B O'Brien
@bobrien.bsky.social
Pro-Labour, anti-anti-politics. Enjoy rational debate, despise populism of Left or Right, supporter of parliamentary democracy. "That which can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence." (Christopher Hitchens).
I think it is more the gilt yield that is the key indicator. The yield - ie the %age interest the government must pay on new borrowing - went down once the Chancellor started speaking. After she finished, the yield went up again, though now going down...basically nothing very dramatic.
November 26, 2025 at 3:08 PM
I think it is more the gilt yield that is the key indicator. The yield - ie the %age interest the government must pay on new borrowing - went down once the Chancellor started speaking. After she finished, the yield went up again, though now going down...basically nothing very dramatic.
There's a time and a place. Maybe not now.
November 25, 2025 at 11:43 PM
There's a time and a place. Maybe not now.
This Palestine Action?
November 25, 2025 at 8:28 AM
This Palestine Action?
What do you think he meant by this?
November 23, 2025 at 10:00 AM
What do you think he meant by this?
Polanski does appear to support leaving NATO.
November 23, 2025 at 9:04 AM
Polanski does appear to support leaving NATO.
A whip isn't scary? A few million South Africans beg to differ.
November 23, 2025 at 8:06 AM
A whip isn't scary? A few million South Africans beg to differ.
That is exactly how it works already.
November 21, 2025 at 12:16 PM
That is exactly how it works already.
Nope. The loop holes are elsewhere.
November 21, 2025 at 12:14 PM
Nope. The loop holes are elsewhere.
Really? Are we in danger of a social media group think? This is by Dan Neidle, who, if you know how of him, could hardly be accused of Tory apologism.
November 21, 2025 at 12:06 PM
Really? Are we in danger of a social media group think? This is by Dan Neidle, who, if you know how of him, could hardly be accused of Tory apologism.
He doesn't live in a tax haven and he pays all the tax he is required to pay. Dan Neidle:
November 21, 2025 at 7:39 AM
He doesn't live in a tax haven and he pays all the tax he is required to pay. Dan Neidle:
NB for future references in social media to offshore businesses:
November 21, 2025 at 7:28 AM
NB for future references in social media to offshore businesses:
There's no such thing as a £50 breakfast allowance. Probably everything else you think you know about MPs' expenses is social media disinformation too.
October 31, 2025 at 6:18 PM
There's no such thing as a £50 breakfast allowance. Probably everything else you think you know about MPs' expenses is social media disinformation too.
The ONS does say that its basket excludes the experience of inflation of the highest and lowest 4% of incomes. So those on benefits are not having their inflation experience represented by RPI. ChatGPT tells me:
October 28, 2025 at 5:45 PM
The ONS does say that its basket excludes the experience of inflation of the highest and lowest 4% of incomes. So those on benefits are not having their inflation experience represented by RPI. ChatGPT tells me:
When you call it amongst the least generous in the developed world, you are completely ignoring the fact that unlike most other countries, our retirement income system is multi-pronged. The OECD 's analysis places UK pension income at just below average.
October 28, 2025 at 9:21 AM
When you call it amongst the least generous in the developed world, you are completely ignoring the fact that unlike most other countries, our retirement income system is multi-pronged. The OECD 's analysis places UK pension income at just below average.
From Office Chairs Online. Price: £1122 per chair. Stupid story.
October 27, 2025 at 11:09 AM
From Office Chairs Online. Price: £1122 per chair. Stupid story.
Crown Estate land does not belong to the King personally. It belongs in practice to, and the benefit of ownership resides in, the government, ie the nation.
October 26, 2025 at 9:53 AM
Crown Estate land does not belong to the King personally. It belongs in practice to, and the benefit of ownership resides in, the government, ie the nation.
Yes it is owned by the monarch as an institution but not personally by the monarch.
October 26, 2025 at 8:46 AM
Yes it is owned by the monarch as an institution but not personally by the monarch.
Not right. Labour's manifesto:
October 21, 2025 at 12:38 PM
Not right. Labour's manifesto:
Then what is it that Palentir "literally" has done?
October 16, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Then what is it that Palentir "literally" has done?
Well I could care about Wendy Deng and Tony Blair's thighs, or I could think about...
October 12, 2025 at 9:01 AM
Well I could care about Wendy Deng and Tony Blair's thighs, or I could think about...
Para 1 is about the use case where digital ID will be mandatory, ie Right to Work.
Para 2 moves on to saying that additionally, it will be "available" to all citizens, ie to citizens in addition to those in the mandatory Right to Work use case.
Para 3 gives examples of these additional cases.
.
Para 2 moves on to saying that additionally, it will be "available" to all citizens, ie to citizens in addition to those in the mandatory Right to Work use case.
Para 3 gives examples of these additional cases.
.
October 9, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Para 1 is about the use case where digital ID will be mandatory, ie Right to Work.
Para 2 moves on to saying that additionally, it will be "available" to all citizens, ie to citizens in addition to those in the mandatory Right to Work use case.
Para 3 gives examples of these additional cases.
.
Para 2 moves on to saying that additionally, it will be "available" to all citizens, ie to citizens in addition to those in the mandatory Right to Work use case.
Para 3 gives examples of these additional cases.
.
The publicity given out by Defend Our Juries did not mention Gaza or Palestine. It was explicitly not a demo about Gaza.
October 6, 2025 at 2:03 PM
The publicity given out by Defend Our Juries did not mention Gaza or Palestine. It was explicitly not a demo about Gaza.