Ian Boucher
@desolationrow5.bsky.social
Reposted by Ian Boucher
Yeah, I mean so much of this is people who think they hate modernity, when no, their actual problem is 'free markets' and 'the public policy choices we as a society have made'.
December 11, 2025 at 11:54 PM
Yeah, I mean so much of this is people who think they hate modernity, when no, their actual problem is 'free markets' and 'the public policy choices we as a society have made'.
Reposted by Ian Boucher
Migration Advisory Committee report on fiscal impact of main work migration routes.
Key table: they estimate 2022/23 cohort (those arriving in 2022/23) will over lifetimes pay about £47 billion more in taxes than they "cost" in public spending.
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/693810...
Key table: they estimate 2022/23 cohort (those arriving in 2022/23) will over lifetimes pay about £47 billion more in taxes than they "cost" in public spending.
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/693810...
December 11, 2025 at 1:38 PM
Migration Advisory Committee report on fiscal impact of main work migration routes.
Key table: they estimate 2022/23 cohort (those arriving in 2022/23) will over lifetimes pay about £47 billion more in taxes than they "cost" in public spending.
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/693810...
Key table: they estimate 2022/23 cohort (those arriving in 2022/23) will over lifetimes pay about £47 billion more in taxes than they "cost" in public spending.
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/693810...
I wonder if 2025 Tony would like 1997 Tony?
Tony Blair gives Shabana Mahmood stamp of approval amid Labour leadership speculation www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
Tony Blair gives Shabana Mahmood stamp of approval amid Labour leadership speculation
The former prime minister praised the home secretary’s ‘radical’ style and ‘political philosophy’ behind her immigration crackdown, comparing it to his own approach in power
www.independent.co.uk
December 11, 2025 at 3:45 PM
I wonder if 2025 Tony would like 1997 Tony?
Rachel Reeves has setup a ‘leak inquiry’. That’ll be Tucker and Pearson going at each other hammer and tongues then….
December 10, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Rachel Reeves has setup a ‘leak inquiry’. That’ll be Tucker and Pearson going at each other hammer and tongues then….
Reposted by Ian Boucher
Whereas the problem with going 'we will have the old Labour right's approach to social issues BUT we are going to do Old Labour economic policies to make it up to our left flank' is that Labour voters are repelled by the social issues and the economic policies don't work!
Let me count the ways in which Labour isn’t working
The government’s muddled thinking on the economy is causing it to haemorrhage support on all sides
www.ft.com
December 8, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Whereas the problem with going 'we will have the old Labour right's approach to social issues BUT we are going to do Old Labour economic policies to make it up to our left flank' is that Labour voters are repelled by the social issues and the economic policies don't work!
How many X fuelled narratives are Labour going to just allow to fester without challenge or any sort of intellectual thought through response? Benefits Britain being the latest. Yes he didn’t have social media but Blair tackled these things head on and well. Can the govt not engage in debate?
December 8, 2025 at 9:24 AM
How many X fuelled narratives are Labour going to just allow to fester without challenge or any sort of intellectual thought through response? Benefits Britain being the latest. Yes he didn’t have social media but Blair tackled these things head on and well. Can the govt not engage in debate?
Reposted by Ian Boucher
Median voter strategies work when there are two parties fighting for a small pool of floating voters. Less so when you have this level of fragmentation.
December 5, 2025 at 9:59 AM
Median voter strategies work when there are two parties fighting for a small pool of floating voters. Less so when you have this level of fragmentation.
This England bowling attack is a bit of a sorry state. Far cry from Broad and Jimmy in their prime. Spraying it all over the show. Far too short, far too inconsistent.
December 5, 2025 at 9:17 AM
This England bowling attack is a bit of a sorry state. Far cry from Broad and Jimmy in their prime. Spraying it all over the show. Far too short, far too inconsistent.
Labour - we will cut your energy bills by the end of this parliament by £300. Bills continue to rise. Now infrastructure costs mean they are likely to be £30 more still. Surely this is a huge issue? Not sure a counterfactual saving cuts any mustard.
December 4, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Labour - we will cut your energy bills by the end of this parliament by £300. Bills continue to rise. Now infrastructure costs mean they are likely to be £30 more still. Surely this is a huge issue? Not sure a counterfactual saving cuts any mustard.
So crucial for England to have batted through the day. Yes we might have nicked a few under the lights but far better to have the runs on the board and make the Aussies start tomorrow in the field.
December 4, 2025 at 11:34 AM
So crucial for England to have batted through the day. Yes we might have nicked a few under the lights but far better to have the runs on the board and make the Aussies start tomorrow in the field.
Reposted by Ian Boucher
Oh man that was braindead from Stokes.
December 4, 2025 at 9:42 AM
Oh man that was braindead from Stokes.
Reposted by Ian Boucher
Seize the memes of production
December 2, 2025 at 6:37 AM
Seize the memes of production
Reposted by Ian Boucher
If you would like to know the actual problems with the budget I set it all out in detail here.
As Stephen says the problem is the headroom isn't really there. Not that Reeves had loads of spare cash...
samf.substack.com/p/survival-f...
As Stephen says the problem is the headroom isn't really there. Not that Reeves had loads of spare cash...
samf.substack.com/p/survival-f...
December 1, 2025 at 11:26 AM
If you would like to know the actual problems with the budget I set it all out in detail here.
As Stephen says the problem is the headroom isn't really there. Not that Reeves had loads of spare cash...
samf.substack.com/p/survival-f...
As Stephen says the problem is the headroom isn't really there. Not that Reeves had loads of spare cash...
samf.substack.com/p/survival-f...
Reposted by Ian Boucher
Rachel Reeves's "headroom" is based on:
-£16bn in 'efficiency savings'
-£6bn in savings in order to fund taking SEND off local government backs
-tax rises that largely come in at the end of the forecast
-immigration being at c340k net in 2029!
-£16bn in 'efficiency savings'
-£6bn in savings in order to fund taking SEND off local government backs
-tax rises that largely come in at the end of the forecast
-immigration being at c340k net in 2029!
Suggestion Rachel Reeves exaggerated fiscal pressures is absurd
Chancellor was instead far too optimistic about public finances and government’s ability to secure cuts
www.ft.com
December 1, 2025 at 11:50 AM
Rachel Reeves's "headroom" is based on:
-£16bn in 'efficiency savings'
-£6bn in savings in order to fund taking SEND off local government backs
-tax rises that largely come in at the end of the forecast
-immigration being at c340k net in 2029!
-£16bn in 'efficiency savings'
-£6bn in savings in order to fund taking SEND off local government backs
-tax rises that largely come in at the end of the forecast
-immigration being at c340k net in 2029!
Reposted by Ian Boucher
Feel like I'm going mad. The Budget's 'headroom' is based on frankly irresponsible and wildly optimistic claims about what Labour will do in the final year of the forecast, and on ignoring a bunch of upward pressures on spending, and the claim is that she was being exaggeratedly *pessimistic*?
Suggestion Rachel Reeves exaggerated fiscal pressures is absurd
Chancellor was instead far too optimistic about public finances and government’s ability to secure cuts
www.ft.com
December 1, 2025 at 11:05 AM
Feel like I'm going mad. The Budget's 'headroom' is based on frankly irresponsible and wildly optimistic claims about what Labour will do in the final year of the forecast, and on ignoring a bunch of upward pressures on spending, and the claim is that she was being exaggeratedly *pessimistic*?
Reposted by Ian Boucher
Those cans we kept kicking down the road - there's a big pile of them that are coming into view!
December 1, 2025 at 10:21 AM
Those cans we kept kicking down the road - there's a big pile of them that are coming into view!
Reposted by Ian Boucher
It's completely ridiculous. Pre-budget everyone thought the headroom gap was £20-30bn including policy changes (e.g. on welfare). It was in fact £16bn.
It's hardly a massive difference.
It's hardly a massive difference.
I’m quite enjoying the 180 turn on a six pence from “you’ve wrecked the economy and created a black hole” to “there was no black hole and this is even worse”.
November 30, 2025 at 9:45 AM
It's completely ridiculous. Pre-budget everyone thought the headroom gap was £20-30bn including policy changes (e.g. on welfare). It was in fact £16bn.
It's hardly a massive difference.
It's hardly a massive difference.
Reposted by Ian Boucher
famously, also, Mary and Joseph travelled to Bethlehem just for a romantic minibreak, not because they had to pay any taxes or anything
November 28, 2025 at 11:50 AM
famously, also, Mary and Joseph travelled to Bethlehem just for a romantic minibreak, not because they had to pay any taxes or anything
Reposted by Ian Boucher
Very revealing that the general public is in favour of measures that mean more money for the median voter, against measures that mean less money for the median voter, against more money for those who aren't the median voter, and for less money for those who aren't the median voter.
November 27, 2025 at 8:50 PM
Very revealing that the general public is in favour of measures that mean more money for the median voter, against measures that mean less money for the median voter, against more money for those who aren't the median voter, and for less money for those who aren't the median voter.
Reposted by Ian Boucher
Reposted by Ian Boucher
This Budget was undoubtedly a progressive one.
The combination of tax rises and giveaways since last year’s Budget means that incomes for households in the bottom half of the distribution rise by 1.0 per cent while incomes for the richer half fall by 0.7 per cent.
But beneath the surface...
The combination of tax rises and giveaways since last year’s Budget means that incomes for households in the bottom half of the distribution rise by 1.0 per cent while incomes for the richer half fall by 0.7 per cent.
But beneath the surface...
November 27, 2025 at 12:55 PM
This Budget was undoubtedly a progressive one.
The combination of tax rises and giveaways since last year’s Budget means that incomes for households in the bottom half of the distribution rise by 1.0 per cent while incomes for the richer half fall by 0.7 per cent.
But beneath the surface...
The combination of tax rises and giveaways since last year’s Budget means that incomes for households in the bottom half of the distribution rise by 1.0 per cent while incomes for the richer half fall by 0.7 per cent.
But beneath the surface...
Reposted by Ian Boucher
I also think that part of this is the weird disappearance of economics from our national debate.
It just... doesnt seem to matter that much to many people
It just... doesnt seem to matter that much to many people
Starmer and Reeves run probably the most economically left-wing government of past five decades and yet bleeding support to its left thanks to dumb strategy www.economist.com/britain/2025...
November 27, 2025 at 9:02 AM
I also think that part of this is the weird disappearance of economics from our national debate.
It just... doesnt seem to matter that much to many people
It just... doesnt seem to matter that much to many people
Reposted by Ian Boucher
Tax take raised to 38% of GDP (normal European levels), mansion tax, one of the highest wage floors in the world, rail nationalised, two child benefit cap reversed, industrial policy, etc etc.
November 26, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Tax take raised to 38% of GDP (normal European levels), mansion tax, one of the highest wage floors in the world, rail nationalised, two child benefit cap reversed, industrial policy, etc etc.
Reposted by Ian Boucher
Labour aren't "refusing to tax the rich", Zack.
The top 10% of UK earners pay 60% of the total income tax burden, & 39% of the total UK tax burden.
They are now going to be paying extra charges on their houses if worth over £2million as well.
25% of UK taxes are paid by the top 1% (ie millionaires)
The top 10% of UK earners pay 60% of the total income tax burden, & 39% of the total UK tax burden.
They are now going to be paying extra charges on their houses if worth over £2million as well.
25% of UK taxes are paid by the top 1% (ie millionaires)
The 50 wealthiest families own more wealth than the bottom 50% of the population.
How can this Labour Government say this is a "cost of living" budget and refuse to tax the rich?
They care about protecting power and wealth. And cost of living is a buzz phrase for them. Dire.
How can this Labour Government say this is a "cost of living" budget and refuse to tax the rich?
They care about protecting power and wealth. And cost of living is a buzz phrase for them. Dire.
November 26, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Labour aren't "refusing to tax the rich", Zack.
The top 10% of UK earners pay 60% of the total income tax burden, & 39% of the total UK tax burden.
They are now going to be paying extra charges on their houses if worth over £2million as well.
25% of UK taxes are paid by the top 1% (ie millionaires)
The top 10% of UK earners pay 60% of the total income tax burden, & 39% of the total UK tax burden.
They are now going to be paying extra charges on their houses if worth over £2million as well.
25% of UK taxes are paid by the top 1% (ie millionaires)
Reposted by Ian Boucher
The two-child cap pushed half of children in larger families into poverty. Today, Labour abolishes it.
I stood for office to stop drawing charts and start changing them. This change will see the biggest drop in child poverty of any parliament on record.
Know what that is? Hope.
I stood for office to stop drawing charts and start changing them. This change will see the biggest drop in child poverty of any parliament on record.
Know what that is? Hope.
November 26, 2025 at 2:21 PM
The two-child cap pushed half of children in larger families into poverty. Today, Labour abolishes it.
I stood for office to stop drawing charts and start changing them. This change will see the biggest drop in child poverty of any parliament on record.
Know what that is? Hope.
I stood for office to stop drawing charts and start changing them. This change will see the biggest drop in child poverty of any parliament on record.
Know what that is? Hope.