Alan Smith
@theboysmithy.ft.com
Head of Visual and Data Journalism @financialtimes.com; Honorary Prof @UCL Social Data Institute. Views expressed are my own. Reposts are not necessarily endorsements.
Reposted by Alan Smith
“Unlikely”. Tremendous understatement, epic work.
November 10, 2025 at 8:38 PM
“Unlikely”. Tremendous understatement, epic work.
Reposted by Alan Smith
NEW: The End of the Line: the centrepiece of Saudi Arabia’s Neom gigaproject - a 500m tall, 170km long wall-like building intended ultimately to house 9 million people - can’t get out of the ground, say more than 20 former Neom architects, engineers and senior executives.
ig.ft.com/saudi-neom-l...
ig.ft.com/saudi-neom-l...
End of The Line: how Saudi Arabia’s Neom dream unravelled
Mohammed bin Salman’s utopian city was undone by the laws of physics and finance
ig.ft.com
November 6, 2025 at 6:56 AM
NEW: The End of the Line: the centrepiece of Saudi Arabia’s Neom gigaproject - a 500m tall, 170km long wall-like building intended ultimately to house 9 million people - can’t get out of the ground, say more than 20 former Neom architects, engineers and senior executives.
ig.ft.com/saudi-neom-l...
ig.ft.com/saudi-neom-l...
Reposted by Alan Smith
Blood on the streets of El Fasher: satellite images and videos capture new atrocities in Sudan as RSF forces take the city, marking a new chapter in the country’s ruinous civil war.
W/ William Wallis, @janatausch.bsky.social, @digitalcampbell.ft.com
www.ft.com/content/f39c...
W/ William Wallis, @janatausch.bsky.social, @digitalcampbell.ft.com
www.ft.com/content/f39c...
October 31, 2025 at 10:21 AM
Blood on the streets of El Fasher: satellite images and videos capture new atrocities in Sudan as RSF forces take the city, marking a new chapter in the country’s ruinous civil war.
W/ William Wallis, @janatausch.bsky.social, @digitalcampbell.ft.com
www.ft.com/content/f39c...
W/ William Wallis, @janatausch.bsky.social, @digitalcampbell.ft.com
www.ft.com/content/f39c...
Great to work with @aendra.com @amyborrett.ft.com @jonathanvincent.bsky.social on this important new dataset of deprivation in England
This is absolutely fascinating: you can put your postcode in and see relative levels of deprivation (and the opposite) where you live in detail. I live where I grew up, so I could spend days doing this as I know the town so well. www.ft.com/content/9a1c... Huge congrats to @amyborrett.ft.com et al.
Interactive: explore England’s new deprivation map
Data analysis reveals ‘cheek by jowl’ inequalities in first study of country’s disadvantaged areas since pandemic
www.ft.com
October 31, 2025 at 8:55 AM
Great to work with @aendra.com @amyborrett.ft.com @jonathanvincent.bsky.social on this important new dataset of deprivation in England
Reposted by Alan Smith
A big development: HMEL, the Mittal joint venture that owns the refinery has responded to our story - and disclosed that it is pulling out of buying Russian crude.
October 29, 2025 at 1:18 PM
A big development: HMEL, the Mittal joint venture that owns the refinery has responded to our story - and disclosed that it is pulling out of buying Russian crude.
Reposted by Alan Smith
Unhedged chart of the week: Gooooold
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@hakyungkim.bsky.social
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@hakyungkim.bsky.social
October 25, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Unhedged chart of the week: Gooooold
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@hakyungkim.bsky.social
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@hakyungkim.bsky.social
This looks like a great new data-driven venture from @ashendruk.com …
Uncertainty is higher — waaaaaaay higher — than it's been in decades!
www.not-ship.com/its-not-just...
www.not-ship.com/its-not-just...
October 23, 2025 at 8:56 AM
This looks like a great new data-driven venture from @ashendruk.com …
Reposted by Alan Smith
Donald Trump is pressing other alliance members to pay more for their own defence, arguing the US is 'paying for close to 100% of Nato'. While America’s military budget dwarfs others in Nato, Trump’s assertion is not true. on.ft.com/4orYeWZ
October 20, 2025 at 2:39 PM
Donald Trump is pressing other alliance members to pay more for their own defence, arguing the US is 'paying for close to 100% of Nato'. While America’s military budget dwarfs others in Nato, Trump’s assertion is not true. on.ft.com/4orYeWZ
Reposted by Alan Smith
There is no need for a moral panic about the UK's welfare system.
Far from perfect but recent discourse is nuts
Spending is controlled, not spiralling
Worklessness is near record lows
My column www.ft.com/content/ee67...
Far from perfect but recent discourse is nuts
Spending is controlled, not spiralling
Worklessness is near record lows
My column www.ft.com/content/ee67...
October 15, 2025 at 12:35 PM
There is no need for a moral panic about the UK's welfare system.
Far from perfect but recent discourse is nuts
Spending is controlled, not spiralling
Worklessness is near record lows
My column www.ft.com/content/ee67...
Far from perfect but recent discourse is nuts
Spending is controlled, not spiralling
Worklessness is near record lows
My column www.ft.com/content/ee67...
Reposted by Alan Smith
Incredibly useful new story by @jburnmurdoch.ft.com on the 'crisis' for young college grads. Most analyses compare mid-20s workers with/without a degree. But as John points out, the relevant comparison group is actually *new entrants* with/without a degree - most non-degree workers enter at 18-19.
What the graduate unemployment story gets wrong
People with a degree are faring better, not worse than their non-graduate counterparts
www.ft.com
October 10, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Incredibly useful new story by @jburnmurdoch.ft.com on the 'crisis' for young college grads. Most analyses compare mid-20s workers with/without a degree. But as John points out, the relevant comparison group is actually *new entrants* with/without a degree - most non-degree workers enter at 18-19.
Reposted by Alan Smith
🇳🇴 Nobel Institute probes leak of peace prize winner’s name
The Nobel committee is supposedly super secret, a bastion of confidentiality and yet... 🤔
FT www.ft.com/content/afc7...
The Nobel committee is supposedly super secret, a bastion of confidentiality and yet... 🤔
FT www.ft.com/content/afc7...
October 10, 2025 at 4:49 PM
🇳🇴 Nobel Institute probes leak of peace prize winner’s name
The Nobel committee is supposedly super secret, a bastion of confidentiality and yet... 🤔
FT www.ft.com/content/afc7...
The Nobel committee is supposedly super secret, a bastion of confidentiality and yet... 🤔
FT www.ft.com/content/afc7...
Council tax valuation bands in England are increasingly disconnected from house prices - new with Sam Fleming and Jonathan Vincent. You can even tap in your own details to see how unfair your council tax bill is on.ft.com/46JBbB9
October 9, 2025 at 10:41 AM
Council tax valuation bands in England are increasingly disconnected from house prices - new with Sam Fleming and Jonathan Vincent. You can even tap in your own details to see how unfair your council tax bill is on.ft.com/46JBbB9
Reposted by Alan Smith
A key question this year is just how much of US economic growth has come from tech investment, aka the AI boom. The net contribution of the tech to real GDP growth is a bit more than a third YTD. But consumer spending, a bigger part of GDP, has weakened, in effect making tech's contribution larger.
October 4, 2025 at 4:27 PM
A key question this year is just how much of US economic growth has come from tech investment, aka the AI boom. The net contribution of the tech to real GDP growth is a bit more than a third YTD. But consumer spending, a bigger part of GDP, has weakened, in effect making tech's contribution larger.
@olihawkins.com getting deep into blockchain nerdery with maths students at @ucl.ac.uk
September 29, 2025 at 5:39 PM
@olihawkins.com getting deep into blockchain nerdery with maths students at @ucl.ac.uk
Reposted by Alan Smith
The Russian spy ship stalking Europe’s subsea cables on.ft.com/4nOeeCn
The Russian spy ship stalking Europe’s subsea cables
Covert operations in waters surrounding the British Isles pose a grave threat to critical infrastructure and a fresh challenge to Nato
on.ft.com
September 26, 2025 at 4:26 AM
The Russian spy ship stalking Europe’s subsea cables on.ft.com/4nOeeCn
Reposted by Alan Smith
BIG NEWS! We've updated the website of the Open Visualization Academy, where you can see all its contributors: openvisualizationacademy.org
This is the announcement in our newsletter: openvisualizationacademy.beehiiv.com/p/we-re-back...
#dataViz #infographics #dataJournalism #dataVis 📊
1/x
This is the announcement in our newsletter: openvisualizationacademy.beehiiv.com/p/we-re-back...
#dataViz #infographics #dataJournalism #dataVis 📊
1/x
September 25, 2025 at 6:05 PM
BIG NEWS! We've updated the website of the Open Visualization Academy, where you can see all its contributors: openvisualizationacademy.org
This is the announcement in our newsletter: openvisualizationacademy.beehiiv.com/p/we-re-back...
#dataViz #infographics #dataJournalism #dataVis 📊
1/x
This is the announcement in our newsletter: openvisualizationacademy.beehiiv.com/p/we-re-back...
#dataViz #infographics #dataJournalism #dataVis 📊
1/x
Reposted by Alan Smith
Look what we have here then.
September 24, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Look what we have here then.
Reposted by Alan Smith
Trump promised that tariffs would lead to a big increase in US production at the expense of imports, and at the same time generate enormous tax revenues. Critics replied that it had to be one or the other. So far, revenues are the clear winner. w/ @theboysmithy.ft.com @robarmstrong.bsky.social
September 20, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Trump promised that tariffs would lead to a big increase in US production at the expense of imports, and at the same time generate enormous tax revenues. Critics replied that it had to be one or the other. So far, revenues are the clear winner. w/ @theboysmithy.ft.com @robarmstrong.bsky.social
Reposted by Alan Smith
I have spent *many* hours making AI-generated Stephen Fry pogo at a 70s punk club, get angry with a kid for throwing spaghetti on the floor, and see his life flash before his eyes. It's been a journey. You should watch our short film: youtu.be/9ztAyAyv5Uk
September 18, 2025 at 10:20 AM
I have spent *many* hours making AI-generated Stephen Fry pogo at a 70s punk club, get angry with a kid for throwing spaghetti on the floor, and see his life flash before his eyes. It's been a journey. You should watch our short film: youtu.be/9ztAyAyv5Uk
Reposted by Alan Smith
Sure: it can be useful (as here!) to show two temporally aligned phenomena. You need to ensure that playing with the Y axis doesn’t make the graph start lying, though.
September 15, 2025 at 2:16 PM
Sure: it can be useful (as here!) to show two temporally aligned phenomena. You need to ensure that playing with the Y axis doesn’t make the graph start lying, though.
Reposted by Alan Smith
Unhedged chart of the week; Pity the poor Fed
via @hakyungkim.bsky.social
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via @hakyungkim.bsky.social
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September 13, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Unhedged chart of the week; Pity the poor Fed
via @hakyungkim.bsky.social
Sign up for COTW here: ep.ft.com/newsletters/...
via @hakyungkim.bsky.social
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Reposted by Alan Smith
Credit to @mayfaircynic.bsky.social for seeing this gem. "Please note the previous owner is buried ..."
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/1...
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/1...
Check out this 3 bedroom barn conversion for sale on Rightmove
3 bedroom barn conversion for sale in West Harting, Petersfield, GU31 for £600,000. Marketed by Henry Adams, Petersfield
www.rightmove.co.uk
September 8, 2025 at 10:11 AM
Credit to @mayfaircynic.bsky.social for seeing this gem. "Please note the previous owner is buried ..."
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/1...
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/1...
Reposted by Alan Smith
Wide ranging piece from @theboysmithy.ft.com who used to work at the ONS on how to restore our statistical system. He makes the point we need to think of data as a form of infrastructure
on.ft.com/45MlLdJ
on.ft.com/45MlLdJ
The challenge of restoring credibility to the nation’s statistics
Definitions of what constitutes ‘infrastructure’ always skew physical but information is vital to a modern economy
on.ft.com
August 23, 2025 at 7:14 AM
Wide ranging piece from @theboysmithy.ft.com who used to work at the ONS on how to restore our statistical system. He makes the point we need to think of data as a form of infrastructure
on.ft.com/45MlLdJ
on.ft.com/45MlLdJ