KS_1968
@karenroberts.bsky.social
Twitter refugee. Enjoy politics, old movies & music esp Bowie.
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KS_1968
@karenroberts.bsky.social
· Sep 20
9 months gone. 39 more till the orange fartbag is history.
Reposted by KS_1968
Kemi Badenoch - one of the many, many politicians since Margaret Thatcher to talk about learning from Margaret Thatcher who, IDK, maybe they saw a meme about her one time?
November 28, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Kemi Badenoch - one of the many, many politicians since Margaret Thatcher to talk about learning from Margaret Thatcher who, IDK, maybe they saw a meme about her one time?
Reposted by KS_1968
Coincidence corner: Nigel Farage and crypto.
From the new Private Eye, out now.
From the new Private Eye, out now.
November 28, 2025 at 1:10 PM
Coincidence corner: Nigel Farage and crypto.
From the new Private Eye, out now.
From the new Private Eye, out now.
Reposted by KS_1968
No deal better than a bad deal? www.ft.com/content/22db...
UK talks to join EU defence fund break down
Discussions failed after Britain refused to pay billions of euros in fees
www.ft.com
November 28, 2025 at 1:10 PM
No deal better than a bad deal? www.ft.com/content/22db...
Reposted by KS_1968
Also saw this fantastic chart. Red: pure age-related ratio of old to young. Green: number of old vs. number of employed. Employment boom post-2006 helped a lot.
(And led politicians to add new pension gimmmicks.)
(And led politicians to add new pension gimmmicks.)
November 28, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Also saw this fantastic chart. Red: pure age-related ratio of old to young. Green: number of old vs. number of employed. Employment boom post-2006 helped a lot.
(And led politicians to add new pension gimmmicks.)
(And led politicians to add new pension gimmmicks.)
Reposted by KS_1968
That means, those who paid about 30-35% during their work-life now want the young to pay 41%++ to fund pensioners' consumption and services.
In the debate, the burden of proof is on those what want (more) stable contribution rates.
In the debate, the burden of proof is on those what want (more) stable contribution rates.
November 28, 2025 at 12:43 PM
That means, those who paid about 30-35% during their work-life now want the young to pay 41%++ to fund pensioners' consumption and services.
In the debate, the burden of proof is on those what want (more) stable contribution rates.
In the debate, the burden of proof is on those what want (more) stable contribution rates.
Reposted by KS_1968
The German #pension debate has one big problem: the burden of proof is on the young, not the old.
Total social insurances* contributions were at 27% in 1970, 32% in 1980, 36% in 1990 and 41% in 2000.
*) pension, unemployment, health, care
Total social insurances* contributions were at 27% in 1970, 32% in 1980, 36% in 1990 and 41% in 2000.
*) pension, unemployment, health, care
November 28, 2025 at 12:39 PM
The German #pension debate has one big problem: the burden of proof is on the young, not the old.
Total social insurances* contributions were at 27% in 1970, 32% in 1980, 36% in 1990 and 41% in 2000.
*) pension, unemployment, health, care
Total social insurances* contributions were at 27% in 1970, 32% in 1980, 36% in 1990 and 41% in 2000.
*) pension, unemployment, health, care
Oh dear. This really is quite awful. Really cringey.
November 28, 2025 at 12:17 PM
Oh dear. This really is quite awful. Really cringey.
Reposted by KS_1968
Truly it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to pay more tax on their dividends
November 28, 2025 at 12:11 PM
Truly it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to pay more tax on their dividends
Reposted by KS_1968
As Jesus once put it: "what shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and then have to pay the mansion tax?"
November 28, 2025 at 12:11 PM
As Jesus once put it: "what shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and then have to pay the mansion tax?"
Reposted by KS_1968
The story about her being mad that someone suggested that because she didn't have the grades to become a doctor she consider nursing instead and that being the 'tyranny of low expectations' is by far the most telling about her. She *thinks* she's smarter than everyone else by default
November 28, 2025 at 11:52 AM
The story about her being mad that someone suggested that because she didn't have the grades to become a doctor she consider nursing instead and that being the 'tyranny of low expectations' is by far the most telling about her. She *thinks* she's smarter than everyone else by default
Reposted by KS_1968
She is so profoundly intellectually incurious that I find myself fascinated how she ever learnt how to *speak*.
Also the Romans literally had a welfare system that included cash transfers for poor children. (And subsidised grain for low income workers...).
There was no state. Who does she think crucified him, an anarchist collective?
November 28, 2025 at 11:28 AM
She is so profoundly intellectually incurious that I find myself fascinated how she ever learnt how to *speak*.
Reposted by KS_1968
Also the Romans literally had a welfare system that included cash transfers for poor children. (And subsidised grain for low income workers...).
There was no state. Who does she think crucified him, an anarchist collective?
November 28, 2025 at 11:23 AM
Also the Romans literally had a welfare system that included cash transfers for poor children. (And subsidised grain for low income workers...).
Reposted by KS_1968
There was no state. Who does she think crucified him, an anarchist collective?
November 28, 2025 at 11:22 AM
There was no state. Who does she think crucified him, an anarchist collective?
Omg she is so wierd. Amd ignorant.
Was that line brainstormed or is that her thinking on her feet? 🤣
Was that line brainstormed or is that her thinking on her feet? 🤣
November 28, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Omg she is so wierd. Amd ignorant.
Was that line brainstormed or is that her thinking on her feet? 🤣
Was that line brainstormed or is that her thinking on her feet? 🤣
Reposted by KS_1968
Some book recommendations for serious lovers of history www.historytoday.com/archive/revi...
Books of the Year 2025: Part 1
www.historytoday.com
November 28, 2025 at 12:05 PM
Some book recommendations for serious lovers of history www.historytoday.com/archive/revi...
Another Farage ally. 👇
Here's UKIP's former Scottish leader David Coburn, who has denied taking Russian bribes after being named in Whatsapp messages between Nathan Gill and a pawn of the Putin administration, being applauded by Gill for arguing against Ukraine's entry to the EU
November 28, 2025 at 12:06 PM
Another Farage ally. 👇
Reposted by KS_1968
And here's David Coburn again in the European Parliament accusing the EU of "unwarranted imperialism in the Ukraine"
Coburn denies taking any money from Russia to make these statements www.youtube.com/watch?v=52W7...
Coburn denies taking any money from Russia to make these statements www.youtube.com/watch?v=52W7...
EU edges us closer to war with Russia while dictating to the Greek people - UKIP MEP David Coburn
YouTube video by UKIP MEPs
www.youtube.com
November 28, 2025 at 11:43 AM
And here's David Coburn again in the European Parliament accusing the EU of "unwarranted imperialism in the Ukraine"
Coburn denies taking any money from Russia to make these statements www.youtube.com/watch?v=52W7...
Coburn denies taking any money from Russia to make these statements www.youtube.com/watch?v=52W7...
Reposted by KS_1968
And Here's David Coburn on Russian state television accusing the EU of "interfering in the Russian sphere of influence" on Ukraine www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrJS...
Russia today - David Coburn on Russia/Ukraine, March 2014
YouTube video by Liberty media
www.youtube.com
November 28, 2025 at 11:40 AM
And Here's David Coburn on Russian state television accusing the EU of "interfering in the Russian sphere of influence" on Ukraine www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrJS...
Reposted by KS_1968
Here's UKIP's former Scottish leader David Coburn, who has denied taking Russian bribes after being named in Whatsapp messages between Nathan Gill and a pawn of the Putin administration, being applauded by Gill for arguing against Ukraine's entry to the EU
November 28, 2025 at 11:38 AM
Here's UKIP's former Scottish leader David Coburn, who has denied taking Russian bribes after being named in Whatsapp messages between Nathan Gill and a pawn of the Putin administration, being applauded by Gill for arguing against Ukraine's entry to the EU
Reposted by KS_1968
And the crucial thing to understand about the 16 per cent of pensioners in poverty is that the reason why they are in poverty is not because 'they are pensioners' but because of inadequate provision for 'the working poor', regardless of age.
November 28, 2025 at 11:43 AM
And the crucial thing to understand about the 16 per cent of pensioners in poverty is that the reason why they are in poverty is not because 'they are pensioners' but because of inadequate provision for 'the working poor', regardless of age.
Reposted by KS_1968
I don't remember Jeremy Hunt being asked if it was self interest that made him vandalise the public finances.
November 27, 2025 at 11:25 PM
I don't remember Jeremy Hunt being asked if it was self interest that made him vandalise the public finances.
Reposted by KS_1968
It's such a bizarre framing. Labour MPs think taking 450k kids out of poverty is putting the country first! That's why they wanted it to happen! It's not because they personally benefit.
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 1:16 PM
It's such a bizarre framing. Labour MPs think taking 450k kids out of poverty is putting the country first! That's why they wanted it to happen! It's not because they personally benefit.
Reposted by KS_1968
It's part of the electionification of everything, which is why we as a country are failing to have a proper conversation about our actual problems. It's bad for the left *and* the right.
It's such a bizarre framing. Labour MPs think taking 450k kids out of poverty is putting the country first! That's why they wanted it to happen! It's not because they personally benefit.
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 10:17 PM
It's part of the electionification of everything, which is why we as a country are failing to have a proper conversation about our actual problems. It's bad for the left *and* the right.
Reposted by KS_1968
Splits within the EU between France and Germany are becoming more obvious by the day, not just over the UK. Also applies more importantly to China policy, US handling, and ratification of the Mercosur agreement. Not a happy ship. But been on the cars for a while.
November 28, 2025 at 11:26 AM
Splits within the EU between France and Germany are becoming more obvious by the day, not just over the UK. Also applies more importantly to China policy, US handling, and ratification of the Mercosur agreement. Not a happy ship. But been on the cars for a while.