fall for insane conspiracy theory than to believe that there can be viable city-centre commercial space in Manchester.

James O'Malley@jamesomalley.co.uk · 2w ago

New mad conspiracy theory just dropped. (Answers: It's a GCHQ building, and I presume black paint and doors are available at B&Q.)

This would be the most important local finance reform since Elizabeth I. Finally introducing local revenue sources that aren't property taxes will ensure places really benefit from local growth - more jobs and/or higher wages in a place will translate into more investment and services:

Brian Groom@groomb.bsky.social · 2w ago

Burnham plans to give England's 14 regional and metro mayors a share of income tax revenue to spend on their cities. Unclear whether this will need legislation, or whether 'equalisation measures' will be needed to prevent poorer regions from losing out.

This chart shows the destination of Labour's 2024 vote. The red line is the percentage that would still vote Labour. You can see that this starts trending upwards around the time that the percentage of former Labour voters intending to vote Green starts falling.

A Midwest city is mentioned!

Centre for Cities@centreforcities.bsky.social · 2w ago

Lessons from Cleveland🎙️ @andrewcities.bsky.social sat down with the Mayor of Cleveland @justinmbibb.bsky.social to discuss what lessons can be learned from Cleveland for UK mayors and local government. Watch the episode here 👇

If confirmed Miatta Fahnbulleh as Energy+Net Zero Secretary, Angela Eagle as Environment Secretary, and Jonathan Reynolds as Business Secretary is good news for the green economy. Strong signal of both support for ambitious reforms and continuity around some of the better parts of the govt's agenda.

Excellent appointment. Already knows the department well, committed to the agenda and has the trust of the new PM!

Politics UK@politicsuk.com · 2w ago

🚨 NEW: Andy Burnham has appointed Miatta Fahnbulleh as Energy and Net Zero Secretary

Wise move to bring back Jonny Reynolds as Business Secretary – champion of industrial strategy and popular with business and unions alike. Also one of the nicest people you'll meet in politics.

EUROPE UNDEFEATED, THE AMERICAS IN THE MUD, ALEXA PLAY ODE TO JOY

I feel validated.

Yunze Wang@yz18.bsky.social · 3w ago

I don’t know what tomorrow has in store for us. But this should have been the final!

Yeah u cannot wonder why young people (broadly defined) feel underrepresented and/or leave the Labour (and Tory) Party when the entire framing is just alien.

James Austin@jamesdaustin.bsky.social · 2w ago

In general I think a speech in 2026, and a political mission, should not try and define itself against someone who left power before I was born. Defining yourself against Thatcher not onpy dismissed the (excellent) 97-10 govt but is just... irrelevant to anyone under 40

england rn

TEN GOALS?

I think Wednesday was just the universe saying: “no. I specifically do not want Keir Starmer to end his political career on a high.”

Will Cooling@willcooling.bsky.social · 3w ago

So England truly are Arsenal, only the bad Arsenal that chokes in big matches then remembers how to play after the title is already lost

Excellent piece this. So glad the AMRC got a spotlight here. Curious to see what Burnham defines as “industry.” Notably, the GM reindustrialisation plan includes sectors like creative, digital and life sciences. The new government should include both production and services in that definition.

Jennifer Williams@jenwilliamsft.bsky.social · 3w ago

A bit from me about what Burnham may mean by “redindustrialisation” as.ft.com/r/afe5abd3-4...

Wrote about this literally yesterday! Broadly, u can have a productive and competitive manufacturing industry, which may not translate to jobs.

Anthony Painter@anthonypainter.bsky.social · 3w ago

I genuinely wish this reindustrialisation group of Labour MPs well. An important policy agenda. Also noting Trump, using all the power of the US state, with tariffs, coercion, a massive single market and capital pool has seen manufacturing employment....decline. labourlist.org/2026/07/reve...

Yes indeed. There is a strong progressive argument for markets and for making markets work.