Edward
@fornbirkibeinn.bsky.social
Nobody very important. Ferrets, greyhounds, poorly thought-through opinions. Englishman living in rural Northern Ireland. he/him
Celebrating our anniversary by climbing Errigal.
November 29, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Celebrating our anniversary by climbing Errigal.
Reposted by Edward
The Home Office’s absurd taxi bill results entirely from its insistence on forcing people to move round the country without choice or notice, & to live on the breadline so they can’t afford public transport. That Mahmood didn’t know about it till the BBC told her shows how appallingly the HO is run.
November 29, 2025 at 8:50 AM
The Home Office’s absurd taxi bill results entirely from its insistence on forcing people to move round the country without choice or notice, & to live on the breadline so they can’t afford public transport. That Mahmood didn’t know about it till the BBC told her shows how appallingly the HO is run.
Reposted by Edward
if someone had recently given a speech as eloquent and intellectually complex yet clear-minded as the Thatcher speech Stephen mentioned, it would have led to Harry Cole hitting his big red head like an angry chimp and writing in the Sun that Big Words Bad Why Hate Britain Like This? Boo!
November 28, 2025 at 3:14 PM
if someone had recently given a speech as eloquent and intellectually complex yet clear-minded as the Thatcher speech Stephen mentioned, it would have led to Harry Cole hitting his big red head like an angry chimp and writing in the Sun that Big Words Bad Why Hate Britain Like This? Boo!
Reposted by Edward
I mean the Political Editor of BBC News thinks their coverage should repeatedly emphasise that being interested in something like “what the prime minister said” is a bit weird and nerdy really, so yeah not exactly conducive to intellectual rigour IMO
I don’t think this is a “politicians have got dumber” issue for the most part. If you look at the *actual CVs* of previous cohorts of MPs, their background is not radically different when you account for, you know, the fact the economy is different! It is primarily a media and ecosystem issue.
We have got to make politics intellectual again. It is the only way that societies thrive is when politicians have the capability to actually think and reflect deeply:
November 28, 2025 at 2:34 PM
I mean the Political Editor of BBC News thinks their coverage should repeatedly emphasise that being interested in something like “what the prime minister said” is a bit weird and nerdy really, so yeah not exactly conducive to intellectual rigour IMO
Reposted by Edward
Part of the point of having a big, well-funded, well-respected state broadcaster is that it should be able to set high standards of intellectual rigour for the media as a whole - that the BBC is currently failing badly in this regard is a black mark of shame against it
I don’t think this is a “politicians have got dumber” issue for the most part. If you look at the *actual CVs* of previous cohorts of MPs, their background is not radically different when you account for, you know, the fact the economy is different! It is primarily a media and ecosystem issue.
We have got to make politics intellectual again. It is the only way that societies thrive is when politicians have the capability to actually think and reflect deeply:
November 28, 2025 at 2:38 PM
Part of the point of having a big, well-funded, well-respected state broadcaster is that it should be able to set high standards of intellectual rigour for the media as a whole - that the BBC is currently failing badly in this regard is a black mark of shame against it
Anybody need a discount Cerberus?
November 28, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Anybody need a discount Cerberus?
Reposted by Edward
Sorry but anyone who gives an interview slandering a family member in front line politics is what we used to call a rum cove, if not a blackguard or a knave. Doesn’t deserve attention, deserves a horsewhipping.
‘It’s a disgrace’ — Rachel Reeves’s uncle gives budget verdict ⬇️
‘It’s a disgrace’ — Rachel Reeves’s uncle gives budget verdict
‘It’s a disgrace’ — Rachel Reeves’s uncle gives budget verdict
www.thetimes.com
November 28, 2025 at 10:44 AM
Sorry but anyone who gives an interview slandering a family member in front line politics is what we used to call a rum cove, if not a blackguard or a knave. Doesn’t deserve attention, deserves a horsewhipping.
Reposted by Edward
Maybe she thinks it was a public-pilate partnership.
November 28, 2025 at 11:34 AM
Maybe she thinks it was a public-pilate partnership.
"In early Christian times there was no state"? Who does she think crucified him?
Kemi Badenoch says welfare spending is unchristian
Kemi Badenoch says welfare spending is unchristian
Kemi Badenoch says welfare spending is unchristian
www.thetimes.com
November 28, 2025 at 11:10 AM
"In early Christian times there was no state"? Who does she think crucified him?
Reposted by Edward
This reminds me of my mum's story from working in A&E in the 80s. Bloke came in, belligerent, injured from a scrap. Was assigned an Asian doctor. Stated "I don't want that [slur] touching me. I want an English doctor". Specifically, the one with the posh voice he heard from the next cubicle...
In 1971, 1 in 3 NHS doctors were overseas born
Given the avg patient age, those born in the 1890s were quite likely to meet a migrant doctor
Whatever some commentators born in the 60s/70s/80s say, most ppl (incl their grandparents) regularly & positively interacted w/migrants their entire lives
Given the avg patient age, those born in the 1890s were quite likely to meet a migrant doctor
Whatever some commentators born in the 60s/70s/80s say, most ppl (incl their grandparents) regularly & positively interacted w/migrants their entire lives
November 28, 2025 at 11:06 AM
This reminds me of my mum's story from working in A&E in the 80s. Bloke came in, belligerent, injured from a scrap. Was assigned an Asian doctor. Stated "I don't want that [slur] touching me. I want an English doctor". Specifically, the one with the posh voice he heard from the next cubicle...
Reposted by Edward
The UK, where the day after a decision to take half a million children out of poverty, the media & political world has been full of sneering at those same children & their families, labelling them as ‘Benefits Street’, while the same people are moaning about a tax on £2m mansions. Shameful stuff.
November 27, 2025 at 8:22 PM
The UK, where the day after a decision to take half a million children out of poverty, the media & political world has been full of sneering at those same children & their families, labelling them as ‘Benefits Street’, while the same people are moaning about a tax on £2m mansions. Shameful stuff.
One wonders what else you could fund purely though hypothecated taxes on specific groups. Fund the energy transition by sticking an extra 3% on the taxes of everybody who hasn't switched energy provider in the past decade and hope they don't notice?
It's absolutely nuts that we essentially have a 9% hypothecated tax but only paid by some people. It limits our ability to raise more tax, it hits young people's living standards and prevents then saving for the future *and it still doesn't fund universities properly*
Spot on. The terms of the plan 2 loan are utterly usurious. Notably the budget has not frozen just the threshold for repayments at a marginal rate of 9%, dragging more and more graduates into it, but it also freezes the interest of those loans which is as much as 6.2%! Which is ridiculous!!
November 27, 2025 at 3:52 PM
One wonders what else you could fund purely though hypothecated taxes on specific groups. Fund the energy transition by sticking an extra 3% on the taxes of everybody who hasn't switched energy provider in the past decade and hope they don't notice?
Reposted by Edward
Headline on The World at One just now:
"Sir Keir Starmer has denied putting the Labour Party before the country by ending the two-child benefit cap".
Can we please go back to reporting the actual news, not someone's partisan take on it?
"Sir Keir Starmer has denied putting the Labour Party before the country by ending the two-child benefit cap".
Can we please go back to reporting the actual news, not someone's partisan take on it?
November 27, 2025 at 1:11 PM
Headline on The World at One just now:
"Sir Keir Starmer has denied putting the Labour Party before the country by ending the two-child benefit cap".
Can we please go back to reporting the actual news, not someone's partisan take on it?
"Sir Keir Starmer has denied putting the Labour Party before the country by ending the two-child benefit cap".
Can we please go back to reporting the actual news, not someone's partisan take on it?
Reposted by Edward
beat rachel reeves - devalue your 2 million pound house by spraying PAEDO LIVES HERE on the front of it
November 27, 2025 at 11:45 AM
beat rachel reeves - devalue your 2 million pound house by spraying PAEDO LIVES HERE on the front of it
The panoply of leaking mostly seems to have made a whole bunch of interest groups angry with the government about things that they didn't even end up doing. This strikes me as suboptimal.
road.cc/content/news...
road.cc/content/news...
No change to Cycle to Work Scheme in Budget, Treasury confirms — despite reports spending cap would be introduced
Reports hinted a spending cap would be re-introduced to the tax-relief scheme, but Cycle to Work Alliance "happy to confirm no changes" to scheme
road.cc
November 27, 2025 at 11:23 AM
The panoply of leaking mostly seems to have made a whole bunch of interest groups angry with the government about things that they didn't even end up doing. This strikes me as suboptimal.
road.cc/content/news...
road.cc/content/news...
Reposted by Edward
My carefully considered, nuanced and balanced policy view is that we should tax gambling profits, including sports betting, at like 98% and one executive's kidney per quarter.
I'm not sure having every UK mainstreet be three quarters Ladbrokes is good, actually.
I'm not sure having every UK mainstreet be three quarters Ladbrokes is good, actually.
November 27, 2025 at 8:57 AM
My carefully considered, nuanced and balanced policy view is that we should tax gambling profits, including sports betting, at like 98% and one executive's kidney per quarter.
I'm not sure having every UK mainstreet be three quarters Ladbrokes is good, actually.
I'm not sure having every UK mainstreet be three quarters Ladbrokes is good, actually.
Reposted by Edward
Idk who needs to hear this but ACAB includes stock traders
November 26, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Idk who needs to hear this but ACAB includes stock traders
Reposted by Edward
The fundamental political-economy for the government is that is objectively implementing a soft left economic policy on speed whilst being hated by lots of left leaning people because of its other policies and rhetoric.
November 26, 2025 at 5:20 PM
The fundamental political-economy for the government is that is objectively implementing a soft left economic policy on speed whilst being hated by lots of left leaning people because of its other policies and rhetoric.
Reposted by Edward
Minor point. But this is the OBR saying that the briefing about income tax being dropped because of improved forecasts is bollocks.
November 26, 2025 at 1:18 PM
Minor point. But this is the OBR saying that the briefing about income tax being dropped because of improved forecasts is bollocks.
Reposted by Edward
Sorry, no, Motability was not about 'helping the most vulnerable' - it was about providing people who need modified vehicles modified vehicles!
November 26, 2025 at 1:12 PM
Sorry, no, Motability was not about 'helping the most vulnerable' - it was about providing people who need modified vehicles modified vehicles!
Reposted by Edward
It was striking IMV that the OBR publishing early meant that Faisal Islam and Helen Miller got to talk *more* and we had less 'how is that gonna play in Fungibleton Central?' style waffle.
Am enjoying BBC pundits' heads exploding over something that is entirely normal in Europe. Pretty sure the German budget (in draft, so not even decided) is just a press release...
November 26, 2025 at 12:23 PM
It was striking IMV that the OBR publishing early meant that Faisal Islam and Helen Miller got to talk *more* and we had less 'how is that gonna play in Fungibleton Central?' style waffle.
Reposted by Edward
I fear that as a society we're putting a strain on the definition of the word "regressive" beyond what it can reasonably be expected to bear
Seems regressive if this means that someone with a £50m house pays the same as a £5m house
November 26, 2025 at 12:37 PM
I fear that as a society we're putting a strain on the definition of the word "regressive" beyond what it can reasonably be expected to bear
Reposted by Edward
It’s like they’ve taken some of the really amateurish, contrived and artificial attempts at tax avoidance that were common in the noughties and applied the same techniques to manifesto tax promise avoidance.
November 25, 2025 at 11:10 PM
It’s like they’ve taken some of the really amateurish, contrived and artificial attempts at tax avoidance that were common in the noughties and applied the same techniques to manifesto tax promise avoidance.
Reposted by Edward
When can you declare an emergency over?
The 5p “emergency” petrol tax cut was introduced in March 2022, to offset a spike in prices
They are now about 30p down on that month, & about 50p down on the absolute peak
The 5p “emergency” petrol tax cut was introduced in March 2022, to offset a spike in prices
They are now about 30p down on that month, & about 50p down on the absolute peak
November 25, 2025 at 4:23 PM
When can you declare an emergency over?
The 5p “emergency” petrol tax cut was introduced in March 2022, to offset a spike in prices
They are now about 30p down on that month, & about 50p down on the absolute peak
The 5p “emergency” petrol tax cut was introduced in March 2022, to offset a spike in prices
They are now about 30p down on that month, & about 50p down on the absolute peak