Alex Briggs
@tickyw.bsky.social
Retired but still curious. Numbers, not waffle
https://cityboykan.blogspot.com/
https://cityboykan.blogspot.com/
Reposted by Alex Briggs
Probably unfashionable view but, given the economic and political constraints, I think Rachel Reeves did rather a good job...nice also to see a marriage of political conviction and fairness...
November 26, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Probably unfashionable view but, given the economic and political constraints, I think Rachel Reeves did rather a good job...nice also to see a marriage of political conviction and fairness...
Reposted by Alex Briggs
If you're in Glasgow this Friday afternoon, I'm giving a talk. It's free and all are welcome:
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-talk-by-...
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-talk-by-...
A talk by George Monbiot: Capitalism, Power and Environmental Justice
George Monbiot will discuss some surprising histories of exploitation, and explore what a new radical politics might look like.
www.eventbrite.co.uk
November 26, 2025 at 1:32 PM
If you're in Glasgow this Friday afternoon, I'm giving a talk. It's free and all are welcome:
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-talk-by-...
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-talk-by-...
Excellent news!
How much will the council tax surcharge reduce the price of £5m houses?
Probably somewhere between £150k and £375k.
So if you own a £5m house, you just lost money.
If you were planning to buy one, you haven't (because you'll pay the tax, but save on the purchase)
Probably somewhere between £150k and £375k.
So if you own a £5m house, you just lost money.
If you were planning to buy one, you haven't (because you'll pay the tax, but save on the purchase)
November 26, 2025 at 2:23 PM
Excellent news!
Reposted by Alex Briggs
Whatever else this government do (and there's plenty of issues with this budget) ministers will always be able to point to this as an incredible important contribution to the country's future. Almost half a million kids taken out of poverty.
Scrapping the two-child limit in full is a monumental decision. Well done to all involved in the Child Poverty Strategy, and everyone who has made the case against the policy.
OBR says scrapping costs £3 billion in 2029-30 and will lift 450,000 out of poverty
OBR says scrapping costs £3 billion in 2029-30 and will lift 450,000 out of poverty
November 26, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Whatever else this government do (and there's plenty of issues with this budget) ministers will always be able to point to this as an incredible important contribution to the country's future. Almost half a million kids taken out of poverty.
Reposted by Alex Briggs
Reposted by Alex Briggs
This is such important news. Hundreds of thousands of children taken out of poverty with the stroke of a pen.
Two-child benefit limit is officially scrapped in Budget 2025
Rachel Reeves confirms policy that restricts what benefits families can receive will be removed
www.liverpoolecho.co.uk
November 26, 2025 at 12:46 PM
This is such important news. Hundreds of thousands of children taken out of poverty with the stroke of a pen.
Great that the cruel policy which is the 2-child benefits cap, introduced by the sneering toff George Osborne, has been scrapped !
November 26, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Great that the cruel policy which is the 2-child benefits cap, introduced by the sneering toff George Osborne, has been scrapped !
Leaseholders: do your service charges appear to be too high?
Top tip: challenge the budget on which the service charge is based. If need be, get alternative quotes for all, or some, of the budgeted items.
Top tip: challenge the budget on which the service charge is based. If need be, get alternative quotes for all, or some, of the budgeted items.
November 26, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Leaseholders: do your service charges appear to be too high?
Top tip: challenge the budget on which the service charge is based. If need be, get alternative quotes for all, or some, of the budgeted items.
Top tip: challenge the budget on which the service charge is based. If need be, get alternative quotes for all, or some, of the budgeted items.
Reposted by Alex Briggs
It looks like @rogerquimbly.bsky.social 's first day in charge at the OBR is going well.
November 26, 2025 at 12:27 PM
It looks like @rogerquimbly.bsky.social 's first day in charge at the OBR is going well.
Reposted by Alex Briggs
Press: "What kind of concessions are the Russians going to have to make?"
Trump "Their big concession is they stop fighting and they don't take any more land."
Yeah. That's basically how surrendering works.
Trump "Their big concession is they stop fighting and they don't take any more land."
Yeah. That's basically how surrendering works.
November 26, 2025 at 11:53 AM
Press: "What kind of concessions are the Russians going to have to make?"
Trump "Their big concession is they stop fighting and they don't take any more land."
Yeah. That's basically how surrendering works.
Trump "Their big concession is they stop fighting and they don't take any more land."
Yeah. That's basically how surrendering works.
Reposted by Alex Briggs
Reposted by Alex Briggs
Suggs and the boys, great bunch of lads, always said so.
‘Madness’ to increase welfare spending in Budget, says AO World boss
‘Madness’ to increase welfare spending in Budget, says AO World boss
‘Madness’ to increase welfare spending in Budget, says AO World boss
www.independent.co.uk
November 26, 2025 at 8:38 AM
Suggs and the boys, great bunch of lads, always said so.
A better hypothesis is that Trump has made a deal with Putin: "You can have Ukraine but let me have (oil rich) Venezuela in return"
This headline in Politico says it all: this is all about Trump's personal gratification and wish to be the star of a big show on the international stage, not about getting a fair or durable agreement.
November 26, 2025 at 4:25 AM
A better hypothesis is that Trump has made a deal with Putin: "You can have Ukraine but let me have (oil rich) Venezuela in return"
Verdicts arrived at by juries are better than those arrived at by judges.
Judges can make a guilty verdict more likely by allowing a defendant's "bad character" to be admitted as evidence.
Juries can be nobbled - not everyone on a jury is a random selection from a representative sample
Judges can make a guilty verdict more likely by allowing a defendant's "bad character" to be admitted as evidence.
Juries can be nobbled - not everyone on a jury is a random selection from a representative sample
November 26, 2025 at 2:06 AM
Verdicts arrived at by juries are better than those arrived at by judges.
Judges can make a guilty verdict more likely by allowing a defendant's "bad character" to be admitted as evidence.
Juries can be nobbled - not everyone on a jury is a random selection from a representative sample
Judges can make a guilty verdict more likely by allowing a defendant's "bad character" to be admitted as evidence.
Juries can be nobbled - not everyone on a jury is a random selection from a representative sample
Has the CBI just rained on the Labour govt's parade?
I'll get my coat
I'll get my coat
November 24, 2025 at 10:11 AM
Has the CBI just rained on the Labour govt's parade?
I'll get my coat
I'll get my coat
Reposted by Alex Briggs
Putin lets Trump have Venezuela. Trump allows Putin to have Ukraine.
The Mafia delineates its territories
The Mafia delineates its territories
November 22, 2025 at 1:18 PM
Putin lets Trump have Venezuela. Trump allows Putin to have Ukraine.
The Mafia delineates its territories
The Mafia delineates its territories
Reposted by Alex Briggs
Has Putin given carte-blanche to Trump in relation to Venezuela (an oil rich country) in exchange for Trump allowing Putin to take Ukraine?
Given that Trump is said to be "transactional", such a swap makes sense and explains Trump's extraordinary and puzzling indifference to Ukraine
Given that Trump is said to be "transactional", such a swap makes sense and explains Trump's extraordinary and puzzling indifference to Ukraine
November 23, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Has Putin given carte-blanche to Trump in relation to Venezuela (an oil rich country) in exchange for Trump allowing Putin to take Ukraine?
Given that Trump is said to be "transactional", such a swap makes sense and explains Trump's extraordinary and puzzling indifference to Ukraine
Given that Trump is said to be "transactional", such a swap makes sense and explains Trump's extraordinary and puzzling indifference to Ukraine
Reposted by Alex Briggs
There are still some representatives not afraid of Trump.
November 23, 2025 at 9:54 PM
There are still some representatives not afraid of Trump.
Reposted by Alex Briggs
“Mum, Dad... I’m a homo sapien”
From the Private Eye archive.
Issue 865, Feb 1995.
From the Private Eye archive.
Issue 865, Feb 1995.
November 23, 2025 at 5:52 PM
“Mum, Dad... I’m a homo sapien”
From the Private Eye archive.
Issue 865, Feb 1995.
From the Private Eye archive.
Issue 865, Feb 1995.
Reposted by Alex Briggs
www.ft.com/content/8ccf...
Opinion | The FT View
Trump’s world view: cynical, self-interested and money-grabbing
Latest Ukraine peace plan presented by the US would be a capitulation to Moscow
THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Published NOV 21 2025
Opinion | The FT View
Trump’s world view: cynical, self-interested and money-grabbing
Latest Ukraine peace plan presented by the US would be a capitulation to Moscow
THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Published NOV 21 2025
November 24, 2025 at 1:42 AM
www.ft.com/content/8ccf...
Opinion | The FT View
Trump’s world view: cynical, self-interested and money-grabbing
Latest Ukraine peace plan presented by the US would be a capitulation to Moscow
THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Published NOV 21 2025
Opinion | The FT View
Trump’s world view: cynical, self-interested and money-grabbing
Latest Ukraine peace plan presented by the US would be a capitulation to Moscow
THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Published NOV 21 2025
Reposted by Alex Briggs
The last, best description of Trump from British writer Nate White.
November 14, 2024 at 6:34 AM
The last, best description of Trump from British writer Nate White.
Reposted by Alex Briggs
This is an excellent, depressing, analysis. Trump accuses Democrats of treason, yet he is the one colluding with Russia, selling out allies, betraying NATO, and surrendering US interests to the diktats of a foreign nation. Trump is a deeply corrupt, compromised, craven Quisling.
November 23, 2025 at 2:18 PM
This is an excellent, depressing, analysis. Trump accuses Democrats of treason, yet he is the one colluding with Russia, selling out allies, betraying NATO, and surrendering US interests to the diktats of a foreign nation. Trump is a deeply corrupt, compromised, craven Quisling.
Trump has given Putin carte-blanche in Ukraine in exchange for Putin's permission for Trump to colonise oil rich Venezuela
November 23, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Trump has given Putin carte-blanche in Ukraine in exchange for Putin's permission for Trump to colonise oil rich Venezuela
I do wish economists at the BBC would stop saying that higher employer NICs depress wages. NICs are a hypothecated tax and insure against unemployment and sickness, and pay for old-age pensions.
Economists' logic is that employer NICs should be scrapped and employees should expect lower pensions
Economists' logic is that employer NICs should be scrapped and employees should expect lower pensions
November 23, 2025 at 5:47 PM
I do wish economists at the BBC would stop saying that higher employer NICs depress wages. NICs are a hypothecated tax and insure against unemployment and sickness, and pay for old-age pensions.
Economists' logic is that employer NICs should be scrapped and employees should expect lower pensions
Economists' logic is that employer NICs should be scrapped and employees should expect lower pensions