DBurx
@dburx.bsky.social
Londoner. Was Montrealer. Also Italian. Commercial Banker. Citizen of leisure. Trying to make jokes and find light humour. Quarreler. Can't be pigeonholed.
Reposted by DBurx
Good morning to Brazilian reporter Manuela Borges, who’s been waiting eleven years for this petty moment. ❤️ 🇧🇷
November 26, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Good morning to Brazilian reporter Manuela Borges, who’s been waiting eleven years for this petty moment. ❤️ 🇧🇷
Two unambiguously good things in the budget: 1. The probable end of the fuel duty freeze, and 2. Tackling the Motability boondoggle.
Also, 2-child, at least it's a decision. The wrong decision, imv, but a decision is good and a surprise from this govt.
Also, 2-child, at least it's a decision. The wrong decision, imv, but a decision is good and a surprise from this govt.
November 26, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Two unambiguously good things in the budget: 1. The probable end of the fuel duty freeze, and 2. Tackling the Motability boondoggle.
Also, 2-child, at least it's a decision. The wrong decision, imv, but a decision is good and a surprise from this govt.
Also, 2-child, at least it's a decision. The wrong decision, imv, but a decision is good and a surprise from this govt.
Remarkable
Even after the mansion tax is applied, the owner of a £5m home in Westminster will pay proportionately less in property tax than the owner of a £210k Band B property in Sunderland.
November 26, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Remarkable
Reposted by DBurx
Not sure leaving it to judges is stopping Mail or Telegraph reading berks sitting in judgement on you......
I'm remarkably relaxed about this. No I don't want my neighbours – Mail and Telegraph-reading berks – judging me. I'd rather have legal experts who've learned how to think.
www.theguardian.com/law/2025/nov...
www.theguardian.com/law/2025/nov...
David Lammy considers scrapping jury trials for all but the most serious cases
Senior lawyers criticise justice secretary’s radical plan, saying it could ‘destroy justice as we know it’
www.theguardian.com
November 25, 2025 at 8:32 PM
Not sure leaving it to judges is stopping Mail or Telegraph reading berks sitting in judgement on you......
Opposing this now mad government becomes a moral duty.
what the fuck
November 25, 2025 at 8:33 PM
Opposing this now mad government becomes a moral duty.
Reposted by DBurx
I’m a past winner of the Orwell Prize & won partly because I exposed Vote Leave’s unlawful activities.
Michael Gove was its co-convener & refused to answer a single q. He’s now a judge of the prize & our world is truly one that Orwell would recognise
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/25/m...
Michael Gove was its co-convener & refused to answer a single q. He’s now a judge of the prize & our world is truly one that Orwell would recognise
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/25/m...
Michael Gove Made Orwell Prize Judge Despite Record of Attacking Journalists and Dodging Scrutiny
Critics say "Orwell would have enjoyed the irony" of the former Conservative minister's appointment
bylinetimes.com
November 25, 2025 at 5:53 PM
I’m a past winner of the Orwell Prize & won partly because I exposed Vote Leave’s unlawful activities.
Michael Gove was its co-convener & refused to answer a single q. He’s now a judge of the prize & our world is truly one that Orwell would recognise
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/25/m...
Michael Gove was its co-convener & refused to answer a single q. He’s now a judge of the prize & our world is truly one that Orwell would recognise
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/25/m...
Reposted by DBurx
beginning to believe I would actually vote for a dead pigeon on a stick if it just promised to restore the fuel duty escalator
November 25, 2025 at 4:40 PM
beginning to believe I would actually vote for a dead pigeon on a stick if it just promised to restore the fuel duty escalator
Reposted by DBurx
Imagine coming up with a proposal so stupid, so unworkable, so thoughtless, that it makes Robert Jenrick look sane by comparison.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Jury trials could be scrapped except in most serious cases
Only cases of alleged murder, rape or manslaughter will be decided by a jury under new proposals to cut court backlogs.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 25, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Imagine coming up with a proposal so stupid, so unworkable, so thoughtless, that it makes Robert Jenrick look sane by comparison.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Status of the Times on 2-child: locked and waiting the command to fire
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
Rachel Reeves could scrap two-child benefit cap — who will be affected?
What the data reveals about the budget’s potential impact on parents, child poverty and whether it pays to be in work
www.thetimes.com
November 25, 2025 at 7:42 AM
Status of the Times on 2-child: locked and waiting the command to fire
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
I admit: can't keep up with the gyrations of the roulette wheel that is the budget process. Now featuring band F properties as mansions. But tomorrow who knows.
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
Rachel Reeves to hit 100,000 properties with mansion tax to balance books
Rachel Reeves will attempt to raise £400-£450 million from the mansion tax charge, which will come from revaluing properties across bands F, G and H
www.thetimes.com
November 24, 2025 at 9:02 AM
I admit: can't keep up with the gyrations of the roulette wheel that is the budget process. Now featuring band F properties as mansions. But tomorrow who knows.
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
Reposted by DBurx
A friend who teaches theology shared with me a post about CS Lewis's Mere Christianity, which discusses foundational Christian logic across denominations. It reminded me of Dale's tweet below, and I wanted to share some thoughts here regarding modesty and respectability, which are often hot topics.
November 23, 2025 at 7:35 PM
A friend who teaches theology shared with me a post about CS Lewis's Mere Christianity, which discusses foundational Christian logic across denominations. It reminded me of Dale's tweet below, and I wanted to share some thoughts here regarding modesty and respectability, which are often hot topics.
Reposted by DBurx
Earlier today, I was notified that someone was at my door.
This is who it was:
This is who it was:
November 21, 2025 at 12:59 AM
Earlier today, I was notified that someone was at my door.
This is who it was:
This is who it was:
Very cute little car. The future of cars in cities could be small vehicles like this
Carabinieri police in Rome unveil the latest addition to their fleet: the electric Fiat Topolino.
Italy's Carabinieri police debut new electric Topolino car in Rome
Rome Carabinieri unveil electric Topolino in city centre. Italy's Carabinieri police this week unveiled the latest addition to the force's fleet, the electric Fiat Topolino, which will be used in the ...
www.wantedinrome.com
November 22, 2025 at 9:55 AM
Very cute little car. The future of cars in cities could be small vehicles like this
Reposted by DBurx
This is a clown-car government elected on a seriousness ticket iandunt.substack.com/p/a-clown-go...
November 21, 2025 at 12:08 PM
This is a clown-car government elected on a seriousness ticket iandunt.substack.com/p/a-clown-go...
Great data in this thread.
And 100%, we never demolish any Victorian terraced houses, even if wrecked, its like they are sacred temples.
And 100%, we never demolish any Victorian terraced houses, even if wrecked, its like they are sacred temples.
(Incidentally this is because we demolish hardly anything. Contrary to claims that Britain is "addicted" to demolition, we only demolish 0.02 per cent of stock every year - 1 in every 5,000 homes)
November 20, 2025 at 1:16 PM
Great data in this thread.
And 100%, we never demolish any Victorian terraced houses, even if wrecked, its like they are sacred temples.
And 100%, we never demolish any Victorian terraced houses, even if wrecked, its like they are sacred temples.
Reposted by DBurx
The reason is because the built form of the urban core *outside the city centre* of British big cities is essentially frozen.
This is totally different to French and Japanese big cities which see construction across their urban core.
This is totally different to French and Japanese big cities which see construction across their urban core.
November 20, 2025 at 12:25 PM
The reason is because the built form of the urban core *outside the city centre* of British big cities is essentially frozen.
This is totally different to French and Japanese big cities which see construction across their urban core.
This is totally different to French and Japanese big cities which see construction across their urban core.
Reposted by DBurx
Yesterday, Trump defended the Saudi Crown Prince in the Oval Office.
He said he had “nothing” to do with the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.
But I reviewed a call while serving on Trump’s NSC that I believe would be of interest to the Khashoggi family and the American people.
Release the transcript.
He said he had “nothing” to do with the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.
But I reviewed a call while serving on Trump’s NSC that I believe would be of interest to the Khashoggi family and the American people.
Release the transcript.
November 19, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Yesterday, Trump defended the Saudi Crown Prince in the Oval Office.
He said he had “nothing” to do with the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.
But I reviewed a call while serving on Trump’s NSC that I believe would be of interest to the Khashoggi family and the American people.
Release the transcript.
He said he had “nothing” to do with the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.
But I reviewed a call while serving on Trump’s NSC that I believe would be of interest to the Khashoggi family and the American people.
Release the transcript.
Reposted by DBurx
My hatred of Corbynism was that it was a purely aesthetic political project and I'm starting to realise that Starmerism is also basically that, just with a much less attractive aesthetic.
November 19, 2025 at 2:48 PM
My hatred of Corbynism was that it was a purely aesthetic political project and I'm starting to realise that Starmerism is also basically that, just with a much less attractive aesthetic.
LibDems will always defend a free press; what will Labour do?
There is a direct line between Donald Trump trying to destroy the BBC and him excusing the brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Trump hates the independent free press – whether in the US, Saudi Arabia or the UK. We will always defend it.
Trump hates the independent free press – whether in the US, Saudi Arabia or the UK. We will always defend it.
Trump suggests Khashoggi had it coming: "You're mentioning someone that was extremely controversial. A lot of people didn't like that gentleman that you're talking about. Whether you like him or didn't like him, things happen. But he knew nothing about it. You don't have to embarrass our guest."
November 19, 2025 at 12:11 PM
LibDems will always defend a free press; what will Labour do?
An excellent analysis. FPTP is self re- enforcing. However, the analysis assumes Lab are one of the 2 main parties based on previous vote; in a dynamic where Greens or LD are, the system will move to them, as it did from Lib to Lab long ago.
Peter Kellner has done the crunching of those YouGov numbers on tactical voting: Reform lose about 100 seats, half to Tories, half to Lab kellnerp.substack.com/p/one-hundre...
One hundred ways to thwart Reform
How tactical voting could stop Nigel Farage becoming prime minister
kellnerp.substack.com
November 19, 2025 at 8:36 AM
An excellent analysis. FPTP is self re- enforcing. However, the analysis assumes Lab are one of the 2 main parties based on previous vote; in a dynamic where Greens or LD are, the system will move to them, as it did from Lib to Lab long ago.
Reposted by DBurx
“Helsinki hasn’t registered a single traffic-related fatality in the past year…Citing data that shows the risk of pedestrian fatality is cut in half by reducing a car’s speed from 40 to 30km/hr, city officials imposed the lower limit in most of Helsinki’s residential areas & city center in 2021.”
Helsinki just went a full year without a single traffic death
The capital city is Finnish’ed with car-related fatalities.
www.politico.eu
November 17, 2025 at 6:31 AM
“Helsinki hasn’t registered a single traffic-related fatality in the past year…Citing data that shows the risk of pedestrian fatality is cut in half by reducing a car’s speed from 40 to 30km/hr, city officials imposed the lower limit in most of Helsinki’s residential areas & city center in 2021.”
Reposted by DBurx
After a year of sucking up, the PM can’t even get Donald Trump on the phone as he tries to destroy one of our most important institutions, the BBC.
Was the state visit really worth this?
Was the state visit really worth this?
November 17, 2025 at 1:15 PM
After a year of sucking up, the PM can’t even get Donald Trump on the phone as he tries to destroy one of our most important institutions, the BBC.
Was the state visit really worth this?
Was the state visit really worth this?
Wonderful post, although, in addition to fear of polls, is it not a factor that the party is divided against itself, with the PM being in favour of the 2 child cap, the brutal refugee policy, Gaza & other issues that many in his party dislike?
Reeves should risk it all on one last roll of the dice.
Raise income tax, break the triple lock, slay the deficit, spend the money on the things she believes in.
It may not work - but better than waiting for doom to overtake her.
open.substack.com/pub/edrith/p...
Raise income tax, break the triple lock, slay the deficit, spend the money on the things she believes in.
It may not work - but better than waiting for doom to overtake her.
open.substack.com/pub/edrith/p...
Reeves in Zugzwang
Incremental politics no longer works
open.substack.com
November 17, 2025 at 9:05 AM
Wonderful post, although, in addition to fear of polls, is it not a factor that the party is divided against itself, with the PM being in favour of the 2 child cap, the brutal refugee policy, Gaza & other issues that many in his party dislike?
Reposted by DBurx
Reeves should risk it all on one last roll of the dice.
Raise income tax, break the triple lock, slay the deficit, spend the money on the things she believes in.
It may not work - but better than waiting for doom to overtake her.
open.substack.com/pub/edrith/p...
Raise income tax, break the triple lock, slay the deficit, spend the money on the things she believes in.
It may not work - but better than waiting for doom to overtake her.
open.substack.com/pub/edrith/p...
Reeves in Zugzwang
Incremental politics no longer works
open.substack.com
November 16, 2025 at 12:19 PM
Reeves should risk it all on one last roll of the dice.
Raise income tax, break the triple lock, slay the deficit, spend the money on the things she believes in.
It may not work - but better than waiting for doom to overtake her.
open.substack.com/pub/edrith/p...
Raise income tax, break the triple lock, slay the deficit, spend the money on the things she believes in.
It may not work - but better than waiting for doom to overtake her.
open.substack.com/pub/edrith/p...
Reposted by DBurx
Won't happen. But at some point a UK government is going to have to make a big decision to scrap the triple lock, and I suspect when they do it will prove to be far more popular than expected. Leadership rather than government by polling.
Reeves should risk it all on one last roll of the dice.
Raise income tax, break the triple lock, slay the deficit, spend the money on the things she believes in.
It may not work - but better than waiting for doom to overtake her.
open.substack.com/pub/edrith/p...
Raise income tax, break the triple lock, slay the deficit, spend the money on the things she believes in.
It may not work - but better than waiting for doom to overtake her.
open.substack.com/pub/edrith/p...
Reeves in Zugzwang
Incremental politics no longer works
open.substack.com
November 16, 2025 at 1:42 PM
Won't happen. But at some point a UK government is going to have to make a big decision to scrap the triple lock, and I suspect when they do it will prove to be far more popular than expected. Leadership rather than government by polling.