Tom Freeman
@tomfreeman.bsky.social
Occasional editor and writer. Purveyor of half-baked opinions. Intermittently able to make my nieces laugh. (SnoozeInBrief on Twitter)
My blog on usage, editing and suchlike: https://stroppyeditor.wordpress.com
My blog on usage, editing and suchlike: https://stroppyeditor.wordpress.com
Reposted by Tom Freeman
Literally every expert in how to help children: pls get rid of 2 child limit, here is the evidence about why this would help children
Government: ok we will get rid of 2 child limit and help children
Journalists: why is the government putting party before country
Government: ok we will get rid of 2 child limit and help children
Journalists: why is the government putting party before country
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 10:45 PM
Literally every expert in how to help children: pls get rid of 2 child limit, here is the evidence about why this would help children
Government: ok we will get rid of 2 child limit and help children
Journalists: why is the government putting party before country
Government: ok we will get rid of 2 child limit and help children
Journalists: why is the government putting party before country
A neutron star is formed when a neutron achieves great fame in the entertainment industry
November 27, 2025 at 10:21 PM
A neutron star is formed when a neutron achieves great fame in the entertainment industry
Reposted by Tom Freeman
It's an archipelago off the north-east tip of Scotland, but that's not important right now.
November 27, 2025 at 1:06 PM
It's an archipelago off the north-east tip of Scotland, but that's not important right now.
Gotta respect the Beeb's dedication to proving Bregman's point about the cowardice of the media. But probably the best response is for any guest on a BBC programme who agrees that Trump is "the most openly corrupt president in American history" should say that, live on air.
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 1:56 PM
Gotta respect the Beeb's dedication to proving Bregman's point about the cowardice of the media. But probably the best response is for any guest on a BBC programme who agrees that Trump is "the most openly corrupt president in American history" should say that, live on air.
It's an archipelago off the north-east tip of Scotland, but that's not important right now.
November 27, 2025 at 1:06 PM
It's an archipelago off the north-east tip of Scotland, but that's not important right now.
Reposted by Tom Freeman
I suspect net migration figures are like inflation figures: a claim about rates of change that people hear as a claim about levels.
November 27, 2025 at 9:51 AM
I suspect net migration figures are like inflation figures: a claim about rates of change that people hear as a claim about levels.
Cool, all I have to do is sign up and then I can read what it is that I'm signing up for
November 27, 2025 at 8:20 AM
Cool, all I have to do is sign up and then I can read what it is that I'm signing up for
If you have to put £8k into a taxable savings account instead of a cash ISA, and you're getting 4% interest, and as a higher-rate taxpayer your interest is taxed at 42%, then that'll cost you £134 a year. I don't think that's "big" relative to £100,000.
November 26, 2025 at 8:09 PM
If you have to put £8k into a taxable savings account instead of a cash ISA, and you're getting 4% interest, and as a higher-rate taxpayer your interest is taxed at 42%, then that'll cost you £134 a year. I don't think that's "big" relative to £100,000.
Yes, your email finds me very well, but I suppose under the bed was a bit obvious of me. I hope your email chooses a better hiding place. One, two, three…
November 26, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Yes, your email finds me very well, but I suppose under the bed was a bit obvious of me. I hope your email chooses a better hiding place. One, two, three…
I once tried to figure out why an aftershave bottle's nozzle wasn't spraying by pressing it down while staring directly into it, so I reckon I'm going to apply for the vacancy in the OBR web team
November 26, 2025 at 2:09 PM
I once tried to figure out why an aftershave bottle's nozzle wasn't spraying by pressing it down while staring directly into it, so I reckon I'm going to apply for the vacancy in the OBR web team
That was... not as bad as I'd expected? Still plenty of things that might go wrong along the way, but scrapping the two-child limit was important. Will need to wait for the IFS analysis tomorrow, but distributionally this looks good
November 26, 2025 at 1:52 PM
That was... not as bad as I'd expected? Still plenty of things that might go wrong along the way, but scrapping the two-child limit was important. Will need to wait for the IFS analysis tomorrow, but distributionally this looks good
Reeves seems to be rushing this speech a bit. Which I suppose is understandable
November 26, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Reeves seems to be rushing this speech a bit. Which I suppose is understandable
Nope, down to 12k after all. Pretty sure the main effect of this will be to make risk-averse savers have more taxable cash savings rather than go anywhere near the scary confusing stock market
Can't see anything in the OBR doc about reducing the cash ISA allowance, so it looks like they've dropped that idea? In fact it looks like the rise in savings income tax is expected to motivate more ISA saving
November 26, 2025 at 12:48 PM
Nope, down to 12k after all. Pretty sure the main effect of this will be to make risk-averse savers have more taxable cash savings rather than go anywhere near the scary confusing stock market
"Speaker/deputy speaker being pompously outraged about information coming out before a Commons announcement" is maybe my least favourite genre of parliamentary humbug. If I were an MP, I would want as much info as possible in advance of the chance to question ministers.
November 26, 2025 at 12:36 PM
"Speaker/deputy speaker being pompously outraged about information coming out before a Commons announcement" is maybe my least favourite genre of parliamentary humbug. If I were an MP, I would want as much info as possible in advance of the chance to question ministers.
Can't see anything in the OBR doc about reducing the cash ISA allowance, so it looks like they've dropped that idea? In fact it looks like the rise in savings income tax is expected to motivate more ISA saving
November 26, 2025 at 12:28 PM
Can't see anything in the OBR doc about reducing the cash ISA allowance, so it looks like they've dropped that idea? In fact it looks like the rise in savings income tax is expected to motivate more ISA saving
Maybe this is how British politics comes to realise that it's actually more sensible to publish the budget docs before the speech and debate. (Although that may depend on whether Reeves has the agility to adapt her speech...)
November 26, 2025 at 12:21 PM
Maybe this is how British politics comes to realise that it's actually more sensible to publish the budget docs before the speech and debate. (Although that may depend on whether Reeves has the agility to adapt her speech...)
The Office for Before Ready, more like
November 26, 2025 at 12:07 PM
The Office for Before Ready, more like
I actually feel quite sorry for Reeves now
November 26, 2025 at 12:00 PM
I actually feel quite sorry for Reeves now
Reposted by Tom Freeman
new favourite New York Times term for a British thing just dropped
November 26, 2025 at 10:05 AM
new favourite New York Times term for a British thing just dropped
This whole judges vs juries thing is pointless and outdated; we can make justice administratively simple, socially accountable and indeed financially viable by selling TV rights to trials and doing the verdict by a public vote. I foresee no problems with this.
November 26, 2025 at 9:59 AM
This whole judges vs juries thing is pointless and outdated; we can make justice administratively simple, socially accountable and indeed financially viable by selling TV rights to trials and doing the verdict by a public vote. I foresee no problems with this.
Is there a way to download videos that I've posted on Bluesky? The "export my data" option in account settings doesn't include media.
November 26, 2025 at 9:23 AM
Is there a way to download videos that I've posted on Bluesky? The "export my data" option in account settings doesn't include media.
You’ve been kidnapped. The characters from the last TV show you watched are trying to rescue you. Who’s coming to save you?
I'm screwed.
I'm screwed.
November 25, 2025 at 8:05 PM
You’ve been kidnapped. The characters from the last TV show you watched are trying to rescue you. Who’s coming to save you?
I'm screwed.
I'm screwed.
Spotted hiding in the branches
November 25, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Spotted hiding in the branches