Michael
@michaeljsc.bsky.social
tweeting about: politics, pop culture, general nonsense 🏳️🌈 (@michael__42 in the other place)
Sang in the choir for Berlioz’s L’Enfance du Christ tonight, which has a beautiful trio for two flutes and harp randomly embedded in it, and unfortunately I was just thinking about this tweet.
Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves surely the first prime minister and chancellor duo to both play the flute
November 27, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Sang in the choir for Berlioz’s L’Enfance du Christ tonight, which has a beautiful trio for two flutes and harp randomly embedded in it, and unfortunately I was just thinking about this tweet.
Reposted by Michael
This entire article is just the views of Naomi Cunningham and her organisation Sex Matters dressed up as though it were some sort of actual news piece. Without even a semblance of attempted balance. From the BBC.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Sandie Peggie lawyer says Scottish government is in denial
Lawyer Naomi Cunningham says the Supreme Court judgment is
www.bbc.co.uk
November 27, 2025 at 6:57 PM
This entire article is just the views of Naomi Cunningham and her organisation Sex Matters dressed up as though it were some sort of actual news piece. Without even a semblance of attempted balance. From the BBC.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
I grew up coming to terms with being gay in the era where David Cameron and Ruth Davidson spent serious political capital on supporting equal marriage. Theresa May didn’t have any flashpoints as contentious, but spent time and effort maintaining a positive relationship with the LGBT community. 1/2
I buy that he genuinely cares about this. He should go to a pride march next year! I don’t think he has attended one since 2022.
Acceptance and safety of LGBT people doesn’t just take care of itself, people in power have to set an example.
Acceptance and safety of LGBT people doesn’t just take care of itself, people in power have to set an example.
November 27, 2025 at 3:44 PM
I grew up coming to terms with being gay in the era where David Cameron and Ruth Davidson spent serious political capital on supporting equal marriage. Theresa May didn’t have any flashpoints as contentious, but spent time and effort maintaining a positive relationship with the LGBT community. 1/2
I buy that he genuinely cares about this. He should go to a pride march next year! I don’t think he has attended one since 2022.
Acceptance and safety of LGBT people doesn’t just take care of itself, people in power have to set an example.
Acceptance and safety of LGBT people doesn’t just take care of itself, people in power have to set an example.
November 27, 2025 at 3:32 PM
I buy that he genuinely cares about this. He should go to a pride march next year! I don’t think he has attended one since 2022.
Acceptance and safety of LGBT people doesn’t just take care of itself, people in power have to set an example.
Acceptance and safety of LGBT people doesn’t just take care of itself, people in power have to set an example.
Reposted by Michael
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 Michael
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.
what makes this line extra-ridiculous is that the two child cap only has the salience it does because it’s been the subject of an intra-party dispute. there are any number of things in both Reeves budgets that are broadly popular in Labour and unpopular in the country, that’s how budgets work.
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 1:14 PM
what makes this line extra-ridiculous is that the two child cap only has the salience it does because it’s been the subject of an intra-party dispute. there are any number of things in both Reeves budgets that are broadly popular in Labour and unpopular in the country, that’s how budgets work.
Reposted by Michael
True more broadly of all the “you fool! Income tax rises are unpopular” chatter. What about the current 2027-9 spending plans looks popular to you?!
November 27, 2025 at 12:45 PM
True more broadly of all the “you fool! Income tax rises are unpopular” chatter. What about the current 2027-9 spending plans looks popular to you?!
Reposted by Michael
Continues to be wild to me how few Labour MPs have absorbed that the Starmer-Reeves strategy is, and always has been “Plan A: Somehow the Major economy returned Plan B: Die”.
The tax rises in this Budget’s are backloaded.
They're largely kick in in what is likely to be a pre-election year, somewhat implausibly.
They're largely kick in in what is likely to be a pre-election year, somewhat implausibly.
November 27, 2025 at 12:43 PM
Continues to be wild to me how few Labour MPs have absorbed that the Starmer-Reeves strategy is, and always has been “Plan A: Somehow the Major economy returned Plan B: Die”.
Reposted by Michael
I know the basic reason for this (clicks!) but I'm not sure that covering everything as a live blog is particularly helpful. The migration figures release is one event, write a good piece (or a few) about what they say and what it means! There's nothing to cover 'live' www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cn...
UK net migration drops sharply to 204,000 in year to June - live updates
The Office for National Statistics says the fall is driven by fewer non-EU nationals arriving for work and study, and a
www.bbc.co.uk
November 27, 2025 at 11:17 AM
I know the basic reason for this (clicks!) but I'm not sure that covering everything as a live blog is particularly helpful. The migration figures release is one event, write a good piece (or a few) about what they say and what it means! There's nothing to cover 'live' www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cn...
Reposted by Michael
Rachel Reeves has said her Budget did three things. Did it? (Spoiler: no, but read it anyway)
Rachel Reeves’ Budget fails her own 3 claims
Chancellor’s actions not enough to satisfy pledges on cost of living, debt and NHS
www.ft.com
November 27, 2025 at 11:28 AM
Rachel Reeves has said her Budget did three things. Did it? (Spoiler: no, but read it anyway)
Good piece, although I think we have to remember that these increases to tax are off the baseline of Tory NICs cuts that were broadly seen as unaffordable at the time, and likewise increases to spending are off the baseline of plans that the OBR and IFS said were fictional.
Starmer and Reeves run probably the most economically left-wing government of past five decades and yet bleeding support to its left thanks to dumb strategy www.economist.com/britain/2025...
November 27, 2025 at 10:51 AM
Good piece, although I think we have to remember that these increases to tax are off the baseline of Tory NICs cuts that were broadly seen as unaffordable at the time, and likewise increases to spending are off the baseline of plans that the OBR and IFS said were fictional.
I know I’m a stuck record on this, but Chris Mason’s written pieces on the BBC News website are so bad.
I know it’s just one piece, but there’s no comment at all on what should be the political headline of this budget: that all the fiscal pain is stored up for the years going into the election.
I know it’s just one piece, but there’s no comment at all on what should be the political headline of this budget: that all the fiscal pain is stored up for the years going into the election.
Budget analysis: Chancellor chooses to tax big and spend big
In a Budget dogged by months of leaks, Labour hopes its big tax and spend plans pay off.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 27, 2025 at 7:53 AM
I know I’m a stuck record on this, but Chris Mason’s written pieces on the BBC News website are so bad.
I know it’s just one piece, but there’s no comment at all on what should be the political headline of this budget: that all the fiscal pain is stored up for the years going into the election.
I know it’s just one piece, but there’s no comment at all on what should be the political headline of this budget: that all the fiscal pain is stored up for the years going into the election.
Hades 2 is a simple game:
you check which weapon has grave thirst
if it’s the skull you use aspect of Medea
you win
you check which weapon has grave thirst
if it’s the skull you use aspect of Medea
you win
November 26, 2025 at 11:46 PM
Hades 2 is a simple game:
you check which weapon has grave thirst
if it’s the skull you use aspect of Medea
you win
you check which weapon has grave thirst
if it’s the skull you use aspect of Medea
you win
Reposted by Michael
The second year of magical thinking: this evening's newsletter on the Budget:
Rachel Reeves doubles down on wishful thinking
A government that can’t make tough choices now is unlikely to do so on the eve of an election
www.ft.com
November 26, 2025 at 5:25 PM
The second year of magical thinking: this evening's newsletter on the Budget:
feel like I overestimated how good the 2024 budget was at the time, but it makes me feel better that a bunch of people are making exactly the same mistake with the 2025 one after a year of being beaten over the head with the gaps in that strategy
November 26, 2025 at 5:30 PM
feel like I overestimated how good the 2024 budget was at the time, but it makes me feel better that a bunch of people are making exactly the same mistake with the 2025 one after a year of being beaten over the head with the gaps in that strategy
Reposted by Michael
“This was a big Budget, but not in the way people were necessarily expecting.” – @helenmiller.bsky.social
📗 Our immediate IFS response to #Budget2025 is out now: ifs.org.uk/articles/aut...
📗 Our immediate IFS response to #Budget2025 is out now: ifs.org.uk/articles/aut...
November 26, 2025 at 3:06 PM
“This was a big Budget, but not in the way people were necessarily expecting.” – @helenmiller.bsky.social
📗 Our immediate IFS response to #Budget2025 is out now: ifs.org.uk/articles/aut...
📗 Our immediate IFS response to #Budget2025 is out now: ifs.org.uk/articles/aut...
Reposted by Michael
The government’s spending plans are “25-27: spending increases, 27-29: paaaain” which, uh…the election is 2028-9!
November 26, 2025 at 2:05 PM
The government’s spending plans are “25-27: spending increases, 27-29: paaaain” which, uh…the election is 2028-9!
Reposted by Michael
The continued weird thing about this year's budget and the last is the...'you do understand that you have to get *re-elected* in 2028-9, right?'
I think a government in a stronger political position would have been prepared to be bolder at the moment.
November 26, 2025 at 1:57 PM
The continued weird thing about this year's budget and the last is the...'you do understand that you have to get *re-elected* in 2028-9, right?'
Reposted by Michael
This continues to be nuts! Essentially putting up taxes on *anyone* putting in the suggested amount into their private pension via salary sacrifice in a convoluted way that will lead to lots of grumbling.
November 26, 2025 at 1:05 PM
This continues to be nuts! Essentially putting up taxes on *anyone* putting in the suggested amount into their private pension via salary sacrifice in a convoluted way that will lead to lots of grumbling.
Reposted by Michael
Whatever else this government do (and there's plenty of issues with this budget) ministers will always be able to point to this as an incredible important contribution to the country's future. Almost half a million kids taken out of poverty.
Scrapping the two-child limit in full is a monumental decision. Well done to all involved in the Child Poverty Strategy, and everyone who has made the case against the policy.
OBR says scrapping costs £3 billion in 2029-30 and will lift 450,000 out of poverty
OBR says scrapping costs £3 billion in 2029-30 and will lift 450,000 out of poverty
November 26, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Whatever else this government do (and there's plenty of issues with this budget) ministers will always be able to point to this as an incredible important contribution to the country's future. Almost half a million kids taken out of poverty.
stuck the speech on for 10 mins while I eat lunch. she’s just said £820m for the Scottish government over the period due to the Barnett formula, then repeated it and said it’s because Anas Sarwar asked for it
low stakes maybe but again: they need a much stronger “is that true though?” instinct
low stakes maybe but again: they need a much stronger “is that true though?” instinct
November 26, 2025 at 12:53 PM
stuck the speech on for 10 mins while I eat lunch. she’s just said £820m for the Scottish government over the period due to the Barnett formula, then repeated it and said it’s because Anas Sarwar asked for it
low stakes maybe but again: they need a much stronger “is that true though?” instinct
low stakes maybe but again: they need a much stronger “is that true though?” instinct
Reposted by Michael
I think that far too much weight is being placed on 'can you rules-lawyer your way through an interview about how you've put people's taxes up' and 'what will people actually experience' - if you're raising my taxes (you are), just raise them by enough to get out of the v tight 27-9 spending rounds!
November 26, 2025 at 12:45 PM
I think that far too much weight is being placed on 'can you rules-lawyer your way through an interview about how you've put people's taxes up' and 'what will people actually experience' - if you're raising my taxes (you are), just raise them by enough to get out of the v tight 27-9 spending rounds!
Reposted by Michael
With apologies to the poor person at the OBR who accidentally hit upload...
Key public finance story: smaller OBR downgrade than expected, more borrowing in the short term (extra spending, mostly unanticipated), less borrowing in the medium term (as tax rises kick in).
Key public finance story: smaller OBR downgrade than expected, more borrowing in the short term (extra spending, mostly unanticipated), less borrowing in the medium term (as tax rises kick in).
November 26, 2025 at 12:13 PM
With apologies to the poor person at the OBR who accidentally hit upload...
Key public finance story: smaller OBR downgrade than expected, more borrowing in the short term (extra spending, mostly unanticipated), less borrowing in the medium term (as tax rises kick in).
Key public finance story: smaller OBR downgrade than expected, more borrowing in the short term (extra spending, mostly unanticipated), less borrowing in the medium term (as tax rises kick in).