Leon Black
@drleonblack.bsky.social
Professor of Infrastructure Materials at the University of Leeds.
Posting about materials, resilience, circular economy, green stuff, and whatever else I stumble on that I find interesting.
No DMs, unless they're size 12 cherry reds.
Posting about materials, resilience, circular economy, green stuff, and whatever else I stumble on that I find interesting.
No DMs, unless they're size 12 cherry reds.
Pinned
Leon Black
@drleonblack.bsky.social
· Nov 15
It's that odd time, a few weeks after setting up a new social media account, when I ponder whether to post political rants, stupid jokes or thoughts around decarbonisation of infrastructure.
Reposted by Leon Black
Reposted by Leon Black
Agree with every word of this
We've gone from 9% of social care staff coming from outside the UK and EEA in 2021/22 to almost 25% in 2024/25
The govt has no near-term replacement
It means either:
1) staffing shortages or
2) councils spending far more to attract staff, with no extra funding
We've gone from 9% of social care staff coming from outside the UK and EEA in 2021/22 to almost 25% in 2024/25
The govt has no near-term replacement
It means either:
1) staffing shortages or
2) councils spending far more to attract staff, with no extra funding
November 28, 2025 at 8:45 AM
Agree with every word of this
We've gone from 9% of social care staff coming from outside the UK and EEA in 2021/22 to almost 25% in 2024/25
The govt has no near-term replacement
It means either:
1) staffing shortages or
2) councils spending far more to attract staff, with no extra funding
We've gone from 9% of social care staff coming from outside the UK and EEA in 2021/22 to almost 25% in 2024/25
The govt has no near-term replacement
It means either:
1) staffing shortages or
2) councils spending far more to attract staff, with no extra funding
Reposted by Leon Black
The (obvious in advance) limits of the government's strategy since it took office: a budget in which the majority of individual items poll well, yet people think it is the most unfair budget since YouGov started polling on this question.
% who say each 2025 Budget policy was the 'right thing to do' (1/3)
Increase gambling taxes: 82%
Freeze rail fares: 82%
Reducing energy bills by £150 a year by reducing green levies: 75%
Increasing minimum wage: 71%
Mansion tax: 67%
Decreasing biz rates for retail/hospitality/leisure: 64%
Increase gambling taxes: 82%
Freeze rail fares: 82%
Reducing energy bills by £150 a year by reducing green levies: 75%
Increasing minimum wage: 71%
Mansion tax: 67%
Decreasing biz rates for retail/hospitality/leisure: 64%
November 27, 2025 at 11:12 PM
The (obvious in advance) limits of the government's strategy since it took office: a budget in which the majority of individual items poll well, yet people think it is the most unfair budget since YouGov started polling on this question.
Reposted by Leon Black
Today's 70% fall in net migration to 205,000 was not one of the six stories in BBC ten o'clock news.
Ta massive assymetry in whether rises in immigration and falls in immigration are considered newsworthy by broadcasters
Down by 140k isn't thought to be.
Up by 140k undoubtedly would be.
Ta massive assymetry in whether rises in immigration and falls in immigration are considered newsworthy by broadcasters
Down by 140k isn't thought to be.
Up by 140k undoubtedly would be.
November 27, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Today's 70% fall in net migration to 205,000 was not one of the six stories in BBC ten o'clock news.
Ta massive assymetry in whether rises in immigration and falls in immigration are considered newsworthy by broadcasters
Down by 140k isn't thought to be.
Up by 140k undoubtedly would be.
Ta massive assymetry in whether rises in immigration and falls in immigration are considered newsworthy by broadcasters
Down by 140k isn't thought to be.
Up by 140k undoubtedly would be.
Introduce yourself with 5 concerts you've seen.
Nick Cave
The Cure
Fontaines DC
Billy Bragg
erm, UB40
Nick Cave
The Cure
Fontaines DC
Billy Bragg
erm, UB40
Introduce yourself with 5 concerts you've seen
Ultravox
BB King
Jethro Tull
Whitesnake
OMD
Ultravox
BB King
Jethro Tull
Whitesnake
OMD
Introduce yourself with 5 concerts you've seen.
Tom Jones
Mud
Showaddywaddy
Beth Rowley
The Rolling Stones
Tom Jones
Mud
Showaddywaddy
Beth Rowley
The Rolling Stones
November 27, 2025 at 10:56 PM
Introduce yourself with 5 concerts you've seen.
Nick Cave
The Cure
Fontaines DC
Billy Bragg
erm, UB40
Nick Cave
The Cure
Fontaines DC
Billy Bragg
erm, UB40
Reposted by Leon Black
How the Daily Mail has responded to a Budget that will slightly raise wages for young people, vs how they responded to a Budget that almost crashed the entire economy
November 26, 2025 at 11:32 AM
How the Daily Mail has responded to a Budget that will slightly raise wages for young people, vs how they responded to a Budget that almost crashed the entire economy
Reposted by Leon Black
The predictable crushing uniformity of the coverage of this Budget tells you an awful lot about the priorities of those papers, and also why there's actually quite a lot to praise in it bylinetimes.com/2025/11/26/t...
November 27, 2025 at 9:40 AM
The predictable crushing uniformity of the coverage of this Budget tells you an awful lot about the priorities of those papers, and also why there's actually quite a lot to praise in it bylinetimes.com/2025/11/26/t...
Reposted by Leon Black
According to a lot of the commentators, poverty was only invented when VAT on private schools was announced
November 27, 2025 at 8:48 AM
According to a lot of the commentators, poverty was only invented when VAT on private schools was announced
Reposted by Leon Black
TAPS SCREEN
For like the zillionth time: Libraries are FREE for you, but WE still get compensated for our work!!
For like the zillionth time: Libraries are FREE for you, but WE still get compensated for our work!!
Just saw someone claim that authors who want to be paid for their work are "class traitors" because we "only let the wealthy" read our books, and I think I need to go into the woods to scream into the night for a bit.
It's $5, not your first-born child! I need that $5 for health insurance!
It's $5, not your first-born child! I need that $5 for health insurance!
November 26, 2025 at 7:49 PM
TAPS SCREEN
For like the zillionth time: Libraries are FREE for you, but WE still get compensated for our work!!
For like the zillionth time: Libraries are FREE for you, but WE still get compensated for our work!!
Reposted by Leon Black
In the era of AI it’s more crucial than ever that social media sites add a serif to the lower case L
November 26, 2025 at 8:29 PM
In the era of AI it’s more crucial than ever that social media sites add a serif to the lower case L
When the i says "middle earners", it's referring to someone on £75k who gets a 5% pay rise per year.
£75k puts someone in the top 10% of earners.
£75k puts someone in the top 10% of earners.
How Reeves’s ‘stealth tax’ will cost middle earners £1,600 by 2031 trib.al/j67dJrQ
How Reeves's 'stealth tax' will cost middle earners £1,900 by 2031
The Chancellor's Budget has extended a freeze on income tax thresholds from 2028 to 2031
inews.co.uk
November 26, 2025 at 9:03 PM
When the i says "middle earners", it's referring to someone on £75k who gets a 5% pay rise per year.
£75k puts someone in the top 10% of earners.
£75k puts someone in the top 10% of earners.
Can someone track down this guy and ask him his thoughts on lifting the 2 child benefit cap? I'd much rather hear that than those of Mason or Peston.
November 26, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Can someone track down this guy and ask him his thoughts on lifting the 2 child benefit cap? I'd much rather hear that than those of Mason or Peston.
Reposted by Leon Black
Hey BBC Chris Mason, who are the “most people in the country are not happy about the two child cap being removed”?
Luckily my family are not impacted, but we will all gladly pay a bit more to help free more children from poverty.
Shouldn’t we all feel that way?
Luckily my family are not impacted, but we will all gladly pay a bit more to help free more children from poverty.
Shouldn’t we all feel that way?
November 26, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Hey BBC Chris Mason, who are the “most people in the country are not happy about the two child cap being removed”?
Luckily my family are not impacted, but we will all gladly pay a bit more to help free more children from poverty.
Shouldn’t we all feel that way?
Luckily my family are not impacted, but we will all gladly pay a bit more to help free more children from poverty.
Shouldn’t we all feel that way?
Reposted by Leon Black
Rage-bait articles about people angry they’re getting free money are the real inheritance tax - @brokenbottleboy.bsky.social
brokenbottleboy.substack.com/p/rage-bait-...
brokenbottleboy.substack.com/p/rage-bait-...
Rage-bait articles about people angry they're getting free money are the real inheritance tax...
Is the future of British newspapers just endless stories of well-off people pretending to be victims?
brokenbottleboy.substack.com
November 26, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Rage-bait articles about people angry they’re getting free money are the real inheritance tax - @brokenbottleboy.bsky.social
brokenbottleboy.substack.com/p/rage-bait-...
brokenbottleboy.substack.com/p/rage-bait-...
Reposted by Leon Black
And honestly I don't give a fuck if it's popular or not. It's going to make a lot of kids' lives better. That's the point of government. Not an opinion poll.
November 26, 2025 at 1:12 PM
And honestly I don't give a fuck if it's popular or not. It's going to make a lot of kids' lives better. That's the point of government. Not an opinion poll.
Reposted by Leon Black
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. ❤️ 🇧🇷
What is "pay rises with inflation"?
November 26, 2025 at 4:11 PM
What is "pay rises with inflation"?
Reposted by Leon Black
Found this absolute graph crime, where the dot that is lowest apparently has 48 % fail rate!?
#graphcrime #dataviz #ai
#graphcrime #dataviz #ai
November 26, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Found this absolute graph crime, where the dot that is lowest apparently has 48 % fail rate!?
#graphcrime #dataviz #ai
#graphcrime #dataviz #ai
Reposted by Leon Black
One of the things that the “immigration debate” in the UK really reveals is how little people actually know about how other people live. So much of immigration policy fails to work, even on its own terms, because it’s trying to solve problems that mostly exist in peoples heads
November 18, 2025 at 10:51 PM
One of the things that the “immigration debate” in the UK really reveals is how little people actually know about how other people live. So much of immigration policy fails to work, even on its own terms, because it’s trying to solve problems that mostly exist in peoples heads
Reposted by Leon Black
As we move into “foreigners are cancelling Christmas in the name of political correctness” season it’s worth remember that Christmas was indeed once banned in England, by Christians and the man who enforced the ban has a statue in his honour outside the Houses of Parliament.
November 20, 2025 at 9:49 AM
As we move into “foreigners are cancelling Christmas in the name of political correctness” season it’s worth remember that Christmas was indeed once banned in England, by Christians and the man who enforced the ban has a statue in his honour outside the Houses of Parliament.
Reposted by Leon Black
There is apparently a mansion tax for properties over £2 million so expect to see a lot of shit about how that's the normal price of a house these days and average people are being affected.
November 26, 2025 at 12:25 PM
There is apparently a mansion tax for properties over £2 million so expect to see a lot of shit about how that's the normal price of a house these days and average people are being affected.
Reposted by Leon Black
From now on, when discussing the budget, please use “is this measure bigger than the cost to the exchequer of gen Z drinking less” as your metric for assessing whether something actually raises or costs a significant sum
November 26, 2025 at 12:28 PM
From now on, when discussing the budget, please use “is this measure bigger than the cost to the exchequer of gen Z drinking less” as your metric for assessing whether something actually raises or costs a significant sum
Reposted by Leon Black
"having changed my mind about the OBR, my internship there has begun smoothly"
November 26, 2025 at 12:28 PM
"having changed my mind about the OBR, my internship there has begun smoothly"
Reposted by Leon Black
Actually ahead of schedule on one major project, can't wait to see my bosses' face.
November 26, 2025 at 12:24 PM
Actually ahead of schedule on one major project, can't wait to see my bosses' face.