Richard Brown
@richardbrown.bsky.social
Cities, urban economics, housing, puns, poetry and pop music. Views are mine.
Budget docs leave door open to innovative financing of London infrastructure projects, even if details remain murky, says @charleswright57.bsky.social. www.onlondon.co.uk/charles-wrig...
Charles Wright: How will Thamesmead DLR extension be paid for?
The government has at last backed a new transport scheme for London, but the financing is still being worked on
www.onlondon.co.uk
November 29, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Budget docs leave door open to innovative financing of London infrastructure projects, even if details remain murky, says @charleswright57.bsky.social. www.onlondon.co.uk/charles-wrig...
Reposted by Richard Brown
I'm in the FT! Fun fact that didn't make the cut. Scrooge lived somewhere near Cornhill so we reckon will, post mansion tax, pay 0.2% of the value of his property from that and CT combined. Tiny Tim rents in Camden in a band D property so will pay 0.4%.
This Budget’s tax decisions will haunt the government on.ft.com/44xZOPB | opinion
This Budget’s tax decisions will haunt the government
The buffer Reeves built into her plans is admirable, but no guarantee of avoiding the nasty dilemmas to come
on.ft.com
November 29, 2025 at 8:56 AM
I'm in the FT! Fun fact that didn't make the cut. Scrooge lived somewhere near Cornhill so we reckon will, post mansion tax, pay 0.2% of the value of his property from that and CT combined. Tiny Tim rents in Camden in a band D property so will pay 0.4%.
Reposted by Richard Brown
Graffi-twee.
www.ft.com/content/db39...
www.ft.com/content/db39...
The lovelorn bards of London
Self-help musings are all over the city’s streets — is this a sign that social media is leaking into the real world?
www.ft.com
November 29, 2025 at 8:09 AM
Graffi-twee.
www.ft.com/content/db39...
www.ft.com/content/db39...
Welcome to the quadruple-lock. www.ft.com/content/7bfc...
Labour will not tax state pension for those with no other earnings
Move reduces impact on older voters of this week’s decision to freeze thresholds
www.ft.com
November 28, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Welcome to the quadruple-lock. www.ft.com/content/7bfc...
As per my On London piece yesterday (though hardly a profound insight). www.onlondon.co.uk/richard-brow...
November 28, 2025 at 4:22 PM
As per my On London piece yesterday (though hardly a profound insight). www.onlondon.co.uk/richard-brow...
Reposted by Richard Brown
Two pieces about budget measures gloriously united on my Substack: davehillonlondon.substack.com/p/london-and... #london #truelondon
London and the budget: On the 'tourist tax' and child poverty
Two pieces about the impacts of Rachel Reeves's reforms on the capital
davehillonlondon.substack.com
November 28, 2025 at 8:52 AM
Two pieces about budget measures gloriously united on my Substack: davehillonlondon.substack.com/p/london-and... #london #truelondon
An estimated 2/3 homes subject to the mansion tax are in London, generating 75% of the revenue. Not everyone in those homes will think they are wealthy, but some will have lawyers and tax advisors on speed dial, ready for a fight. The tax is a clunky half measure. www.onlondon.co.uk/richard-brow...
Richard Brown: The 'mansion tax' is a clunky half measure
The local Council Tax produces much unfairness but this new central government surcharge is problematic and won't make much difference
www.onlondon.co.uk
November 27, 2025 at 4:38 PM
An estimated 2/3 homes subject to the mansion tax are in London, generating 75% of the revenue. Not everyone in those homes will think they are wealthy, but some will have lawyers and tax advisors on speed dial, ready for a fight. The tax is a clunky half measure. www.onlondon.co.uk/richard-brow...
Is the proposed mansion tax a first step towards sensible property tax reform or a clunky dead end? My thoughts for On London. www.onlondon.co.uk/richard-brow...
November 27, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Is the proposed mansion tax a first step towards sensible property tax reform or a clunky dead end? My thoughts for On London. www.onlondon.co.uk/richard-brow...
My very sketchy estimate is that the new Mansion Tax could hit c 100k London households, and that these will generate around 75 per cent of the total tax raised. But implementation will be fraught, and the whole thing is clunky alternative to serious local tax reform. My On London piece in replies.
November 27, 2025 at 2:16 PM
My very sketchy estimate is that the new Mansion Tax could hit c 100k London households, and that these will generate around 75 per cent of the total tax raised. But implementation will be fraught, and the whole thing is clunky alternative to serious local tax reform. My On London piece in replies.
Reposted by Richard Brown
Continuing On London's budget coverage, here's @richardbrown.bsky.social on the "mansion tax". He is both fair and unimpressed: www.onlondon.co.uk/richard-brow... @danneidle.bsky.social @stephenkb.bsky.social @samfr.bsky.social @pollytoynbee.bsky.social @sarahdonaldson.bsky.social #london #budget
Richard Brown: The 'mansion tax' is a clunky half measure
The local Council Tax produces much unfairness but this new central government surcharge is problematic and won't make much difference
www.onlondon.co.uk
November 27, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Continuing On London's budget coverage, here's @richardbrown.bsky.social on the "mansion tax". He is both fair and unimpressed: www.onlondon.co.uk/richard-brow... @danneidle.bsky.social @stephenkb.bsky.social @samfr.bsky.social @pollytoynbee.bsky.social @sarahdonaldson.bsky.social #london #budget
Reposted by Richard Brown
one of the grimmest things I’ve ever read, but happily it does contain the phrase “mysterious constellation of brutal practices”
Pointed out by my friend @carloshasanax.bsky.social . There's something weird and unsettling about a fairly homogeneous culture spread out across Europe that then collapses into an orgy of genocide.
www.science.org/content/arti...
www.science.org/content/arti...
Headless bodies hint at why Europe’s first farmers vanished
Wave of mass brutality accompanied the collapse of the first pan-European culture
www.science.org
November 27, 2025 at 1:32 PM
one of the grimmest things I’ve ever read, but happily it does contain the phrase “mysterious constellation of brutal practices”
Looking at the phasing of budget tax rises, wondering whether to put a long-odds bet on a 2027 general election...
November 27, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Looking at the phasing of budget tax rises, wondering whether to put a long-odds bet on a 2027 general election...
Cyber expert? Pah. Nothing short of a full judge-led public enquiry is called for.
OBR calls in cyber expert over botched release of Budget analysis
OBR calls in cyber expert over botched release of Budget analysis
Rachel Reeves's statement was thrown into chaos after journalists were able to access the document early.
www.bbc.com
November 27, 2025 at 11:46 AM
Cyber expert? Pah. Nothing short of a full judge-led public enquiry is called for.
Reposted by Richard Brown
Today's migration stats illustrate the migration doom loop in action...
(from my presentation at the IMF last week)
(from my presentation at the IMF last week)
November 27, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Today's migration stats illustrate the migration doom loop in action...
(from my presentation at the IMF last week)
(from my presentation at the IMF last week)
Radio4 Today talking about the 'post-literate society' and 'close reading', using 'This Is Just To Say' as a text. I get the corrosive impact of social media, but I didn't know that poem before it became a meme.
November 27, 2025 at 7:47 AM
Radio4 Today talking about the 'post-literate society' and 'close reading', using 'This Is Just To Say' as a text. I get the corrosive impact of social media, but I didn't know that poem before it became a meme.
Oh dear.
"It will certainly take political courage to stick to these plans."
@ruthcurtice.bsky.social has everything you need to know about the Budget, in two minutes ⏰ ⤵️
@ruthcurtice.bsky.social has everything you need to know about the Budget, in two minutes ⏰ ⤵️
November 26, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Oh dear.
Reposted by Richard Brown
The second problem with this — after the fact that it will bankrupt a bunch of institutions — is that the government doesn’t seem to know if it wants to a) raise lots of money from intentional students or b) discourage universities from relying on international students. You can’t have both!!
These are HEPI estimates of the 20 institutions affected: I think this illustrates the impact if the tariff is absorbed in full by institutions.
What share of the 6% tariff different universities may try to pass on to fees - or the impact might be on demand if they did - is not publicly known.
What share of the 6% tariff different universities may try to pass on to fees - or the impact might be on demand if they did - is not publicly known.
November 24, 2025 at 11:06 AM
The second problem with this — after the fact that it will bankrupt a bunch of institutions — is that the government doesn’t seem to know if it wants to a) raise lots of money from intentional students or b) discourage universities from relying on international students. You can’t have both!!
If this combines with other crackdowns on education exports (eg, stricter visas and shorter graduate visas) to send international students away, then we will lose skills, tax revenue and possibly businesses, as explored in this London Higher report from last week. londonhigher.ac.uk/resource/glo...
November 24, 2025 at 7:27 AM
If this combines with other crackdowns on education exports (eg, stricter visas and shorter graduate visas) to send international students away, then we will lose skills, tax revenue and possibly businesses, as explored in this London Higher report from last week. londonhigher.ac.uk/resource/glo...
"A machine for booking Ubers". Would that be a mobile phone?
Rod Liddle's terrible experience of London seems almost unreal.
Rod Liddle's terrible experience of London seems almost unreal.
November 23, 2025 at 10:27 AM
"A machine for booking Ubers". Would that be a mobile phone?
Rod Liddle's terrible experience of London seems almost unreal.
Rod Liddle's terrible experience of London seems almost unreal.
Wide range of views on the Covid report on R4 Any Answers. From 'hindsight is a wonderful thing, they did their best', to 'they should be ashamed', to 'lockdown was unnecessary', to '23,000 is made up', to 'why are we wasting all this money on enquiries'. Much more diverse and nuanced than media.
November 22, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Wide range of views on the Covid report on R4 Any Answers. From 'hindsight is a wonderful thing, they did their best', to 'they should be ashamed', to 'lockdown was unnecessary', to '23,000 is made up', to 'why are we wasting all this money on enquiries'. Much more diverse and nuanced than media.
Fading trails seen from Wimbledon Common this morning.
November 21, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Fading trails seen from Wimbledon Common this morning.
Reposted by Richard Brown
Very suspicious 'Lunch with the FT' with former head of MI6 Richard Moore this week. On the cover, he's wearing a poppy badge. Inside, he's not.
Does he have a double? Is the poppy a 'Moscow Rules' distress code? Did the lunch even happen?
Does he have a double? Is the poppy a 'Moscow Rules' distress code? Did the lunch even happen?
November 16, 2025 at 10:59 AM
Very suspicious 'Lunch with the FT' with former head of MI6 Richard Moore this week. On the cover, he's wearing a poppy badge. Inside, he's not.
Does he have a double? Is the poppy a 'Moscow Rules' distress code? Did the lunch even happen?
Does he have a double? Is the poppy a 'Moscow Rules' distress code? Did the lunch even happen?
Very suspicious 'Lunch with the FT' with former head of MI6 Richard Moore this week. On the cover, he's wearing a poppy badge. Inside, he's not.
Does he have a double? Is the poppy a 'Moscow Rules' distress code? Did the lunch even happen?
Does he have a double? Is the poppy a 'Moscow Rules' distress code? Did the lunch even happen?
November 16, 2025 at 10:59 AM
Very suspicious 'Lunch with the FT' with former head of MI6 Richard Moore this week. On the cover, he's wearing a poppy badge. Inside, he's not.
Does he have a double? Is the poppy a 'Moscow Rules' distress code? Did the lunch even happen?
Does he have a double? Is the poppy a 'Moscow Rules' distress code? Did the lunch even happen?
The heart of darkness that is the Sunday Times landlord advice column.
November 15, 2025 at 1:55 PM
The heart of darkness that is the Sunday Times landlord advice column.
Europeans shouldn't say mean things about the USA, says Noah Smith. www.noahpinion.blog/p/eurocope
November 14, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Europeans shouldn't say mean things about the USA, says Noah Smith. www.noahpinion.blog/p/eurocope