David Higham
@oldtrotter.bsky.social
Former economist and civil servant. Former (age related) national cycling champion. Still a music fan. Sewn up member of the Zipper Club.
Pinned
David Higham
@oldtrotter.bsky.social
· Jan 21
Beyond ‘Levelling up’: how to improve regional policy in England: 10 lessons from 20 years
‘Levelling-up’ as a political slogan in the UK may be finished, but a commitment to reducing regional inequalities remains, as highlighted in the 2024 Green Paper on Industrial Strategy. This paper...
www.tandfonline.com
A short summary of my thoughts on regional policy. www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Reposted by David Higham
The version of the Gospels where the Samaritan crossed the road to kick the robbery victim in the head and go through his pockets for loose change was suppressed by the woke fathers of the early church.
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 11:05 AM
The version of the Gospels where the Samaritan crossed the road to kick the robbery victim in the head and go through his pockets for loose change was suppressed by the woke fathers of the early church.
Reposted by David Higham
Kinnock voice - "I’ll tell you what happens with impossible promises. You start with far-fetched resolutions....and you end up in the grotesque chaos of a Labour government, a *Labour* government, rejecting visas for homeless 8 yr olds trying to joing their parents"
November 28, 2025 at 10:43 AM
Kinnock voice - "I’ll tell you what happens with impossible promises. You start with far-fetched resolutions....and you end up in the grotesque chaos of a Labour government, a *Labour* government, rejecting visas for homeless 8 yr olds trying to joing their parents"
Reposted by David Higham
It's not quite that Labour subcontracted to focus groups - as Alex says, the affiliated trades unions are a really important power broker. It is that the Starmer approach is to go 'sure, whatever you want', and the combined effect of 'sure, whatever you want' did not get the balance right.
Sub-contracting policy to focus groups last year led Labour to
- promise beyond what was plausible on employment rights
- promise less than was necessary on tax & spend
Events have now forced it to strike a better balance
But the politics of the recalibration are ghastly
- promise beyond what was plausible on employment rights
- promise less than was necessary on tax & spend
Events have now forced it to strike a better balance
But the politics of the recalibration are ghastly
November 28, 2025 at 10:55 AM
It's not quite that Labour subcontracted to focus groups - as Alex says, the affiliated trades unions are a really important power broker. It is that the Starmer approach is to go 'sure, whatever you want', and the combined effect of 'sure, whatever you want' did not get the balance right.
Wonderful thread here.
I heard a story about a female academic giving a paper at the IHR who, after receiving a long and aggressive question from a senior male professor, simply leaned back with her hands behind her head and replied “Oh, do fuck off.”
One of my colleagues went to a seminar at Berkeley and when someone asked a question Derrida brushed it off saying ‘what you ask may be important but it is not interesting’.
November 28, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Wonderful thread here.
Reposted by David Higham
Very good by @rmcunliffe.bsky.social. This country's deternination to consume its own young is both disgusting and, i suspect, self defeating.
Rachel Reeves hits young graduates with a double stealth tax
The Chancellor plans to raise as much money from freezing loan repayment thresholds as from the mansion tax
www.newstatesman.com
November 28, 2025 at 9:55 AM
Very good by @rmcunliffe.bsky.social. This country's deternination to consume its own young is both disgusting and, i suspect, self defeating.
Reposted by David Higham
Labour convinced itself it couldn’t win the last election without promising not to raise taxes. In actual fact, it shouldn’t have been able to win *without* promising to.
✍️ www.linestotake.com/p/labour-bud...
My newsletter, out now.
✍️ www.linestotake.com/p/labour-bud...
My newsletter, out now.
November 28, 2025 at 9:32 AM
Labour convinced itself it couldn’t win the last election without promising not to raise taxes. In actual fact, it shouldn’t have been able to win *without* promising to.
✍️ www.linestotake.com/p/labour-bud...
My newsletter, out now.
✍️ www.linestotake.com/p/labour-bud...
My newsletter, out now.
Reposted by David Higham
The IFS's Paul Johnson was pretty excoriating during the campaign:
"Delivering genuine change will almost certainly also require putting actual resources on the table. And Labour’s manifesto offers no indication that there is a plan for where the money would come from to finance this."
"Delivering genuine change will almost certainly also require putting actual resources on the table. And Labour’s manifesto offers no indication that there is a plan for where the money would come from to finance this."
Labour Party manifesto: an initial response | Institute for Fiscal Studies
An assessment of the tax rises and spending changes proposed in the 2024 Labour Party general election manifesto
ifs.org.uk
November 28, 2025 at 9:37 AM
The IFS's Paul Johnson was pretty excoriating during the campaign:
"Delivering genuine change will almost certainly also require putting actual resources on the table. And Labour’s manifesto offers no indication that there is a plan for where the money would come from to finance this."
"Delivering genuine change will almost certainly also require putting actual resources on the table. And Labour’s manifesto offers no indication that there is a plan for where the money would come from to finance this."
Of course they do. Suggests that the industry isn't as competitive as it likes to suggest UK gambling groups warn punters will bear the brunt of tax rises - on.ft.com/3McRYod via @FT
UK gambling groups warn punters will bear the brunt of tax rises
Industry chiefs say they will offer worse odds and direct investment out of Britain after being targeted at the Budget
on.ft.com
November 28, 2025 at 8:35 AM
Of course they do. Suggests that the industry isn't as competitive as it likes to suggest UK gambling groups warn punters will bear the brunt of tax rises - on.ft.com/3McRYod via @FT
Reposted by David Higham
One part of the jigsaw involves the extortionate gouging and rent seeking by the private equity-owner providers that councils are dependent on www.ft.com/content/fb3d...
The booming business of special needs education in England
The public spending watchdog warns that the system is becoming ‘financially unsustainable’ for councils
www.ft.com
November 28, 2025 at 8:24 AM
One part of the jigsaw involves the extortionate gouging and rent seeking by the private equity-owner providers that councils are dependent on www.ft.com/content/fb3d...
Spot on thread by David. The only point I would make is that Thatcher had a simple message to sell in 1979 backed up by an economic model (making no judgement on whether that model was plausible).
Increasingly obvious yet usually badly discussed. The 1960s / 70s was the ending of the post-war European industrial growth era, 2010s the breakdown of its free market replacement together with the fraying of 1940s rules indirectly by 21st century technology.
I really do think you can see 2008-2025 as a period of rupture in the same sort of way as the 1960s and early 70s. A period of rupture characterised by the disruption of globalism (financial crisis etc) combined with political populism (ostensibly anti elites) and distrust in government (eg Covid).
November 28, 2025 at 8:23 AM
Spot on thread by David. The only point I would make is that Thatcher had a simple message to sell in 1979 backed up by an economic model (making no judgement on whether that model was plausible).
Reposted by David Higham
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.
Has the Budget secured Reeves’ (and Starmer’s) position? Yes, it’s kept the PLP onside
Has the Budget improved Labour’s prospects in May?Probably. It’s given a list to sell on the doorstep
Has the Budget improved Labour’s chances in 2029. No. There still isn’t a coherent plan for growth.
Has the Budget improved Labour’s prospects in May?Probably. It’s given a list to sell on the doorstep
Has the Budget improved Labour’s chances in 2029. No. There still isn’t a coherent plan for growth.
November 27, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Has the Budget secured Reeves’ (and Starmer’s) position? Yes, it’s kept the PLP onside
Has the Budget improved Labour’s prospects in May?Probably. It’s given a list to sell on the doorstep
Has the Budget improved Labour’s chances in 2029. No. There still isn’t a coherent plan for growth.
Has the Budget improved Labour’s prospects in May?Probably. It’s given a list to sell on the doorstep
Has the Budget improved Labour’s chances in 2029. No. There still isn’t a coherent plan for growth.
Reposted by David Higham
Excellent piece as usual.
This observation about constraining domestic consumption to increase investment - and the vicious politics of that - is particularly important. It is manifestly not grasped by many - including, concerningly, government ministers.
This observation about constraining domestic consumption to increase investment - and the vicious politics of that - is particularly important. It is manifestly not grasped by many - including, concerningly, government ministers.
November 27, 2025 at 8:45 AM
Excellent piece as usual.
This observation about constraining domestic consumption to increase investment - and the vicious politics of that - is particularly important. It is manifestly not grasped by many - including, concerningly, government ministers.
This observation about constraining domestic consumption to increase investment - and the vicious politics of that - is particularly important. It is manifestly not grasped by many - including, concerningly, government ministers.
Reposted by David Higham
Britain's left-wing government is left-wing www.economist.com/britain/2025...
Britain’s left-wing government is left-wing
An obvious fact. But still an overlooked one
www.economist.com
November 27, 2025 at 8:36 AM
Britain's left-wing government is left-wing www.economist.com/britain/2025...
And a very good morning as Allister Heath delivers his verdict on the budget.
November 27, 2025 at 8:00 AM
And a very good morning as Allister Heath delivers his verdict on the budget.
Have always thought this was one of his best albums. Bought this mono first pressing back in 1968 and it's survived the years and a series of not always great turntables remarkably well.
November 26, 2025 at 10:10 PM
Have always thought this was one of his best albums. Bought this mono first pressing back in 1968 and it's survived the years and a series of not always great turntables remarkably well.
Reposted by David Higham
Farage came out with his worst shit 50 years ago, whereas Matt Goodwin is just getting going at age 43.
Reflections on the budget from the head of Students4Reform
November 26, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Farage came out with his worst shit 50 years ago, whereas Matt Goodwin is just getting going at age 43.
Reposted by David Higham
Lots of good stuff in the Budget, but bad news for graduates.
Luckily, it's not like Labour is relying on the votes of young university educated professionals...
www.newstatesman.com/politics/eco...
Luckily, it's not like Labour is relying on the votes of young university educated professionals...
www.newstatesman.com/politics/eco...
Rachel Reeves hits young graduates with a double stealth tax
The Chancellor plans to raise as much money from freezing loan repayment thresholds as from the mansion tax
www.newstatesman.com
November 26, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Lots of good stuff in the Budget, but bad news for graduates.
Luckily, it's not like Labour is relying on the votes of young university educated professionals...
www.newstatesman.com/politics/eco...
Luckily, it's not like Labour is relying on the votes of young university educated professionals...
www.newstatesman.com/politics/eco...
Reposted by David Higham
This is a massively dumb way to fund things. Just fund local government properly through fiscal devolution, council tax reform, and social care reform. Oh, wait, you ducked all of those again....
November 26, 2025 at 3:28 PM
This is a massively dumb way to fund things. Just fund local government properly through fiscal devolution, council tax reform, and social care reform. Oh, wait, you ducked all of those again....
Reposted by David Higham
A less polite summary would be 'they kicked the can again'.
From what you can gather from the OBR leak this budget will go down well with most labour MPs & will probably have a neutral effect re: voters & markets. So short-term survival of Starmer-Reeves maybe helped but long-term situation for Labour not much changed - but no disaster.
November 26, 2025 at 12:30 PM
A less polite summary would be 'they kicked the can again'.
The perfect end to the most bizarre run up to a budget that I’ve ever known. An illustration that when things start to go wrong with a government they develop their own momentum.
November 26, 2025 at 12:32 PM
The perfect end to the most bizarre run up to a budget that I’ve ever known. An illustration that when things start to go wrong with a government they develop their own momentum.
Reposted by David Higham
Both the OBR's cock-up (v funny), and the multiple briefings from the Treasury and Chancellor (v explicit) could be an opportunity to have a sensible discussion about what is and isn't allowed in advance of the speech.
Dalton resigned for much less than almost everyone does these days.
Dalton resigned for much less than almost everyone does these days.
November 26, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Both the OBR's cock-up (v funny), and the multiple briefings from the Treasury and Chancellor (v explicit) could be an opportunity to have a sensible discussion about what is and isn't allowed in advance of the speech.
Dalton resigned for much less than almost everyone does these days.
Dalton resigned for much less than almost everyone does these days.
Reposted by David Higham
Would suggest to the lads at the OBR that taking the document offline again after you've accidentally published it only makes things worse. You've done it now, deleting market moving information once you've published it *is very bad*.
November 26, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Would suggest to the lads at the OBR that taking the document offline again after you've accidentally published it only makes things worse. You've done it now, deleting market moving information once you've published it *is very bad*.
Reposted by David Higham
More seriously, even if this is not at all the fault of anyone in government this is bad news for ministers. When a government gains a reputation for haplessness, deserved or not, it’s very hard to shift.
November 26, 2025 at 12:14 PM
More seriously, even if this is not at all the fault of anyone in government this is bad news for ministers. When a government gains a reputation for haplessness, deserved or not, it’s very hard to shift.