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Ian Boucher @desolationrow5.bsky.social · 27m

The problem is that Reeves saying Brexit has done economic harm is a good step but one of the primary reasons is a contraction of available labour something the gov are making worse.

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Reposted by Ian Boucher

JWexTheSpa @jwsidders.bsky.social · 1h

The real world:
1. Engage with the EU and seek a closer relationship.
2. Ensure the permanent electoral defeat of the pro-Brexit right.
3. Make and win the case for freedom of movement and, yes, the Euro at some point.
4. Begin accession talks.
5. Rejoin the EU, at the earliest, in the 2040s.

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Ian Boucher @desolationrow5.bsky.social · 39m

63% regret Brexit or want to rejoin? I haven’t followed the polling but it’s a different question and a different question again once there is a specific process for people to decide on. I think rejoining is about as realistic as labours prospects of increasing their majority.

Ian Boucher @desolationrow5.bsky.social · 3h

What’s inflation been like? As I suspect that’s the more critical economic indicator that electorates are noticing daily.

Reposted by Ian Boucher

RickChasey @rickchasey.bsky.social · 18h

Yes! House builders need to make money on these things to want to build them.

Immediately declaring 20% of everything they built to be a net loss makes the profitability bar very high indeed!

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Reposted by Ian Boucher

RickChasey @rickchasey.bsky.social · 18h

There is also some evidence (not conclusive) that even just building properties for the rich can lower overall property prices, as they still impact the supply positively.

(Who moves into the houses the rich move out of, to their new swanky pads?)

It doesn’t need to be “affordable” to help.

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Ian Boucher @desolationrow5.bsky.social · 19h

It’s infuriating. Building houses especially ‘affordable ones’ - which they are failing at - is the most obvious case for linking labour and skills to economic and social outcomes. Yet somehow they have a target with no plan and are making it harder to build houses and harder to make ‘affordable’!

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Ian Boucher @desolationrow5.bsky.social · 19h

We had/have one of the most efficient ways to spread wealth more evenly promoted by Covid and that is to move as many roles to fully remote home bases as possible. That way you negate some of the uneven regional wage distribution. And talent is rewarded irrespective of geography.

Ian Boucher @desolationrow5.bsky.social · 19h

That is the same argument the wealthy or high income earners make. Not saying it’s wrong but it’s the same one. We are dependent on high earners and the south east economically - that’s the reality.

Ian Boucher @desolationrow5.bsky.social · 23h

Fund every council equally with what?

Ian Boucher @desolationrow5.bsky.social · 23h

LVT doesn’t entirely cover use of services though does it?

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Ian Boucher @desolationrow5.bsky.social · 23h

They are arguing essentially for reform of it - getting rid of it and replacing it with something ‘fairer’. Which is fine and I don’t think many disagree with the idea it’s currently a mess. But they don’t say what that is. And when you see it covers blue Labour to scg it’s hardly surprising!

Ian Boucher @desolationrow5.bsky.social · 1d

It’s invent a reality. The worry is that supposedly reputable journalists and politicians are egging them on - if you said the Times of all publications would be indulging in this even a decade ago…..

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Ian Boucher @desolationrow5.bsky.social · 1d

Contacting an MP is also easier. Very easy to find their email address - and many have visible constituency offices. A council whilst the front door is easy to locate it’s often not as easy to find out how to contact those you need or indeed how to find out who it is you need.

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Ian Boucher @desolationrow5.bsky.social · 1d

We are in very serious danger of letting algorithms and AI become our new inescapable truth.

Ian Boucher @desolationrow5.bsky.social · 1d

Across so many areas of life it is clear now that social media is completely distorting reality. Facts and evidence have become completely irrelevant counterpoints to ‘online vibes’. This goes for politics, sport, entertainment and everything in between. Yet govt sits there nodding into the abyss?

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Reposted by Ian Boucher

Alex von Tunzelmann @alexvont.bsky.social · 2d

I bang on about this a lot: I think the combination of a global pandemic, underregulated internet/SM, collapse/corruption of trustworthy media, plus now unregulated genAI, is a wildly toxic environment for radicalisation & mental health. We see the results of that in our politics & lives every day

James Austin @jamesdaustin.bsky.social · 2d

Everyone knows at least one person (normally, but not exclusively, a guy) whose gone properly mental due to net rabbit holes.

We see public figures regularly go mad and destroy themselves.

And we have, at a policy level, just decided to put our fingers in our ears and go nahnahnah

Alastair Meeks @alastairmeeks.bsky.social · 2d

Last night I heard of another friend of a friend who has been lost to a rabbit hole of online propaganda. We need to start treating this as a serious public health concern.

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Ian Boucher @desolationrow5.bsky.social · 2d

For me virtually every game teams are targeting the left hand side of our defence with Conway being a young lad - who is still learning the game and Johnston being an obvious weak link. Even in the Wigan game I thought Johnston was all over the place at times.

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Ian Boucher @desolationrow5.bsky.social · 2d

Yes but if the plan is to try and blame Farage and Brexit for the budget they need to show a very clear path to something that is alternative. As it stands I’m not seeing much like that.

Ian Boucher @desolationrow5.bsky.social · 3d

Dreadful? I think he has been so far. Yesterday was one of the most hapless centre half displays I can recall.

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Ian Boucher @desolationrow5.bsky.social · 3d

The best line of this whole story is ‘he went for a carvery on the third day’ - he deffo wasn’t making love by Wednesday!

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Ian Boucher @desolationrow5.bsky.social · 3d

Think George Johnston might be the worst centre half in this league. It really is baffling how he is selected. He has been dreadful this season.

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Ian Boucher @desolationrow5.bsky.social · 3d

It’s bad politics if all they do is try to blame Farage and Brexit. Indeed I’d say disastrous. If they actually then show an alternative route it’s quite good politics but the latter part is what is very clearly absent.

Ian Boucher @desolationrow5.bsky.social · 3d

One that’s been used?

Ian Boucher @desolationrow5.bsky.social · 3d

Through a bunch of smaller measures that all in theory add up but in practice change behavior and lead to significant pockets of opposition and rage that then cause you to have to partially backtrack and some and realise you aren’t actually raising the projected income on others?

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