Hugh Pemberton
@hugh-pemberton.bsky.social
Recent British history is my thing (political, governmental, economic); armchair strategic studies my secret vice. Emeritus Prof at Bristol. Sometime historian of the UK civil service, more recently of Thatcherism. But often on my allotment these days
Reposted by Hugh Pemberton
I am moving to Dubai because England is so dangerous. www.ft.com/content/9bf6...
November 19, 2025 at 2:03 PM
I am moving to Dubai because England is so dangerous. www.ft.com/content/9bf6...
Hello, is that Russian Supreme Military Command? SACEUR here. Now, about your invasion of E. Europe. Could you possibly put it off for a month and a half so we can get our troops and armour over from the North Sea ports?
on.ft.com/4oP5Jbc via @FT
on.ft.com/4oP5Jbc via @FT
The surreal 45-day trek at the heart of Nato’s defence
Europe wrestles with crumbling bridges, narrow tunnels and red tape as it plans how to move an army eastward
on.ft.com
November 19, 2025 at 1:56 PM
Hello, is that Russian Supreme Military Command? SACEUR here. Now, about your invasion of E. Europe. Could you possibly put it off for a month and a half so we can get our troops and armour over from the North Sea ports?
on.ft.com/4oP5Jbc via @FT
on.ft.com/4oP5Jbc via @FT
👇
I feel like the weird thing is the 'the inheritance is terrible! You are just impatient! Or a Corbynite! Or want Nigel Farage!' crowd have not absorbed *how* terrible the inheritance is, and therefore do not understand why the rest of us are going 'wow you *really* need to use a bigger shovel'.
November 15, 2025 at 1:55 PM
👇
On incompetence
Much of our political culture is fundamentally incompetent.
open.substack.com
November 15, 2025 at 12:35 PM
Reposted by Hugh Pemberton
Read 'em and weep. (www.nber.org/system/files...)
November 14, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Read 'em and weep. (www.nber.org/system/files...)
Despite a clear warning from the Public Accounts Committee of a “clear risk” in allowing Capita to take over administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme given the firm's record the Cabinet Office are ... going ahead regardless.
Cabinet Office confirms Civil Service Pension Scheme handover
Capita gets “final” go-ahead to take over scheme administration following delayed decision
www.civilserviceworld.com
November 14, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Despite a clear warning from the Public Accounts Committee of a “clear risk” in allowing Capita to take over administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme given the firm's record the Cabinet Office are ... going ahead regardless.
Please God can we go back to the days of Budget purdah. Two months of quiet from Treasury ministers, spads, and officials whilst they put the budget together might help to wind down this incessant speculation.
The United Kingdom really does have an unnecessarily complex tax system and adding c£20bn of fun little revenue raisers will not help. Today's newsletter:
Budget U-turn hammers UK competitiveness
Risky to raise revenue via tweaks and novel taxes, especially through rushed changes
www.ft.com
November 14, 2025 at 2:43 PM
Please God can we go back to the days of Budget purdah. Two months of quiet from Treasury ministers, spads, and officials whilst they put the budget together might help to wind down this incessant speculation.
Reposted by Hugh Pemberton
Yes I know all economists love a policy trilemma. But what we have now is a simple dilemma: you can pay attention to political reporters; or you can have intelligent economic policy. Choose one.
November 14, 2025 at 10:06 AM
Yes I know all economists love a policy trilemma. But what we have now is a simple dilemma: you can pay attention to political reporters; or you can have intelligent economic policy. Choose one.
And they're an absolute menace on pavements
They’re smug, snug and often faster than drivers
Parents on e-bikes are transforming the school run
They’re smug, snug and often faster than drivers
econ.st
November 13, 2025 at 4:15 PM
And they're an absolute menace on pavements
Depressing @jburnmurdoch.ft.com and @sarahoconnorft.ft.com newsletter today - general use of AI in crafting job applications now makes it impossible to identify the best candidates. So a probable return to "it's not what you know, it's who you know" recruitment? Top work everyone!
November 13, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Depressing @jburnmurdoch.ft.com and @sarahoconnorft.ft.com newsletter today - general use of AI in crafting job applications now makes it impossible to identify the best candidates. So a probable return to "it's not what you know, it's who you know" recruitment? Top work everyone!
"sometimes it pays to watch the flow of container ships and auto transport ships—and not to just trust the Chinese data"
www.cfr.org/blog/chinas-...
www.cfr.org/blog/chinas-...
China’s Massive Surplus is Everywhere (Yet The IMF Still Has Trouble Seeing It Clearly)
China’s reported current account surplus understates China’s contribution to global trade imbalances. The massive gap between China’s export and import volume growth over the last six years tells a m…
www.cfr.org
November 13, 2025 at 1:40 PM
"sometimes it pays to watch the flow of container ships and auto transport ships—and not to just trust the Chinese data"
www.cfr.org/blog/chinas-...
www.cfr.org/blog/chinas-...
Striking that a little-reported UK story makes the Washington Post's lead editorial this morning - the breakdown of UK-US intelligence sharing (a fundamental pillar of the "special relationship") due to UK issues with US extra-judicial killings in the Caribbean
November 12, 2025 at 11:16 AM
Striking that a little-reported UK story makes the Washington Post's lead editorial this morning - the breakdown of UK-US intelligence sharing (a fundamental pillar of the "special relationship") due to UK issues with US extra-judicial killings in the Caribbean
"We’re about 200 yards away here from the first Peabody estate which is the birth of social housing in this country and yet around the corner we’re having to start again"
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Crisis charity to become a landlord in attempt to rectify ‘catastrophic’ housing in UK
Exclusive: Homelessness charity planning to buy properties as it can no longer rely on access to social housing
www.theguardian.com
November 10, 2025 at 2:30 PM
"We’re about 200 yards away here from the first Peabody estate which is the birth of social housing in this country and yet around the corner we’re having to start again"
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Best take so far on the BBC farrago from @stephenkb.bsky.social. BBC News is fundamentally important to Britons but would be easier to defend if its quality was better. That's not about "bias". It's about money, poor management, editorial misjudgements, and a persistent failure to learn from errors
Good morning. My thanks to Chris, Jen, David, Simon and Georgina for their excellent newsletters while I was away for my anniversary (the big 10, which I think is “tin”).
ep.ft.com
November 10, 2025 at 11:54 AM
Best take so far on the BBC farrago from @stephenkb.bsky.social. BBC News is fundamentally important to Britons but would be easier to defend if its quality was better. That's not about "bias". It's about money, poor management, editorial misjudgements, and a persistent failure to learn from errors
"The problem for the government is that, having identified the [Brexit] problem, it does not have proposals to make a significant change to the UK’s economic relationship with the EU."
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/rach...
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/rach...
Rachel Reeves cannot start to blame Brexit now for her economic fix | Institute for Government
Why is the government talking about Brexit and the economy again?
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
November 5, 2025 at 12:17 PM
"The problem for the government is that, having identified the [Brexit] problem, it does not have proposals to make a significant change to the UK’s economic relationship with the EU."
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/rach...
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/rach...
As the average age of Conservative voters rises inexorably towards death and the party spurns the centre ground in favour of a journey to far-right irrelevance, Conservatives would do well to read this concise and insightful speech by John Major (h/t @stephenkb.bsky.social)
Sir John Major’s Remarks at Conservative Party Lunch – 28 October 2025 – The Rt. Hon. Sir John Major KG CH
johnmajorarchive.org.uk
October 30, 2025 at 5:21 PM
As the average age of Conservative voters rises inexorably towards death and the party spurns the centre ground in favour of a journey to far-right irrelevance, Conservatives would do well to read this concise and insightful speech by John Major (h/t @stephenkb.bsky.social)
Oof. Chris Giles on Laffer et al: "a curious mixture of ... voodoo policies more extreme than those discredited by the 1980s Reagan administration and multiple examples of the bankruptcy of ideas that led the Conservative government to be defeated in the 2024 general election" on.ft.com/3J8FRHN
October 26, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Oof. Chris Giles on Laffer et al: "a curious mixture of ... voodoo policies more extreme than those discredited by the 1980s Reagan administration and multiple examples of the bankruptcy of ideas that led the Conservative government to be defeated in the 2024 general election" on.ft.com/3J8FRHN
Reposted by Hugh Pemberton
A politics that claims to speak for "the people" against its "enemies" is always dangerous.
"The people" are a glorious array of different ideas & interests, with democracy a dialogue between them.
Populism is founded on a lie,so its fruits are always authoritarianism, simplism & conspiratorialism
"The people" are a glorious array of different ideas & interests, with democracy a dialogue between them.
Populism is founded on a lie,so its fruits are always authoritarianism, simplism & conspiratorialism
why are people on the left using "populist" in a positive way now, you shouldn't want your politicians to be populists, "populism" isn't good
October 25, 2025 at 1:22 PM
A politics that claims to speak for "the people" against its "enemies" is always dangerous.
"The people" are a glorious array of different ideas & interests, with democracy a dialogue between them.
Populism is founded on a lie,so its fruits are always authoritarianism, simplism & conspiratorialism
"The people" are a glorious array of different ideas & interests, with democracy a dialogue between them.
Populism is founded on a lie,so its fruits are always authoritarianism, simplism & conspiratorialism
Honestly, BBC News, who actually cares about this apart from the people involved and a few journalists who can't get over the fact they went to Oxford?
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Oxford Union president survives vote after successor ousted
The ballot followed ousting of successor George Abaraonye over Charlie Kirk death comments.
www.bbc.co.uk
October 25, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Honestly, BBC News, who actually cares about this apart from the people involved and a few journalists who can't get over the fact they went to Oxford?
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Oh, for God's sake - we have been talking about a tunnel for the A303 at Stonehenge since at least the 1960s. It finally gets planning permission only to be cancelled?
BBC News - A303: Planning permission for Stonehenge tunnel could be revoked - BBC News
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
BBC News - A303: Planning permission for Stonehenge tunnel could be revoked - BBC News
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
A303: Planning permission for Stonehenge tunnel could be revoked
The government scrapped the plan for financial reasons and could now formally revoke planning consent.
www.bbc.co.uk
October 25, 2025 at 12:38 PM
Oh, for God's sake - we have been talking about a tunnel for the A303 at Stonehenge since at least the 1960s. It finally gets planning permission only to be cancelled?
BBC News - A303: Planning permission for Stonehenge tunnel could be revoked - BBC News
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
BBC News - A303: Planning permission for Stonehenge tunnel could be revoked - BBC News
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Hugh Pemberton
If anyone is interested
ukconstitutionallaw.org/2025/02/13/b...
ukconstitutionallaw.org/2025/02/13/b...
October 23, 2025 at 7:58 AM
If anyone is interested
ukconstitutionallaw.org/2025/02/13/b...
ukconstitutionallaw.org/2025/02/13/b...
This made me laugh
The tribune of justice: my SKETCH of another PMQs where Kemi, well, Kemi-ed.
The tribune of justice | Robert Hutton | The Critic Magazine
“Exactly as I expected!” Kemi Badenoch was triumphant! The prime minister, she was delighted to be telling the House of Commons, had walked right into her trap. Which left the question of why she was…
thecritic.co.uk
October 15, 2025 at 6:04 PM
This made me laugh
The Guardian's hatred of Tony Blair is something to behold. It has only conceded in two pieces that the TB Institute played a role in devising the Trump Gaza peace plan. One described it as "hallucinatory" the other as "fatally flawed". Worth bookmarking for a good laugh if it actually works!
October 13, 2025 at 7:15 PM
The Guardian's hatred of Tony Blair is something to behold. It has only conceded in two pieces that the TB Institute played a role in devising the Trump Gaza peace plan. One described it as "hallucinatory" the other as "fatally flawed". Worth bookmarking for a good laugh if it actually works!