Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Peter Walker

@peterwalker99.bsky.social

31K followers 550 following 2K posts

Guardian senior political correspondent. New book, Stress tested, out now: https://tinyurl.com/mhn82a7m Email: [email protected] Secure email if needed: [email protected]

tinyurl.com

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Peter Walker @peterwalker99.bsky.social · 18h

The Lib Dems seem to firmly think it will largely be them v Reform in many ex-Labour strongholds in the north next May.

1 9

Peter Walker @peterwalker99.bsky.social · 20h

What is the core point?

Peter Walker @peterwalker99.bsky.social · 20h

That said, giving it to someone who opposes noted Trump foe Maduro is also quite clever.

1 26

Peter Walker @peterwalker99.bsky.social · 21h

The Nobel Peace Prize committee's decision to honour someone who has tirelessly campaigned against dictatorship is both worthwhile and welcome, and objectively very funny.

18 78 560

Peter Walker @peterwalker99.bsky.social · 1d

Yet more proof that as far as the British media is concerned, commuter cycling only exists inside zone 1 London.

1 26

Peter Walker @peterwalker99.bsky.social · 1d

One day - *one day* - a UK newspaper will do a similar count of motor vehicles speeding inside a 20mph zone.

In 60 minutes I saw 172 cyclists run these lights – it’s a matter of time before they kill someone

The offenders included Lime bike riders, school children and a woman in high-heeled boots

20 31 200

Peter Walker @peterwalker99.bsky.social · 4d

See also: Singapore and mass social housing.

1 32

Peter Walker @peterwalker99.bsky.social · 4d

You could argue “only”.

1 2

Peter Walker @peterwalker99.bsky.social · 4d

Even flatlining at 17% in the polls there are quite a few Tories who seems to assume the electorate will sort of come to their senses and beg to be rescued with their offer of fiscal credibility*

*Self-stated. Some voters will recall Truss.

1 1 17

Peter Walker @peterwalker99.bsky.social · 4d

It’s striking how many Tory fringe events I’ve been at where people have confidently predicted a major fiscal or markets crisis for the government in the next 12ish months. I have no idea if that has any credibility, but it’s notable how much perhaps misplaced confidence it gives some Conservatives.

5 3 23

Peter Walker @peterwalker99.bsky.social · 4d

In the Q&A, Holden is asked if 20mph zones should only be put on roads where there has been a fatality. Holden says he thinks it’s a bit much to expect someone to die before you get a 20 limit - but then complains a lot about their general use.

2 1 19

Peter Walker @peterwalker99.bsky.social · 4d

He’s slightly making up for it in the Q&A.

Peter Walker @peterwalker99.bsky.social · 4d

In an audience Q&A for Holden, one of the questions is to ask him if he will end the current “cyclist-first” transport policy. If you were in the hall and heard an inadvertent laugh, apologies.

1 3 54

Peter Walker @peterwalker99.bsky.social · 4d

Well, that was a bit of a nothing speech. A few hits at electric cars but not a single mention of 20mph zones, LTNs or 15 minute cities.

5 1 12

Peter Walker @peterwalker99.bsky.social · 4d

Labour are pursuing “an ideological war” on drivers, motorcyclists and the freight industry, Holden says. There we are.

4 2 25

Peter Walker @peterwalker99.bsky.social · 4d

“Labour are actively punishing motorists,” Holden says, which I think counts.

4 8

Peter Walker @peterwalker99.bsky.social · 4d

I’m in the main hall of Tory conference to watch new-ish shadow transport secretary Richard Holden give his speech. The title leads me to expect talk about the war on the motorist and 20mph zones.

3 5 23

Peter Walker @peterwalker99.bsky.social · 4d

It’s the main day of the three for shadow ministerial speeches at the Tory conference and it’s fair to say that…. the main hall is not packed.

10 16 46

Peter Walker @peterwalker99.bsky.social · 4d

“Our welfare system should be a safety net, not a lifestyle choice," says Whately, an MP who colleagues often praise as hardworking, nice and fairly sensible. But if you want to be on the current Tory front bench, it seems nastiness is the currency of choice.

4 1 22

Peter Walker @peterwalker99.bsky.social · 4d

On the Tory main stage, shadow work and pensions secretary Helen Whately is leaning heavily into the "shirkers v strivers" narrative, contrasting hard-working types with "millions" she says are on the sofa with often mild conditions.

5 2 25

Reposted by Peter Walker

Andrew Sparrow @andrewsparrowgdn.bsky.social · 4d

Former minister Tom Tugendhat says pension triple lock part of 'Ponzi scheme' economic system biased against the young, @peterwalker99.bsky.social reports - www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...

5 5 16

Peter Walker @peterwalker99.bsky.social · 4d

I have asked.

1 2

Peter Walker @peterwalker99.bsky.social · 4d

Question at this fringe event on Tories and young people, from the chair of the party at Keele University who says that at their just-ended freshers' fair they amassed the biggest membership in over a decade... of 11 people.

Peter Walker @peterwalker99.bsky.social · 4d

This favouring of older voters skews the economy, Tugendhat says: "Parties are religious about preventing any building, defending an established asset class against a future asset class."

This is refreshingly blunt stuff for a Tory conference.

8 9 51

Peter Walker @peterwalker99.bsky.social · 4d

Tugendhat: Young people are "realising the entire economy is now geared to a bunch of people who are ageing and claiming their retirement

"It is a continuous series of politics in the centre that is defending this gap – the have assets, have jobs, have equity, against the have nots – young people"

5 3 23