David Higham
@oldtrotter.bsky.social
Former economist and civil servant. Former (age related) national cycling champion. Still a music fan. Sewn up member of the Zipper Club.
Pinned
David Higham
@oldtrotter.bsky.social
· Jan 21
Beyond ‘Levelling up’: how to improve regional policy in England: 10 lessons from 20 years
‘Levelling-up’ as a political slogan in the UK may be finished, but a commitment to reducing regional inequalities remains, as highlighted in the 2024 Green Paper on Industrial Strategy. This paper...
www.tandfonline.com
A short summary of my thoughts on regional policy. www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Reposted by David Higham
Elon Musk > Shakespeare
November 20, 2025 at 10:23 PM
Elon Musk > Shakespeare
Strong recommendation for Wise Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos on Now TV.
November 20, 2025 at 10:08 PM
Strong recommendation for Wise Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos on Now TV.
A sighting of the Fabian conspiracy in the wild.
November 20, 2025 at 9:34 PM
A sighting of the Fabian conspiracy in the wild.
I was more traumatised by a road rage attack nearly 8 years ago than I thought I would be. Having someone try and inflict serious injury for no apparent reason doesn’t half shake your faith in human nature.
Even though it’s been quite a while since the last time (thankfully), every so often, something triggers a reminder of 1 of the 4 times I’ve been hit by a driver while biking or walking and the feeling never really goes away, you know?
November 20, 2025 at 9:29 PM
I was more traumatised by a road rage attack nearly 8 years ago than I thought I would be. Having someone try and inflict serious injury for no apparent reason doesn’t half shake your faith in human nature.
Reposted by David Higham
Great piece on Municipal Bonds from Morgan Wild.
I continue to be baffled every time I read a piece in this area that HM Treasury under Labour seems completely disinterested in going anywhere near ideas like this. A genuine growth, growth, growth idea.
takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/municipal-...
I continue to be baffled every time I read a piece in this area that HM Treasury under Labour seems completely disinterested in going anywhere near ideas like this. A genuine growth, growth, growth idea.
takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/municipal-...
How municipal bond markets can save Britain
The case for more fiscal devolution to build the infrastructure we need
takes.jamesomalley.co.uk
November 20, 2025 at 1:24 PM
Great piece on Municipal Bonds from Morgan Wild.
I continue to be baffled every time I read a piece in this area that HM Treasury under Labour seems completely disinterested in going anywhere near ideas like this. A genuine growth, growth, growth idea.
takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/municipal-...
I continue to be baffled every time I read a piece in this area that HM Treasury under Labour seems completely disinterested in going anywhere near ideas like this. A genuine growth, growth, growth idea.
takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/municipal-...
Reposted by David Higham
I asked grok who was the better role model for humanity, Jesus Christ or Elon Musk. GUESS WHAT.
November 20, 2025 at 8:34 PM
I asked grok who was the better role model for humanity, Jesus Christ or Elon Musk. GUESS WHAT.
Reposted by David Higham
*Pops over to X* Has he? Has he been? YES! He's published an 1,835-word tweet rebuttal of a report he hasn't read!
November 20, 2025 at 4:29 PM
*Pops over to X* Has he? Has he been? YES! He's published an 1,835-word tweet rebuttal of a report he hasn't read!
There was never a good time for Brexit and the Brexiters chose the worst. Drinks all round for a job well done.
“In a world of rising protectionism, Britain is in danger of being left outside all of the big trade blocks”.
Why is a government beleaguered by economic woes not (yet) of its own making, failing to explain the damaging impacts of Brexit to the public at large?
Why is a government beleaguered by economic woes not (yet) of its own making, failing to explain the damaging impacts of Brexit to the public at large?
Willl Britain’s exceptionalism wreck the reset?
In a world of rising protectionism, Britain is in danger of being left outside all of the big trade blocks
sussexbylines.co.uk
November 20, 2025 at 7:48 PM
There was never a good time for Brexit and the Brexiters chose the worst. Drinks all round for a job well done.
Reposted by David Higham
Having Johnson & Cummings in Downing Street when Covid struck was, just like Brexit, an entirely avoidable disaster caused largely by utterly appalling journalism. And now exactly the same clowns, arses & bigots with bylines are rolling out the red carpet for Farage.
www.thetimes.com/article/1b15...
www.thetimes.com/article/1b15...
Covid inquiry live: ‘Inexcusable’ delays under Johnson led to 23,000 deaths
Lockdowns may have been avoided if Boris Johnson’s government had acted faster, damning report finds
www.thetimes.com
November 20, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Having Johnson & Cummings in Downing Street when Covid struck was, just like Brexit, an entirely avoidable disaster caused largely by utterly appalling journalism. And now exactly the same clowns, arses & bigots with bylines are rolling out the red carpet for Farage.
www.thetimes.com/article/1b15...
www.thetimes.com/article/1b15...
Sounds to me like there's a strong case for that state to get back to building houses, rather than relying on the private sector which builds out to maximise the return to shareholders, not to deliver government targets
November 20, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Sounds to me like there's a strong case for that state to get back to building houses, rather than relying on the private sector which builds out to maximise the return to shareholders, not to deliver government targets
Remembering the (disputed) origins of "three dog night", this is a one (very large) dog day
November 20, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Remembering the (disputed) origins of "three dog night", this is a one (very large) dog day
Reposted by David Higham
A thing that I remember vividly from GE2015 is when you'd knock on the door of a never-gonna-be-hit-by-the-mansion-tax house that was never going to be hit by a mansion tax who really thought their house's inflated price meant it might be close to it. Turns out that has spread to officials!
I sometimes feel like I am going mad.
Owning a £1.5m home is not normal in London or the South East of England.
Owning a £1.5m home is not normal in London or the South East of England.
November 20, 2025 at 10:27 AM
A thing that I remember vividly from GE2015 is when you'd knock on the door of a never-gonna-be-hit-by-the-mansion-tax house that was never going to be hit by a mansion tax who really thought their house's inflated price meant it might be close to it. Turns out that has spread to officials!
Is this the same Jeremy Hunt who set out fictitious spending and tax plans to lure her into the trap that has doomed this government? That Jeremy Hunt?
November 20, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Is this the same Jeremy Hunt who set out fictitious spending and tax plans to lure her into the trap that has doomed this government? That Jeremy Hunt?
Another reason why the underfunding of local government and the inexorable centralisation of decisions on housing is going to cause problems.
November 20, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Another reason why the underfunding of local government and the inexorable centralisation of decisions on housing is going to cause problems.
Reposted by David Higham
I would hope now that the government has finally enacted a review after two-and-half years that it chooses to vacate a platform which is so blatantly breaking the law, promoting extremism and encouraging violence.
On the other hand, the government will probably publish the report on X and ignore it
On the other hand, the government will probably publish the report on X and ignore it
🚨 Labour MPs are calling for a minister-led review of the government’s use of X, warning it poses growing risks to democracy and public safety
@politicshome.bsky.social understands a review is currently being carried out by officials, but without ministerial oversight
@politicshome.bsky.social understands a review is currently being carried out by officials, but without ministerial oversight
Labour MPs Call For A More Serious Review Of The Government's Use Of X
Labour MPs are calling for ministers to take control of decisions over the government’s continued use of X, as concerns grow about the platform’s s...
www.politicshome.com
November 20, 2025 at 12:33 PM
I would hope now that the government has finally enacted a review after two-and-half years that it chooses to vacate a platform which is so blatantly breaking the law, promoting extremism and encouraging violence.
On the other hand, the government will probably publish the report on X and ignore it
On the other hand, the government will probably publish the report on X and ignore it
I wish I could stop my subconscious seeing Robin, instead of Robbie, Gibb.
November 20, 2025 at 9:30 AM
I wish I could stop my subconscious seeing Robin, instead of Robbie, Gibb.
Reposted by David Higham
So… the Epstein File Transparency Act has this exception. What can go wrong….
November 20, 2025 at 7:59 AM
So… the Epstein File Transparency Act has this exception. What can go wrong….
Reposted by David Higham
If I think it’s a bubble, you think it’s a bubble, everyone thinks it’s a bubble and the Fed is warning of the possibility of disorderly fall in equity prices … does that still make it a bubble?
“.. with several of these participants highlighting the possibility of a disorderly fall in equity prices ..” 👀
#FedMinutes
#FedMinutes
November 19, 2025 at 7:39 PM
If I think it’s a bubble, you think it’s a bubble, everyone thinks it’s a bubble and the Fed is warning of the possibility of disorderly fall in equity prices … does that still make it a bubble?
Agree with all this. Indeed some of us are old enough to remember Will Alsop’s Supercity and Prescott’s northern “land bridge” This will yield far more benefits to these cities than HS2. static1.squarespace.com/static/55e97...
static1.squarespace.com
November 20, 2025 at 9:19 AM
Agree with all this. Indeed some of us are old enough to remember Will Alsop’s Supercity and Prescott’s northern “land bridge” This will yield far more benefits to these cities than HS2. static1.squarespace.com/static/55e97...
Have we had the budget and I've missed it? Rachel Reeves under pressure to scale back Budget raid on expensive homes - on.ft.com/44azcE6 via @FT
Rachel Reeves under pressure to scale back Budget raid on expensive homes
Labour MPs warn chancellor that a possible £1.5mn threshold for new levy would be too low
on.ft.com
November 20, 2025 at 7:08 AM
Have we had the budget and I've missed it? Rachel Reeves under pressure to scale back Budget raid on expensive homes - on.ft.com/44azcE6 via @FT
These classical liberals seem nice.
November 20, 2025 at 7:03 AM
These classical liberals seem nice.
Reposted by David Higham
Without a fundamental change in housing/planning system logic we will just get more of this.
It's just the easiest option for the market players to pursue this type of development.
It's just the easiest option for the market players to pursue this type of development.
November 19, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Without a fundamental change in housing/planning system logic we will just get more of this.
It's just the easiest option for the market players to pursue this type of development.
It's just the easiest option for the market players to pursue this type of development.
Watching the film of Tinker, Tailor reminded me that when I first joined the civil service we all had those big safes with combination dial locks. None of this modern keypad nonsense.
November 19, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Watching the film of Tinker, Tailor reminded me that when I first joined the civil service we all had those big safes with combination dial locks. None of this modern keypad nonsense.
Reposted by David Higham
Russia has once again come forward with a "peace proposal" that is no different from the previous ones.
The Russian side’s proposal is essentially a demand for Ukraine’s capitulation. American journalist Michael Weiss also commented on this, citing a source in the U.S. government.
The Russian side’s proposal is essentially a demand for Ukraine’s capitulation. American journalist Michael Weiss also commented on this, citing a source in the U.S. government.
November 19, 2025 at 8:58 PM
Russia has once again come forward with a "peace proposal" that is no different from the previous ones.
The Russian side’s proposal is essentially a demand for Ukraine’s capitulation. American journalist Michael Weiss also commented on this, citing a source in the U.S. government.
The Russian side’s proposal is essentially a demand for Ukraine’s capitulation. American journalist Michael Weiss also commented on this, citing a source in the U.S. government.