Laura Phillips
@lauraphillips.bsky.social
Campaigner to support the BBC, (not a BBC employee).It’s affected by savage UK govt cuts: c40% 2010-2024. BBC costs <48 pence/around 62 US cents a day per UK household. It’s a national public service broadcaster, respected worldwide for accurate reporting.
Reposted by Laura Phillips
Welfare spending is currently 1.2% of GDP *lower* than in 2012-13.
Abolition of two-child cap is best viewed as a correction than an increase.
Abolition of two-child cap is best viewed as a correction than an increase.
Is welfare spending ''out of control''?
Total welfare spending in Britain in 2025-26 is estimated to be 10.8 per cent of GDP.
That's just 0.8 per cent of GDP higher than in 2007-08, and total welfare spending has actually fallen fallen by 1.2 per cent of GDP since 2012-13⤵️
buff.ly/s5mz97u
Total welfare spending in Britain in 2025-26 is estimated to be 10.8 per cent of GDP.
That's just 0.8 per cent of GDP higher than in 2007-08, and total welfare spending has actually fallen fallen by 1.2 per cent of GDP since 2012-13⤵️
buff.ly/s5mz97u
November 28, 2025 at 8:35 AM
Welfare spending is currently 1.2% of GDP *lower* than in 2012-13.
Abolition of two-child cap is best viewed as a correction than an increase.
Abolition of two-child cap is best viewed as a correction than an increase.
On this week’s Any Questions, AlexForsythBBC is joined at St Mary’s Church in Walthamstow by Daisy Cooper MP, Julia Lopez MP, Patrick Maguire, and Lucy Rigby MP.
Listen 8pm Friday / 1.10pm Saturday on #BBCRadio4 or on demand on #BBCSounds. #BBCAQ
Listen 8pm Friday / 1.10pm Saturday on #BBCRadio4 or on demand on #BBCSounds. #BBCAQ
November 28, 2025 at 9:26 AM
On this week’s Any Questions, AlexForsythBBC is joined at St Mary’s Church in Walthamstow by Daisy Cooper MP, Julia Lopez MP, Patrick Maguire, and Lucy Rigby MP.
Listen 8pm Friday / 1.10pm Saturday on #BBCRadio4 or on demand on #BBCSounds. #BBCAQ
Listen 8pm Friday / 1.10pm Saturday on #BBCRadio4 or on demand on #BBCSounds. #BBCAQ
“WhatsApps show Oleg Voloshyn, a former pro-Russian member of the Ukraine parliament, discussing money apparently set aside for Coburn while he was bribing Gill.”
Former Brexit Party MEP denies taking payment from pro-Russian campaign
A prominent former MEP for Nigel Farage's old party denies taking bribes in a pro-Russian campaign.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 28, 2025 at 8:23 AM
“WhatsApps show Oleg Voloshyn, a former pro-Russian member of the Ukraine parliament, discussing money apparently set aside for Coburn while he was bribing Gill.”
@hugorifkind.bsky.social: “Banter in which you are called a Nazi? Disgraceful, wrong. But banter in which you actually sound like one? Fine. For a schoolboy this would be merely silly. For a man who wants to be PM it's unsustainable.”1/
Was Nigel Farage a bit of a Nazi? Only he knows
The Reform leader was a teenager when he made crass remarks but we’re entitled to ask a would-be prime minister what lay behind them
www.thetimes.com
November 27, 2025 at 11:22 PM
@hugorifkind.bsky.social: “Banter in which you are called a Nazi? Disgraceful, wrong. But banter in which you actually sound like one? Fine. For a schoolboy this would be merely silly. For a man who wants to be PM it's unsustainable.”1/
What does the latest #peace plan for #Ukraine tell us about the prospects for an end to almost 4 years of war? Find out in The Briefing Room on #BBCSounds with @davidsonofaaron.bsky.social AngelaStent @ldfreedman.bsky.social @laurie_bristow @christopherjm.ft.com
BBC Radio 4 - The Briefing Room, What's happening with the Ukraine peace plan?
Is there a viable peace plan for Ukraine on the table?
www.bbc.co.uk
November 27, 2025 at 11:02 PM
What does the latest #peace plan for #Ukraine tell us about the prospects for an end to almost 4 years of war? Find out in The Briefing Room on #BBCSounds with @davidsonofaaron.bsky.social AngelaStent @ldfreedman.bsky.social @laurie_bristow @christopherjm.ft.com
“I do think there is a problem with appointees who were appointed by Government”
Culture Secretary #LisaNandy tells #Newsnight that politically appointed #BBC board members are a “problem” for public confidence in the broadcaster as a "neutral and independent institution”
Culture Secretary #LisaNandy tells #Newsnight that politically appointed #BBC board members are a “problem” for public confidence in the broadcaster as a "neutral and independent institution”
video.twimg.com
November 27, 2025 at 10:49 PM
“I do think there is a problem with appointees who were appointed by Government”
Culture Secretary #LisaNandy tells #Newsnight that politically appointed #BBC board members are a “problem” for public confidence in the broadcaster as a "neutral and independent institution”
Culture Secretary #LisaNandy tells #Newsnight that politically appointed #BBC board members are a “problem” for public confidence in the broadcaster as a "neutral and independent institution”
Reposted by Laura Phillips
I’m so shocked to hear about Pam Hogg. She was an idol to me. Met her when I was covering the fashion renegades exhibition last year, and she agreed to do an impromptu interview for Front Row. She was so full of joy and energy. RIP. Listen from 15 min 30 www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
BBC Radio 4 - Front Row, Alison Moyet, Leigh Bowery exhibition, Adrian Sutton
Fashion renegades of the 1980s; composer Adrian Sutton and Alison Moyet.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 27, 2025 at 6:48 PM
I’m so shocked to hear about Pam Hogg. She was an idol to me. Met her when I was covering the fashion renegades exhibition last year, and she agreed to do an impromptu interview for Front Row. She was so full of joy and energy. RIP. Listen from 15 min 30 www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
Reposted by Laura Phillips
NEW: BBC tells staff they cannot quote Trump line removed from Reith Lecture
BBC News article & Media Show prevented from repeating Rutger Bregman’s corruption allegation in its coverage… of whether the BBC censored his speech!
BBC/Trump fallout continues
www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n...
BBC News article & Media Show prevented from repeating Rutger Bregman’s corruption allegation in its coverage… of whether the BBC censored his speech!
BBC/Trump fallout continues
www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n...
BBC tells staff they cannot quote Trump line removed from Reith Lecture
Journalists not allowed to repeat Rutger Bregman’s corruption claims against US president in coverage of edit
www.theguardian.com
November 27, 2025 at 1:36 PM
NEW: BBC tells staff they cannot quote Trump line removed from Reith Lecture
BBC News article & Media Show prevented from repeating Rutger Bregman’s corruption allegation in its coverage… of whether the BBC censored his speech!
BBC/Trump fallout continues
www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n...
BBC News article & Media Show prevented from repeating Rutger Bregman’s corruption allegation in its coverage… of whether the BBC censored his speech!
BBC/Trump fallout continues
www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n...
Reposted by Laura Phillips
Observer launches first paywall and ditches Guardian-era masthead. Digital subscriptions to The Observer are priced at £16 per month. pressgazette.co.uk/paywalls/obs...
Observer launches first paywall and ditches Guardian-era masthead
Digital subscriptions to The Observer are priced at £16 per month.
pressgazette.co.uk
November 27, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Observer launches first paywall and ditches Guardian-era masthead. Digital subscriptions to The Observer are priced at £16 per month. pressgazette.co.uk/paywalls/obs...
Reposted by Laura Phillips
Another very large decline in net migration in today's ONS figures, with immigration falling and emigration rising. I'm sure this will get just as much media and political coverage as the earlier sharp rises, right? www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopula...
Long-term international migration, provisional - Office for National Statistics
Estimates of UK long-term international migration, year ending June 2012 to year ending December 2024.
www.ons.gov.uk
November 27, 2025 at 9:56 AM
Another very large decline in net migration in today's ONS figures, with immigration falling and emigration rising. I'm sure this will get just as much media and political coverage as the earlier sharp rises, right? www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopula...
“Her own original sin remains the irresponsible pre-election commitment not to raise the three key personal taxes in this parliament. This underlay the undignified on-again, off-again mixed messages in this year’s drawn-out pre-budget period. It also implied she did not know what she was doing.”
Rachel Reeves’s budget has inflamed, not calmed, Britain’s febrile mood | Martin Kettle
The chancellor’s statement will be remembered for the many taxes it raised, rather than the big one – income tax – it did not, says Guardian columnist Martin Kettle
www.theguardian.com
November 27, 2025 at 3:09 PM
“Her own original sin remains the irresponsible pre-election commitment not to raise the three key personal taxes in this parliament. This underlay the undignified on-again, off-again mixed messages in this year’s drawn-out pre-budget period. It also implied she did not know what she was doing.”
@evanhd.bsky.social: #EV taxes will be 3p per mile. If you work out #petrol #tax, excluding the VAT, just the fuel duty it’s about 6 or 7p a mile for people driving petrol cars. Govt gets £25bn a year from petrol tax revenue.
November 27, 2025 at 2:04 PM
@evanhd.bsky.social: #EV taxes will be 3p per mile. If you work out #petrol #tax, excluding the VAT, just the fuel duty it’s about 6 or 7p a mile for people driving petrol cars. Govt gets £25bn a year from petrol tax revenue.
@fromtga.bsky.social: "The shared public sphere we need for democracy is everywhere being eroded by the simultaneous fragmentation and polarisation that results from the US capitalist version of the digital revolution. There are few easy remedies." 1/
My latest commentary: how to populist-proof your democracy before it's too late…
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
My guide to populist-proofing your democracy – before it’s too late | Timothy Garton Ash
From public service broadcasting to an independent judiciary, these are the things that we must fight to keep, says Guardian columnist Timothy Garton Ash
www.theguardian.com
November 27, 2025 at 1:01 PM
@fromtga.bsky.social: "The shared public sphere we need for democracy is everywhere being eroded by the simultaneous fragmentation and polarisation that results from the US capitalist version of the digital revolution. There are few easy remedies." 1/
Politics UK: 🚨 NEW: Reform UK has spent £700k on double-page ads in today's Telegraph, Times, Sun, Mail, Express and Metro papers
[@christiancalgie]
[@christiancalgie]
![Politics UK: 🚨 NEW: Reform UK has spent £700k on double-page ads in today's Telegraph, Times, Sun, Mail, Express and Metro papers
[@christiancalgie]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:44vryxuypemvgsck5xkhppf3/bafkreifwhdeujnzu7hnzhjyohiebpg76wsx74drr4as22wcfumypnpsrjq@jpeg)
November 27, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Politics UK: 🚨 NEW: Reform UK has spent £700k on double-page ads in today's Telegraph, Times, Sun, Mail, Express and Metro papers
[@christiancalgie]
[@christiancalgie]
It's very hard to hear #RachelReevesMP or #MelJStrideMP
grilled by #BBC's #NickRobinson on lack of UK growth with no mention of #Brexit effects. See 👇🏻Is there still a ban on *serious forensic* discussion of this at #BBC? We’re a trading nation! It’s harder to do business with Portugal than China.
grilled by #BBC's #NickRobinson on lack of UK growth with no mention of #Brexit effects. See 👇🏻Is there still a ban on *serious forensic* discussion of this at #BBC? We’re a trading nation! It’s harder to do business with Portugal than China.
"By 2025, Brexit had reduced UK GDP by 6% to 8%, with the impact accumulating gradually over time. We estimate that investment was reduced by between 12% and 18%, employment by 3% to 4% and productivity by 3% to 4%"
Read the Stanford report:
siepr.stanford.edu/publications...
Read the Stanford report:
siepr.stanford.edu/publications...
The Economic Impact of Brexit
Other
siepr.stanford.edu
November 27, 2025 at 11:44 AM
It's very hard to hear #RachelReevesMP or #MelJStrideMP
grilled by #BBC's #NickRobinson on lack of UK growth with no mention of #Brexit effects. See 👇🏻Is there still a ban on *serious forensic* discussion of this at #BBC? We’re a trading nation! It’s harder to do business with Portugal than China.
grilled by #BBC's #NickRobinson on lack of UK growth with no mention of #Brexit effects. See 👇🏻Is there still a ban on *serious forensic* discussion of this at #BBC? We’re a trading nation! It’s harder to do business with Portugal than China.
Reposted by Laura Phillips
😳😳😳 Blimey www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025... 1/2
Net migration to UK drops 69% year on year, ONS says
Figure of 204,000 in 12 months to June 2025 is lowest since 2021, statistics body says
www.theguardian.com
November 27, 2025 at 9:58 AM
😳😳😳 Blimey www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025... 1/2
Reposted by Laura Phillips
As always, Reform UK promises to fix the problems of neoliberalism with more neoliberalism.
"We will always be on the side of working people", Farage's 'Letter to the Nation' says today.
What he neglects to admit is that Reform plans to cut £300+ billion from the public services that these "working people" rely on every day.
What he neglects to admit is that Reform plans to cut £300+ billion from the public services that these "working people" rely on every day.
November 27, 2025 at 9:51 AM
As always, Reform UK promises to fix the problems of neoliberalism with more neoliberalism.