Stephen Bush
@stephenkb.bsky.social
Associate editor and columnist @financialtimes.com. Post too often about culture, public policy, management, politics, nerd stuff, Arsenal, wosoc. Try my UK politics newsletter for free here: www.ft.com/tryinsidepolitics
Pinned
Stephen Bush
@stephenkb.bsky.social
· Feb 22
I sat through that so when my column gets factchecked I can say “yes, that line is accurate”. Such is the FT’s commitment to bringing you our best understanding of the truth. Subscribe here: subs.ft.com/products
Marvellous piece by George Parker:
‘Mad’: Labour in crisis after Starmer declares he will fight any challenger
Recriminations fly in Downing Street after prime minister highlights weakness of his own position
www.ft.com
November 12, 2025 at 11:38 AM
Marvellous piece by George Parker:
Reposted by Stephen Bush
Nope - we've really just had the most atrocious run of bad luck when it came to Prime Ministers. You can see that in the most competent politician since 2007 (whilst PM) has the smallest drop off.
Looking at this graph and wonder if something else might be going on beyond 'poor quality leader'
November 12, 2025 at 7:15 AM
Nope - we've really just had the most atrocious run of bad luck when it came to Prime Ministers. You can see that in the most competent politician since 2007 (whilst PM) has the smallest drop off.
Reposted by Stephen Bush
Chinese automakers are overtaking European rivals, says car-shipping chief—“The reason why Chinese are winning market shares is because they innovate themselves,” the head of the world’s biggest operator of car-carrying ships… www.ft.com/content/c84b... @jamie-john.ft.com @financialtimes.com
Chinese automakers are overtaking European rivals, says car-shipping chief
World’s biggest operator Wallenius Wilhelmsen aims to boost revenue by helping newer Beijing brands expand overseas
www.ft.com
November 12, 2025 at 2:40 AM
Chinese automakers are overtaking European rivals, says car-shipping chief—“The reason why Chinese are winning market shares is because they innovate themselves,” the head of the world’s biggest operator of car-carrying ships… www.ft.com/content/c84b... @jamie-john.ft.com @financialtimes.com
Gamers angry because when installed, the game is still Fallout 4.
Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition was meant to act as a celebration of Bethesda’s post-apocalyptic role-playing game on its tenth birthday. But it turns out that things haven’t exactly gone to plan as the update was met with a backlash on Steam.
Fallout 4 Anniversary Edition Sparks Backlash as Disgruntled Fans Use Steam Reviews to Express Their Disappointment
bit.ly
November 12, 2025 at 2:36 AM
Gamers angry because when installed, the game is still Fallout 4.
Blue Labour cannot fail, it can only be failed.
Maurice glasman on news night is a fucking disgrace man. No contrition for what his actual politics looks like in power
November 12, 2025 at 1:32 AM
Blue Labour cannot fail, it can only be failed.
Reposted by Stephen Bush
Me in a tiny hardware shop in a poor part of osaka: ooh these jikatabi look interesting, do you have them in my size? probably don't but....
Upper-middle-age japanese woman: maybe, what's your size?
Me: [aus/uk men's 12]
Japanese woman: Spit-laughs, then apologises.
Upper-middle-age japanese woman: maybe, what's your size?
Me: [aus/uk men's 12]
Japanese woman: Spit-laughs, then apologises.
November 12, 2025 at 12:25 AM
Me in a tiny hardware shop in a poor part of osaka: ooh these jikatabi look interesting, do you have them in my size? probably don't but....
Upper-middle-age japanese woman: maybe, what's your size?
Me: [aus/uk men's 12]
Japanese woman: Spit-laughs, then apologises.
Upper-middle-age japanese woman: maybe, what's your size?
Me: [aus/uk men's 12]
Japanese woman: Spit-laughs, then apologises.
It's Letterboxd's world, we just live in it.
Pope Leo has shared his four favorite movies of all time, as the Vatican prepares to host dozens of actors and directors in a “World of Cinema” gathering on Saturday at his official residence. See which films made the pope's list. nyti.ms/4p3exK9
Pope Leo Shares His Favorite Movies Ahead of Vatican Event
The list leans heavily on uplifting classics.
nyti.ms
November 12, 2025 at 12:24 AM
It's Letterboxd's world, we just live in it.
There is so much that is compelling about this, but the best part is: it's not true and *literally everyone* in the PLP knows it is not true!
November 12, 2025 at 12:16 AM
There is so much that is compelling about this, but the best part is: it's not true and *literally everyone* in the PLP knows it is not true!
Reposted by Stephen Bush
If you put it up to your ear, you can just hear the whimper of optimism dying.
November 12, 2025 at 12:13 AM
If you put it up to your ear, you can just hear the whimper of optimism dying.
Reposted by Stephen Bush
The most bizarre and alarming thing about this is that it suggests they really did think they could carry off their tax promise until a few weeks ago. Nothing has really got worse for Labour in the last few weeks unless the reality of the fiscal situation is a surprise to you.
The important story behind this story is that someone in Downing Street is having a breakdown:
Starmer allies issue warning to PM’s rivals as fears grow over leadership challenge
No 10 said to be in ‘full bunker mode’ over fears of attempt to oust him after budget or May local elections
www.theguardian.com
November 12, 2025 at 12:08 AM
The most bizarre and alarming thing about this is that it suggests they really did think they could carry off their tax promise until a few weeks ago. Nothing has really got worse for Labour in the last few weeks unless the reality of the fiscal situation is a surprise to you.
The sad thing is, because I have big clown feet, every two years this will happen to me when a beautiful shoe is not available in my size *at full price*.
November 12, 2025 at 12:08 AM
The sad thing is, because I have big clown feet, every two years this will happen to me when a beautiful shoe is not available in my size *at full price*.
An astonishing number of people in the Labour party have forgotten that the modal Labour member is a socially concerned current or retired middle class public sector worker in their mid-50s who dislikes being referred to as 'cis' but also thinks you should respect people's pronouns.
November 11, 2025 at 11:34 PM
An astonishing number of people in the Labour party have forgotten that the modal Labour member is a socially concerned current or retired middle class public sector worker in their mid-50s who dislikes being referred to as 'cis' but also thinks you should respect people's pronouns.
Reposted by Stephen Bush
I realise that Starmer really is the worse of Wilson and Atlee in that neither he nor his team seem to know or care who his successor will be- they sabotaged Bridget, have given Shabana an impossible job, demoted David, brief this against Wes- perhaps Keir will just let Ed have another go!
November 11, 2025 at 11:13 PM
I realise that Starmer really is the worse of Wilson and Atlee in that neither he nor his team seem to know or care who his successor will be- they sabotaged Bridget, have given Shabana an impossible job, demoted David, brief this against Wes- perhaps Keir will just let Ed have another go!
The important story behind this story is that someone in Downing Street is having a breakdown:
Starmer allies issue warning to PM’s rivals as fears grow over leadership challenge
No 10 said to be in ‘full bunker mode’ over fears of attempt to oust him after budget or May local elections
www.theguardian.com
November 11, 2025 at 11:07 PM
The important story behind this story is that someone in Downing Street is having a breakdown:
Quite. Finding it a bit odd that people think that “a tax hike that you can legally minimise in five minutes on your company intranet” is a good idea, unless the thing people are legally minimising is something you want people to do!
Yes, this. We all get richer from a simple tax code, with well-designed taxes and the right incentives (for everyone) to work and not avoid tax. The UK tax system is one of the worst globally for this. There’s a clear set of recommendations on what to do (by Mirrlees, Nobel economist). From 2010!
November 11, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Quite. Finding it a bit odd that people think that “a tax hike that you can legally minimise in five minutes on your company intranet” is a good idea, unless the thing people are legally minimising is something you want people to do!
Reposted by Stephen Bush
Yes, this. We all get richer from a simple tax code, with well-designed taxes and the right incentives (for everyone) to work and not avoid tax. The UK tax system is one of the worst globally for this. There’s a clear set of recommendations on what to do (by Mirrlees, Nobel economist). From 2010!
November 11, 2025 at 6:28 PM
Yes, this. We all get richer from a simple tax code, with well-designed taxes and the right incentives (for everyone) to work and not avoid tax. The UK tax system is one of the worst globally for this. There’s a clear set of recommendations on what to do (by Mirrlees, Nobel economist). From 2010!
Reposted by Stephen Bush
Yes this looks very much like "we need to avoid a JR" rather than "we're now going to pay out".
To defend the government for a moment, this isn’t a “we’ve found a cool £10bn and want to spend it in a crazy fashion”, this is a “our reasoning for not spending £10bn might have been wrong and we need to do it again” one.
…I give up. I absolutely give up.
November 11, 2025 at 6:18 PM
Yes this looks very much like "we need to avoid a JR" rather than "we're now going to pay out".
To defend the government for a moment, this isn’t a “we’ve found a cool £10bn and want to spend it in a crazy fashion”, this is a “our reasoning for not spending £10bn might have been wrong and we need to do it again” one.
November 11, 2025 at 6:10 PM
To defend the government for a moment, this isn’t a “we’ve found a cool £10bn and want to spend it in a crazy fashion”, this is a “our reasoning for not spending £10bn might have been wrong and we need to do it again” one.
Reposted by Stephen Bush
The country needs Labour MPs to get off X and on to r/ukpersonalfinance sharpish.
November 11, 2025 at 5:55 PM
The country needs Labour MPs to get off X and on to r/ukpersonalfinance sharpish.
Part of me just feels like the salary sacrifice must just be the world’s biggest bluff, because I don’t want to live in a world where “pointlessly whack your own voters, and also a good-sized chunk of the Cabinet and spads” is a thing a government actually would voluntarily do.
I mean this is another punishment beating for people between 100k and 125k who’s the salary sacrifice to get the free child care and avoid stupidly high marginal tax rates. Complete nonsense of a policy.
If you think that “the slow vanishing of employee benefits” is a better trade politically than “the other lot saying you broke your promise on income tax”, you are out of your tree: www.ft.com/content/1160...
November 11, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Part of me just feels like the salary sacrifice must just be the world’s biggest bluff, because I don’t want to live in a world where “pointlessly whack your own voters, and also a good-sized chunk of the Cabinet and spads” is a thing a government actually would voluntarily do.
Absolutely delightful interview with Joe Marler, this: www.thetimes.com/article/7778...
November 11, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Absolutely delightful interview with Joe Marler, this: www.thetimes.com/article/7778...
Reposted by Stephen Bush
🏉👖🩳 Fabulous Joe Marler interview in @thetimes.com Including this gem about his hatred of trousers…
November 11, 2025 at 3:25 PM
🏉👖🩳 Fabulous Joe Marler interview in @thetimes.com Including this gem about his hatred of trousers…
Reposted by Stephen Bush
My last word on the matter
November 11, 2025 at 2:27 PM
My last word on the matter
I slightly disagree with Cooper in that 'Dan Brown on the Louvre heist' has the potential to be a fun, tongue in cheek *written feature in a magazine*, done right. I find it mindbreaking that she doesn't understand that what it would also be is an absolutely dreadful bit of TV.
She only has bad news ideas in a place that needs good news ideas
Lmao what (from today's Breaker newsletter)
November 11, 2025 at 3:02 PM
I slightly disagree with Cooper in that 'Dan Brown on the Louvre heist' has the potential to be a fun, tongue in cheek *written feature in a magazine*, done right. I find it mindbreaking that she doesn't understand that what it would also be is an absolutely dreadful bit of TV.