Declan Gaffney
@greyskiesthinking.bsky.social
Research, analysis & grey-skies thinking on labour markets, social security, public finance & equality. Usual disclaimer. Cheap foreign labour 🇮🇪. Profile pic is Takashi Shimura with Toshiro Mifune in Stray Dog (Akira Kurosawa, 1949).
Much to agree with here, notably on Labour's bewildering lack of interest in what 2010-24 governments actually did in policy terms. But this - something we have known for well over a century! - just cannot be repeated too often.
November 25, 2025 at 12:35 PM
Much to agree with here, notably on Labour's bewildering lack of interest in what 2010-24 governments actually did in policy terms. But this - something we have known for well over a century! - just cannot be repeated too often.
This seems to me an incredibly weak line. Labour should surely be hanging this round Farage's neck from now to the GE, not inviting him to park the issue with an inquiry.
November 21, 2025 at 3:44 PM
This seems to me an incredibly weak line. Labour should surely be hanging this round Farage's neck from now to the GE, not inviting him to park the issue with an inquiry.
Iranian Barbari bread, freshly baked in Hammersmith this morning. Astounding taste & texture. How have I lived so long without encountering this?
November 21, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Iranian Barbari bread, freshly baked in Hammersmith this morning. Astounding taste & texture. How have I lived so long without encountering this?
Mood. (Yes, I'm working: it's surprisingly good for working to.)
November 18, 2025 at 11:38 AM
Mood. (Yes, I'm working: it's surprisingly good for working to.)
i ain't reading all that
etc
etc
November 17, 2025 at 3:48 PM
i ain't reading all that
etc
etc
In many ways this is very much not my sort of thing but I am defeated by the playing, it's brilliant.
November 17, 2025 at 12:29 AM
In many ways this is very much not my sort of thing but I am defeated by the playing, it's brilliant.
Reductio ad absurdum. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
November 15, 2025 at 11:24 PM
Reductio ad absurdum. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Bebop so faithful to the origins that when I saw there was a version of Milestones I knew it was going to be the pretty tune from Miles's 1947 debut leader session rather than the 1958 modal landmark. Lovely.
November 14, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Bebop so faithful to the origins that when I saw there was a version of Milestones I knew it was going to be the pretty tune from Miles's 1947 debut leader session rather than the 1958 modal landmark. Lovely.
Can report from the vantage point of the next millennium that Calvino's Six Memos for the Next Millennium (from 1985) is still landing.
November 13, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Can report from the vantage point of the next millennium that Calvino's Six Memos for the Next Millennium (from 1985) is still landing.
Bill Nighy for DG BBC. observer.co.uk/culture/inte...
November 9, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Bill Nighy for DG BBC. observer.co.uk/culture/inte...
Rarely performed, especially in the full orchestral version, but I would love to see a production of this. As far as I can hear there's no reference to Irish music but I wouldn't say it sounds particularly English either (as I often find with RVW).
November 3, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Rarely performed, especially in the full orchestral version, but I would love to see a production of this. As far as I can hear there's no reference to Irish music but I wouldn't say it sounds particularly English either (as I often find with RVW).
UK politics is terminally welfare-brained. That those benefiting from
abolishing the two-child limit overlap with 'working families' is simply inconceivable.
abolishing the two-child limit overlap with 'working families' is simply inconceivable.
October 31, 2025 at 10:12 AM
UK politics is terminally welfare-brained. That those benefiting from
abolishing the two-child limit overlap with 'working families' is simply inconceivable.
abolishing the two-child limit overlap with 'working families' is simply inconceivable.
À propos de nothing.
October 30, 2025 at 7:35 PM
À propos de nothing.
So without pushback from Labour backbenchers the 10-minute rule bill to leave ECHR would have passed. I'm struggling to see how that could have been a matter of indifference to the government.
October 29, 2025 at 4:46 PM
So without pushback from Labour backbenchers the 10-minute rule bill to leave ECHR would have passed. I'm struggling to see how that could have been a matter of indifference to the government.
New Threadgill! (Composing & conducting, not playing.)
October 27, 2025 at 10:38 PM
New Threadgill! (Composing & conducting, not playing.)
Chicago royalty. JDJ RIP.
October 27, 2025 at 9:21 PM
Chicago royalty. JDJ RIP.
Oh this is really interesting. Getting away from the sinister isolated genius Gesualdo legend and putting him in the context of Neapolitan music of his time.
October 26, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Oh this is really interesting. Getting away from the sinister isolated genius Gesualdo legend and putting him in the context of Neapolitan music of his time.
Slightly melancholy walk to view the damage to the Thames Path. Closed from the Kew Gardens riverside entrance to Richmond Lock. The stretch from Chiswick Bridge to
Richmond was a lifeline for me during Covid, which is when this picture dates from.
Richmond was a lifeline for me during Covid, which is when this picture dates from.
October 26, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Slightly melancholy walk to view the damage to the Thames Path. Closed from the Kew Gardens riverside entrance to Richmond Lock. The stretch from Chiswick Bridge to
Richmond was a lifeline for me during Covid, which is when this picture dates from.
Richmond was a lifeline for me during Covid, which is when this picture dates from.
Oxfam find. Somebody has looked after this very well.
October 24, 2025 at 11:22 AM
Oxfam find. Somebody has looked after this very well.