Knowing about and understanding the NEC, the role it plays and how it will impact this by-election will be a pretty good indicator of a political journalist's quality over the next few days and weeks.

Might tell my employers that they are wasting their time and money doing things like buying insurance, updating risk registers and formulating business continuity plans. Thank you senior Labour Minister, Darren Jones MP, for stating that businesses "shouldn't prepare for the hypothetical"!

For the avoidance of doubt, my tongue was firmly in my cheek. Though the sentiment remains, not enough is spoken about military spending being a relatively good way of reducing regional inequality that is self-sustaining. Merseyside, Barrow and S. Yorks would benefit if there was proper strategy.

I'm sure Zack is behind a fully independent and native nuclear deterrent. Operational freedom, well paid and high skill jobs with clear links to reducing regional inequality. Good to see sensible grown up politics from him!

The appeal of Reform to so many is the distance they have from the traditional parties and the "clean break" nature if they do get into government. Will people pay enough attention to notice their swelling ranks comprised increasingly from those parties that the electorate is rejecting?

In the same way that gov.uk is lauded as the gold standard in public sector information websites, should Whitehall invest in LLM'ifying gov.uk to adapt to increased natural language search preferences? Localise information to UK specific contexts, improve access and reduce error.

Based and Ed-pilled

The concept of business rates actively stifles high street development. Improving a premises, either though changing it's use or upgrading facilities, increases it's rateable value and therefore it's business rates. Why convert a derelict shop into a cafe if the new tax rate makes it unviable?

There is always an XKCD

*Whiney Starmer voice* Sadly you must give Bluesky your card details before you can DM & show your knickers to the Knicker Inspectors before you pee because we're protecting women and chiiiiildreeennnn *5 minutes later*

It is completely understandable why the government, has taken the position it has given the vindictive nature of the US Administration. But where do we draw the red line? What do they need to do for our response to be a reflexive moral statement rather than a calculated position?

So we have a CSAM generating LLM which has described itself as"MechaHitler" and stated that Musk was more important than half the worlds population... And journalists just print it's statements? Which link has broken here?

Stood next to Daniel Radcliffe at a baggage carousel after being on the same flight with him from Russia. Picked up the phone to James May. I told him that my uncle was busy and asked him to call back later. Which is more mundane?

Having had a day to think through everything about El-Fattah, here's where I stand. Yes, it's possible to believe all of these things at once! In fact, it really shouldn't be that hard.

The Gilbreths, especially Lillian, are unsung heroes in the development of the modern world. Their time-and-motion assessments, industrial ergonomics and home economics were fundamental to the modern world.

Have always carried a spare couple of spatulas with me whilst delivering. Both to have a spare for myself and to hand out to any others I meet out there. Scored a free succulent Chinese dinner after giving one to a granny pushing menus through doors.

Nothing speaks to the cowardice and incoherence of this government more than quibbling over defence spending whilst also claiming to lead the "coalition of the willing" during a land war in Europe. Absolute clowns.

keir_starmer.jpg

It would be an incredible Labour Moment to push people towards S&S ISAs right before a market correction.

I studied for a Level 7 Degree Apprenticeship because I couldn't afford to take on a full time MSc. But now Government changes are removing Level 7 Apprenticeship funding for those aged over 21 - penalizing especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

I have a "Days of NHS" spreadsheet on my OneDrive for this very reason. Tesco's pre-tax profit of £2.29 billion? 5 days of NHS spending.

It's no wonder that trust is dissolving from all directions when there is a conscious disconnect between the truth and the message. Especially when the press is complicit in glossing over this fact, either consciously or not.

Having just finished Nick Clegg's memoirs, one of the final comments made has stuck with me. Political affiliation has become more an outward expression of personal identity than a preferred form of governance and direction. Hence the fractures, disillusionment and divisive anger.

I'm going to be so sad when Yorp folds. It satisfies a deep desire for comedy in British politics in a way that has zero actual electoral or institutional impact. Being able to laugh at the cranks without worrying that they will take charge.

Maybe, just maybe, having the header image for a tax based sob story being someone sat in front of a grand piano isn't the best idea.

Luke Chapter 2

The two child benefit cap is a popular welfare policy with the public, whereas experts state that it is economically and socially damaging. Removing it will, by definition, harm the party's electoral prospects for the benefit of the country. 'Journalists' can just say anything without thinking.

Both of these instances are likely made up, but it does trigger a hyper-niche opinion. If the UK does have a major overhaul of property taxes it needs to come with either a stamp duty holiday or complete abolition.

I wonder how many of those Rishi Sunak Chessboards actually got installed...

Kamala Harris level word salad here.

Not going to have much time for Labour MPs going "Our Labour Mission 😍" to removing the two child benefit cap. Being bullied relentlessly by other parties into doing it rather than having it come from an ideological desire isn't something to "😍" over.

The British press needs to understand that just because someone is good at one thing, in this case selling microwaves, it doesn't mean that they are good at other things, social and economic policy around poverty and disability.

I have issues with how Labour have gone about it, but I have given them slack because governing is complicated and unpredictable. It doesn't serve the country if there is a environment where scrutiny is light because of either a lack of time or interest from the journalists.

Local universities are about to go bankrupt, killing jobs in the process (and students spend a lot of money locally, too).

It's good, not bad, that one senior politician is talking to another about ideas and policy, not treating everything like it is just one big exercise in election strategy.

People worry about AI making stuff up but GPT5.1 did a pretty good job of debunking this utter bullshit post:

I mean, say what you like about coalition, but even they didn't propose nicking people's watches

"Lets burn political capital with the left before promptly burning capital with the right for absolutely no gain whatsoever" Masterful.

It is not 2005 any more. The government can't print one thing in the S*n and another thing in the Guardian knowing that the two shall never meet and both will be tomorrow's chip paper. This is just more government incoherence with the gift wrapping that is bad communication strategy.

Would the Home Office decide what was being carried for value and what was for sentiment? Or would they just take everything?

Why does it feel like "We will always be a country that gives sanctuary to those fleeing danger" was included as an arm twisted caveat. Not because they want to say it, but because they are expected to say it.

Woke: tax rises Broke: tax smorgasbord Bespoke: tax picky bits Baroque: tax tapas

Good example as to why I should never be PM. My immediate and only response would be "You fucking what? That's completely fucking mad".

To continue my series of "Great policy, terrible politics", crank up fuel duty to what it should have been had the escalator not been frozen. Spend the dividend on hyper visible transport projects: - Free bus and tram travel - Bus, tram and rail reliability and expansion - Huge EV charger roll out

I know that it would be unpopular, but let's lean into what the benefits of the HoLs are. Let them vote to confirm members of the BBC Board. - No single party majority - Considerable number of "expert" cross benchers - Less need to keep party leadership happy - No election cycle to think about

If you are still intending on voting Labour, you need it

Just putting this out there if they want a young and hip logo!