Rob Blackie
@robblackie.bsky.social
Helping innovators tell the right story at the right time. Former Lib Dem London Mayoral candidate. Breaking Putin's censorship
https://www.linkedin.com/in/robblackie/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/robblackie/
"if there's any wine, send"
Nice to see that humans haven't changed in 2,500 years.
Nice to see that humans haven't changed in 2,500 years.
A 2500 year old letter from a soldier named Hananyahu, deciphered through super-modern multispectral imaging, begins with “If there is any wine, send” journals.plos.org/plosone/arti... #grunts #invinoveritas #dogsofwar #pluscachange
November 28, 2025 at 10:36 PM
"if there's any wine, send"
Nice to see that humans haven't changed in 2,500 years.
Nice to see that humans haven't changed in 2,500 years.
Campaign report: Stockwell, Lambeth
Lots of support for the brilliant local Lib Dem team last night - with people raising the woeful state of Lambeth council, the budget and Labour's pandering to Reform.
As usual now, very few people are happy with Labour.
Lots of support for the brilliant local Lib Dem team last night - with people raising the woeful state of Lambeth council, the budget and Labour's pandering to Reform.
As usual now, very few people are happy with Labour.
November 28, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Campaign report: Stockwell, Lambeth
Lots of support for the brilliant local Lib Dem team last night - with people raising the woeful state of Lambeth council, the budget and Labour's pandering to Reform.
As usual now, very few people are happy with Labour.
Lots of support for the brilliant local Lib Dem team last night - with people raising the woeful state of Lambeth council, the budget and Labour's pandering to Reform.
As usual now, very few people are happy with Labour.
This story about the mansion tax is weird.
People are trying to avoid a £2.5k tax - fine - but do they realise they are about to pay £153,000 in stamp duty?
Homeowners rush to price properties just under ‘mansion tax’ thresholds - on.ft.com/3M2Tj0V via @FT
People are trying to avoid a £2.5k tax - fine - but do they realise they are about to pay £153,000 in stamp duty?
Homeowners rush to price properties just under ‘mansion tax’ thresholds - on.ft.com/3M2Tj0V via @FT
Homeowners rush to price properties just under ‘mansion tax’ thresholds
Estate agents say ‘bunching’ practice likely to pick up pace ahead of start of surcharge in April 2028
on.ft.com
November 28, 2025 at 12:32 PM
This story about the mansion tax is weird.
People are trying to avoid a £2.5k tax - fine - but do they realise they are about to pay £153,000 in stamp duty?
Homeowners rush to price properties just under ‘mansion tax’ thresholds - on.ft.com/3M2Tj0V via @FT
People are trying to avoid a £2.5k tax - fine - but do they realise they are about to pay £153,000 in stamp duty?
Homeowners rush to price properties just under ‘mansion tax’ thresholds - on.ft.com/3M2Tj0V via @FT
Labour should be ashamed of this - truly appalling to stop a girl being able to join her parents after being left homeless and destitute.
This is utterly wrong.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
This is utterly wrong.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
UK rejects visa for girl left destitute in Jamaica by Hurricane Melissa
Lati-Yana Brown’s parents had asked for application to be expedited so she could join them in UK after house ruined
www.theguardian.com
November 28, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Labour should be ashamed of this - truly appalling to stop a girl being able to join her parents after being left homeless and destitute.
This is utterly wrong.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
This is utterly wrong.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Only the Lib Dems beat Reform every week.
This is for a simple reason: most people dislike Reform and know that the Lib Dems represent everybody in society, not just one group.
This is for a simple reason: most people dislike Reform and know that the Lib Dems represent everybody in society, not just one group.
Barnoldswick- Pendle Borough Council
LIB DEMS HOLD ANOTHER COUNCIL SEAT!
LD🔶- 1008- 59.8% (+1.5)
RFM➡️- 441- 26.2% (New)
CON🔵- 170- 10.1% (-11.7)
LAB🔴- 66- 3.9% (-11.1)
Congratulations to Cllr Bryony Hartley and the Pendle team for a fantastic campaign!
LIB DEMS HOLD ANOTHER COUNCIL SEAT!
LD🔶- 1008- 59.8% (+1.5)
RFM➡️- 441- 26.2% (New)
CON🔵- 170- 10.1% (-11.7)
LAB🔴- 66- 3.9% (-11.1)
Congratulations to Cllr Bryony Hartley and the Pendle team for a fantastic campaign!
November 28, 2025 at 9:41 AM
Only the Lib Dems beat Reform every week.
This is for a simple reason: most people dislike Reform and know that the Lib Dems represent everybody in society, not just one group.
This is for a simple reason: most people dislike Reform and know that the Lib Dems represent everybody in society, not just one group.
Reposted by Rob Blackie
Nice dataviz from the ONS showing median wealth split by category at different points of the distribution: www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopula...
November 27, 2025 at 9:45 PM
Nice dataviz from the ONS showing median wealth split by category at different points of the distribution: www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopula...
Reposted by Rob Blackie
Today's 70% fall in net migration to 205,000 was not one of the six stories in BBC ten o'clock news.
Ta massive assymetry in whether rises in immigration and falls in immigration are considered newsworthy by broadcasters
Down by 140k isn't thought to be.
Up by 140k undoubtedly would be.
Ta massive assymetry in whether rises in immigration and falls in immigration are considered newsworthy by broadcasters
Down by 140k isn't thought to be.
Up by 140k undoubtedly would be.
November 27, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Today's 70% fall in net migration to 205,000 was not one of the six stories in BBC ten o'clock news.
Ta massive assymetry in whether rises in immigration and falls in immigration are considered newsworthy by broadcasters
Down by 140k isn't thought to be.
Up by 140k undoubtedly would be.
Ta massive assymetry in whether rises in immigration and falls in immigration are considered newsworthy by broadcasters
Down by 140k isn't thought to be.
Up by 140k undoubtedly would be.
Thanks to the brilliant Stockwell team out tonight... Now enjoying a meal together afterwards.
Lots of people unhappy about the budget and Labour generally, including their plan to restrict indefinite leave to remain.
Lots of people unhappy about the budget and Labour generally, including their plan to restrict indefinite leave to remain.
November 27, 2025 at 9:36 PM
Thanks to the brilliant Stockwell team out tonight... Now enjoying a meal together afterwards.
Lots of people unhappy about the budget and Labour generally, including their plan to restrict indefinite leave to remain.
Lots of people unhappy about the budget and Labour generally, including their plan to restrict indefinite leave to remain.
Today's immigration figures suggest that the government may achieve the OBR's low immigration scenario.
Which makes an average family roughly £400 a year worse off by 2029.
Which makes an average family roughly £400 a year worse off by 2029.
November 27, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Today's immigration figures suggest that the government may achieve the OBR's low immigration scenario.
Which makes an average family roughly £400 a year worse off by 2029.
Which makes an average family roughly £400 a year worse off by 2029.
Reposted by Rob Blackie
Nigel Farage has spent £1m taking out adverts in the papers to distract from the Nathan Gill Russian bribe scandal.
We can't let him buy himself out of this. We need an investigation into Russian influence in our politics.
We can't let him buy himself out of this. We need an investigation into Russian influence in our politics.
November 27, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Nigel Farage has spent £1m taking out adverts in the papers to distract from the Nathan Gill Russian bribe scandal.
We can't let him buy himself out of this. We need an investigation into Russian influence in our politics.
We can't let him buy himself out of this. We need an investigation into Russian influence in our politics.
Reposted by Rob Blackie
Like all too many children in the UK today, I grew up poor. I am no longer poor, and I am delighted to pay higher taxes to reduce - or ideally eliminate - child poverty. 1/3
November 27, 2025 at 9:03 AM
Like all too many children in the UK today, I grew up poor. I am no longer poor, and I am delighted to pay higher taxes to reduce - or ideally eliminate - child poverty. 1/3
Labour's plan appears to be:
1. Hope economy gets better.
2. Hope that they don't have to spend on special needs, defence or ID cards - all of which cost money but haven't been budgeted for.
3. Hope that nobody successfully lobbies against their backloaded tax increases.
This isn't serious.
1. Hope economy gets better.
2. Hope that they don't have to spend on special needs, defence or ID cards - all of which cost money but haven't been budgeted for.
3. Hope that nobody successfully lobbies against their backloaded tax increases.
This isn't serious.
The tax rises in this Budget’s are backloaded.
They're largely kick in in what is likely to be a pre-election year, somewhat implausibly.
They're largely kick in in what is likely to be a pre-election year, somewhat implausibly.
November 27, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Labour's plan appears to be:
1. Hope economy gets better.
2. Hope that they don't have to spend on special needs, defence or ID cards - all of which cost money but haven't been budgeted for.
3. Hope that nobody successfully lobbies against their backloaded tax increases.
This isn't serious.
1. Hope economy gets better.
2. Hope that they don't have to spend on special needs, defence or ID cards - all of which cost money but haven't been budgeted for.
3. Hope that nobody successfully lobbies against their backloaded tax increases.
This isn't serious.
Nigel Farage is a Russian asset in the sense that he consistently does what Putin would like.
‘Is Nigel Farage a Russian asset?’
‘Are you seriously asking me that?’
@shelaghfogarty.bsky.social refuses to back down while questioning Reform’s Zia Yusuf.
‘Are you seriously asking me that?’
@shelaghfogarty.bsky.social refuses to back down while questioning Reform’s Zia Yusuf.
November 27, 2025 at 10:48 AM
Nigel Farage is a Russian asset in the sense that he consistently does what Putin would like.
Reposted by Rob Blackie
A brief note on polling on tax. It can be really good. But it's actually the issue which is hardest to get right. There's no issue where Tony Blair's description of the difference between a three-second conversation, a 30-second conversation and a three-minute conversation is starker.
November 27, 2025 at 9:50 AM
A brief note on polling on tax. It can be really good. But it's actually the issue which is hardest to get right. There's no issue where Tony Blair's description of the difference between a three-second conversation, a 30-second conversation and a three-minute conversation is starker.
The world's largest distribution engine is censoring LGBTQ+ content in Russia - helping Putin to enforce censorship.
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/how-steam-...
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/how-steam-...
How Steam censors LGBTQ+ content on behalf of the Russian Government, 27/11/2025
When Roskomnadzor calls, Valve answers
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com
November 27, 2025 at 9:19 AM
The world's largest distribution engine is censoring LGBTQ+ content in Russia - helping Putin to enforce censorship.
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/how-steam-...
www.videogamesindustrymemo.com/p/how-steam-...
Fascinating to hear people's views in Brent tonight.
In a traditionally very Labour area, not one person was sticking with them, and everybody was open to voting Lib Dem.
Issues raised included the budget and the mess caused by Brexit.
In a traditionally very Labour area, not one person was sticking with them, and everybody was open to voting Lib Dem.
Issues raised included the budget and the mess caused by Brexit.
November 26, 2025 at 7:32 PM
Fascinating to hear people's views in Brent tonight.
In a traditionally very Labour area, not one person was sticking with them, and everybody was open to voting Lib Dem.
Issues raised included the budget and the mess caused by Brexit.
In a traditionally very Labour area, not one person was sticking with them, and everybody was open to voting Lib Dem.
Issues raised included the budget and the mess caused by Brexit.
Here's a bombshell in the budget:
Billions of unbudgeted commitments that the government is going to need to fund:
£6bn SEND
NHS pharma costs up due to US trade deal
£1.1bn if asylum plan doesn't work
£0.6 ID cards
£32 bn defence increase (not all needed in next few years)
Billions of unbudgeted commitments that the government is going to need to fund:
£6bn SEND
NHS pharma costs up due to US trade deal
£1.1bn if asylum plan doesn't work
£0.6 ID cards
£32 bn defence increase (not all needed in next few years)
November 26, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Here's a bombshell in the budget:
Billions of unbudgeted commitments that the government is going to need to fund:
£6bn SEND
NHS pharma costs up due to US trade deal
£1.1bn if asylum plan doesn't work
£0.6 ID cards
£32 bn defence increase (not all needed in next few years)
Billions of unbudgeted commitments that the government is going to need to fund:
£6bn SEND
NHS pharma costs up due to US trade deal
£1.1bn if asylum plan doesn't work
£0.6 ID cards
£32 bn defence increase (not all needed in next few years)
Odd that Labour think that increasing income tax on graduates by 9% won't be noticed, but a broad based 1% is unthinkable.
Would love some in-depth numbers on what the majority of 20-30 somethings basically paying a 9% higher marginal tax rate has actually done to economic behaviour. Feels very under-discussed bsky.app/profile/igma...
Student loan repayment thresholds frozen for a further three years.
More debt burden falling on graduates.
And even more reason to cut university places by 20-30%.
More debt burden falling on graduates.
And even more reason to cut university places by 20-30%.
November 26, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Odd that Labour think that increasing income tax on graduates by 9% won't be noticed, but a broad based 1% is unthinkable.
Reposted by Rob Blackie
The Prime Minister just told me any party leader should want to get to the bottom of this Russian bribery scandal with Reform.
He is the Prime Minister and a party leader. Why isn't he launching a national investigation himself?
He is the Prime Minister and a party leader. Why isn't he launching a national investigation himself?
November 26, 2025 at 12:53 PM
The Prime Minister just told me any party leader should want to get to the bottom of this Russian bribery scandal with Reform.
He is the Prime Minister and a party leader. Why isn't he launching a national investigation himself?
He is the Prime Minister and a party leader. Why isn't he launching a national investigation himself?
Reposted by Rob Blackie
Labour will betray Londoners if the Chancellor does not lay out measures to tackle our city's punishing combination of a housing and cost of living crisis & red tape around our businesses.
There is no path to growth without a stronger London.
www.standard.co.uk/news/politic...
There is no path to growth without a stronger London.
www.standard.co.uk/news/politic...
Budget 2025: Reeves to hammer London in tax grab on wealthy homeowners and workers
The Chancellor’s plans will also see 260,000 children in the capital benefit from the lifting of the two-child welfare cap
www.standard.co.uk
November 26, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Labour will betray Londoners if the Chancellor does not lay out measures to tackle our city's punishing combination of a housing and cost of living crisis & red tape around our businesses.
There is no path to growth without a stronger London.
www.standard.co.uk/news/politic...
There is no path to growth without a stronger London.
www.standard.co.uk/news/politic...
Changing salary sacrifice is the worst way to restrict pension relief.
If you restrict the generosity then you don't discourage saving by most people by reduce tax avoidance by people on relatively high incomes.
Even a lifetime cap does a decent amount.
If you restrict the generosity then you don't discourage saving by most people by reduce tax avoidance by people on relatively high incomes.
Even a lifetime cap does a decent amount.
lol here’s the full OBR book someone pressed publish early here’s the budget obr.uk/docs/dlm_upl...
obr.uk
November 26, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Changing salary sacrifice is the worst way to restrict pension relief.
If you restrict the generosity then you don't discourage saving by most people by reduce tax avoidance by people on relatively high incomes.
Even a lifetime cap does a decent amount.
If you restrict the generosity then you don't discourage saving by most people by reduce tax avoidance by people on relatively high incomes.
Even a lifetime cap does a decent amount.
Homelessness is a disaster in London - only one in twenty people who need a house can get one - and rising rents create more people homeless every day.
We need to build more so that we can get rents down.
www.standard.co.uk/news/london/...
We need to build more so that we can get rents down.
www.standard.co.uk/news/london/...
Want a council house in London? Experts reveal how long you'll have to wait
Boroughs say the wait for a family home is 12 to 15 years as they explain who gets housed as a priority
www.standard.co.uk
November 25, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Homelessness is a disaster in London - only one in twenty people who need a house can get one - and rising rents create more people homeless every day.
We need to build more so that we can get rents down.
www.standard.co.uk/news/london/...
We need to build more so that we can get rents down.
www.standard.co.uk/news/london/...
Yesterday night I joined the Southwark Lib Dems team in Bermondsey. Lots of love for Rachel and the local team, as well as frustration with a dangerous change to the roads recently.
And, as always, people concerned about the rise of Reform - and Labour pandering to them.
And, as always, people concerned about the rise of Reform - and Labour pandering to them.
November 25, 2025 at 12:56 PM
Yesterday night I joined the Southwark Lib Dems team in Bermondsey. Lots of love for Rachel and the local team, as well as frustration with a dangerous change to the roads recently.
And, as always, people concerned about the rise of Reform - and Labour pandering to them.
And, as always, people concerned about the rise of Reform - and Labour pandering to them.
Reposted by Rob Blackie
Perhaps there is a role for this guy at the Labour Party, I feel like his "people like chicken, let's give them that, the pizza customers will order from us anyway because they've nowhere else to go" ideas might resonate with them.
www.ft.com/content/f0bf...
www.ft.com/content/f0bf...
Domino’s Pizza parts ways with chief who bet on fried chicken
Andrew Rennie leaves UK group ‘by mutual agreement’ as chair says there are opportunities to drive growth
www.ft.com
November 25, 2025 at 11:15 AM
Perhaps there is a role for this guy at the Labour Party, I feel like his "people like chicken, let's give them that, the pizza customers will order from us anyway because they've nowhere else to go" ideas might resonate with them.
www.ft.com/content/f0bf...
www.ft.com/content/f0bf...
Trump hates the BBC and wants it to self censor.
He is succeeding - we must stop him. The BBC is critical to Britain staying a tolerant and decent country.
He is succeeding - we must stop him. The BBC is critical to Britain staying a tolerant and decent country.
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
November 25, 2025 at 10:18 AM
Trump hates the BBC and wants it to self censor.
He is succeeding - we must stop him. The BBC is critical to Britain staying a tolerant and decent country.
He is succeeding - we must stop him. The BBC is critical to Britain staying a tolerant and decent country.