Oliver Johnson’s latest substack is about the finances of BlueSky. Something I’ve thought about for some time, but (typically) without actually looking at the data. substack.com/@bristoliver...

Tough time for freelance artists and the amazingly talented @gailmyerscough.co.uk is having a tough week sales wise. Have a look at her wonderful site! I’d be very grateful (as would she!). Please share! Thank you! www.gailmyerscough.co.uk

With port season (yes, it's a thing) well underway, I've written a little ode to the greatest winter drink plus some recommendations from £13-£100. For all your fortified wine needs. henryjeffreys.substack.com/p/port-speci...

If you're wondering HOW and WHY the government has got itself in such a mess on tax ahead of this latest Budget - take a listen to my new 3 part series on the UK's Tax Conundrum on Sounds... 🎧👇

Very good thread, although not entirely surprising to me. In the days when I was self employed, I deliberately kept my earnings under the threshold.

I live fairly near the Assembleia da República, the Portuguese Parliament, and went past it yesterday. Facing the building, there was a huge billboard bearing the words "ISTO NÃO É O BANGLADESH" ('this is not Bangladesh') next to André Ventura's face.

I'm not sure it's an altogether positive development that the bond market now features so heavily in UK political coverage. But we are where we are, and if you'd like to understand it better, this podcast is for you.

Increasingly likely that "all pain, no gain" will be the title of the post-mortem of this government.

Posting this a bit later than usual this year. I cut this poem out of the Indie when it was still a broadsheet. Hence why it’s a bit haggard now. I still like it, a lot. We lost so many talents in those times.

Serious economists think that the cost of Brexit is bigger than the OBR say. 6% of £3000bn is £180bn, about £500m a DAY.

🎙Stumped Pod Kindness and cricket youtu.be/CfxWQn3ElmY

New blogpost - once a community have bought their local pub, they need to find a way to make it a viable business in the long term. pubcurmudgeon.blogspot.com/2025/11/care...

What they know about black history if they know only about America? Know more on Carribbean Black History through this book. #BLM #BlackHistory #caribbean

How we do pensions and retirement income in this country is predicated on a few assumptions, one of which is that old people have minimal housing costs and/or security of tenure. It's not happening anymore, and will get worse. www.joxleywrites.jmoxley.co.uk/p/the-other-...

NEW The letter the BBC could send back to Trump A proposal for a reply to his $1bn claim By me. Enjoy. emptycity.substack.com/p/the-letter...

Fascinating. I was unaware of the 'Penrose effect', (more aware of the Penrose process, having had a background in physics). I have spotted this: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC... but what else should I be reading about it?

my new book is published tomorrow! I have put an extract here for free of what I think might be the most important thing I say in the whole book - how to preserve friendships during an information crisis (and why it's important to try, if you can) naomialderman.substack.com/p/how-to-pre...

Spotted Richard III Society repeating the myth that rude carvings in churches were put there by unpaid masons. Instead they relate to a form of spirituality called negative mysticism: achieving salvation by resistance to temptation. More here: triskeleheritage.triskelepublishing.com/2022/09/26/m...

NEW: Reported plans to double tax rates on the top two council tax bands would cause huge distortions and unequal treatment between owners of expensive homes across England One area where homes cost £500k would barely be touched By me, for Politics Home www.politicshome.com/news/article...

Reeves should be aiming to get off two cycles: “every budget is an ordeal, every minor fluctuation in the forecast is a nightmare“ and “we did some small tax tweaks to raise £2bn and whoopsydaisy, something has fallen over unexpectedly/inflation is higher”.

New blog post! The MPC was wrong to not cut interest rates on Thursday. The Budget is going to cause further damage to the labour market and demand will be far weaker than forecast by the Bank of England. opportunitylost.substack.com/p/why-the-ba...

Or can he? @barneyfarmer.bsky.social

If you are heading over to the University of Hull campus today you will see this eye catching signage advertising our conference in March 2026. If you are interested in taking part as a speaker, please message us and we will send you the call for papers.

Here’s a great analysis of the council tax conundrum by @cjayanetti.bsky.social www.politicshome.com/news/article...

My new series - Empire With David Olusoga - starts 9pm on BBC Two. Whole series on @bbciplayer.bsky.social from tonight.

On this note, I had a @yougov.co.uk survey including their AI chat bot this week. I’d have had a better conversation talking to the wall, like Shirley Valentine.

Northampton Wine Society this evening. Fortified wine from Roussillon. All about 17%, so I’m surprised I can still type.

Think there's something particularly dispiriting about the Greek governments various moves against climate change initiatives because if your country routinely bursting into flames each summer doesn't drive it home, what will?

This time next week, I'll be speaking at the King's Gallery, Buckingham Palace. I'd love to see you there. www.rct.uk/event/alwyn-...

This was a really wide ranging, stimulating and entertaining session to chair. Many thanks to Tim and Jarrod.

“It’s both funny and serious. The speaker’s a shit. That’s always serious.” Philip Larkin joins the culture wars. jwikeley.substack.com/p/solemn-sin...

New, by me The real problem which blights our prison and punishment system The way we think about custodial sentences is what needs to change Reflections on the wrongful prison release news Substack: emptycity.substack.com/p/the-real-p... Personal blog: davidallengreen.com/2025/11/the-...

Friday.

I was of course talked out of my retirement, repeatedly, until it was just something I did. Until this year. On December 16th I will release the 10th and final image in the series. You can read all about it and see all the pics and keys in my book that you can pre-order now on kickstarter: 11/11

In slightly unpleasant news from history today, it’s the 327th anniversary of the first time entrapment was used to secure a conviction for homosexuality: Captain Edward Rigby of the Royal Navy’s assignation with William Minton was a set-up – but Rigby had the last laugh...

Useful information. Well worth turning off the ‘rude’ tab, or you’ll never see a post by an Australian. Which, with the Ashes coming up, is quite important.

Calling all small charities! The Boring Fund is now open for applications. It offers small (£200) grants to UK non-profits, charities and voluntary groups to cover boring running costs like web hosting, admin, insurance etc Apply by 30 Nov #Funding

Northampton’s finest #shoearmy

(from Philip Larkin’s ‘Reference Back’) “We’re not suited to the long perspectives Open at each instant of our lives. They link us to our losses: worse, They show us what we have as it once was, Blindingly undiminished, just as though By acting differently we could have kept it so.”

I refer you again to the greatest thing ever written about Dominic Cummings.

I was playing some five-minute games at Whyte Melville after winning my league game, and there was a beat-up old guy watching us. Even non-players are entranced by people playing blitz.

Our Pop up Charity shop is this Sat 8th Nov, 11am-3pm. Come & shop for your men's, women's & children's clothes - all good quality and affordable. There'll be a tombola too! All proceeds go to support the UAA's projects, especially the homeless 👍 #unitedafricanassociation #uaanton #charityevent

We’ve made this investigation free to read because so many people in Sheffield are affected by this story. Our journalists have been knocking on doors for weeks and we’ve had to employ lawyers because of the legal threats made against us. We can only do this kind of journalism with your support.

Some farcical stories in here. It confirmed most of my priors, and it’s yet another example of the hollowing out of the state.

I lived there for a bit. Had some good times there, the landlord was Terry Patrick and he was was a real character.

Yo can anyone help my friend @ffsytho.bsky.social find the music scene here on Bsky, UK or otherwise? Any suggestions welcome. youtu.be/57Mqu6yC3Bg

Taking the think out of tank

Threads is a hoot, too.