Conor Sewell
@ccsewell.bsky.social
Associate Director at Flint Global. Macro, financial services, digital assets. Views my own. Ex-BoE, Treasury. Labour member, big on sports, rugby referee. Bi and autistic.
Not to go full FBPE, but it is astonishing how little discussed the fact is that rejoining the EU would be by far the single most positive economic and fiscal action any government could take
The UK is losing up to £250m a day in lost tax revenue due to the economic impact of Brexit, House of Commons Library analysis for the Lib Dems suggests.
Brexit has blown a "black hole of [up to] £90 billion a year in the public finances" the party says. Even under lower estimates the hit is ~£65bn
Brexit has blown a "black hole of [up to] £90 billion a year in the public finances" the party says. Even under lower estimates the hit is ~£65bn
November 25, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Not to go full FBPE, but it is astonishing how little discussed the fact is that rejoining the EU would be by far the single most positive economic and fiscal action any government could take
This is not “making difficult decisions”. This is not “prioritising growth and investment”.
This is governing like you have a 10 seat majority rather than 170 seats.
This is governing like you have a 10 seat majority rather than 170 seats.
When can you declare an emergency over?
The 5p “emergency” petrol tax cut was introduced in March 2022, to offset a spike in prices
They are now about 30p down on that month, & about 50p down on the absolute peak
The 5p “emergency” petrol tax cut was introduced in March 2022, to offset a spike in prices
They are now about 30p down on that month, & about 50p down on the absolute peak
November 25, 2025 at 5:35 PM
This is not “making difficult decisions”. This is not “prioritising growth and investment”.
This is governing like you have a 10 seat majority rather than 170 seats.
This is governing like you have a 10 seat majority rather than 170 seats.
Reposted by Conor Sewell
Britain's absolutely-impossible-extremely-difficult-no-good-options fiscal bind: latest
When can you declare an emergency over?
The 5p “emergency” petrol tax cut was introduced in March 2022, to offset a spike in prices
They are now about 30p down on that month, & about 50p down on the absolute peak
The 5p “emergency” petrol tax cut was introduced in March 2022, to offset a spike in prices
They are now about 30p down on that month, & about 50p down on the absolute peak
November 25, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Britain's absolutely-impossible-extremely-difficult-no-good-options fiscal bind: latest
So will this be the equivalent of the pasty tax?
You could probably make an excellent “metropolitan elite” map by doing regional polling on whether people care about lattes or pasties more…
You could probably make an excellent “metropolitan elite” map by doing regional polling on whether people care about lattes or pasties more…
November 25, 2025 at 12:09 PM
So will this be the equivalent of the pasty tax?
You could probably make an excellent “metropolitan elite” map by doing regional polling on whether people care about lattes or pasties more…
You could probably make an excellent “metropolitan elite” map by doing regional polling on whether people care about lattes or pasties more…
Reposted by Conor Sewell
My taxes bring all the boys to the yard.
And they're like "this is bad approach to fiscal policy".
And they're like "this is bad approach to fiscal policy".
November 25, 2025 at 11:55 AM
My taxes bring all the boys to the yard.
And they're like "this is bad approach to fiscal policy".
And they're like "this is bad approach to fiscal policy".
Reposted by Conor Sewell
Stephen Bush feels like a load bearing pillar of centre-left discourse at this point (complimentary)
November 24, 2025 at 2:23 PM
Stephen Bush feels like a load bearing pillar of centre-left discourse at this point (complimentary)
100%.
This is inheritance tax working exactly as intended as a tax on wealth.
The only two correct responses are “good” or “that sucks, have you heard about our land value tax?”
This is inheritance tax working exactly as intended as a tax on wealth.
The only two correct responses are “good” or “that sucks, have you heard about our land value tax?”
I don't think this was actually deliberately published as ragebait, but the entitlement contained within is remarkable and a classic example of the sort of sentiment governments sometimes just have to face down inews.co.uk/inews-lifest...?
We were hit with a £148k inheritance tax bill when mum died at 97 - it's disgusting
Jill Lemon has labelled inheritance tax as 'cruel', 'horrible' and 'unfair'
inews.co.uk
November 24, 2025 at 10:29 AM
100%.
This is inheritance tax working exactly as intended as a tax on wealth.
The only two correct responses are “good” or “that sucks, have you heard about our land value tax?”
This is inheritance tax working exactly as intended as a tax on wealth.
The only two correct responses are “good” or “that sucks, have you heard about our land value tax?”
I cannot remember the last time my jaw dropped this much at a political quote
A reporter asks if Mamdani stands by calling Trump a fascist. Mamdani starts to give a delicate answer.
Trump (smiles, pats Mamdani's arm): "That's OK, you can just say yes. It's easier. I don't mind."
Trump (smiles, pats Mamdani's arm): "That's OK, you can just say yes. It's easier. I don't mind."
November 21, 2025 at 9:32 PM
I cannot remember the last time my jaw dropped this much at a political quote
Reposted by Conor Sewell
That’s the IFS, surely. “They are gonna be mad when they get home in 2026-7”. The OBR is the slightly more retentive sibling who has provided a funnel in a belief this will make the scheme better.
November 21, 2025 at 2:15 PM
That’s the IFS, surely. “They are gonna be mad when they get home in 2026-7”. The OBR is the slightly more retentive sibling who has provided a funnel in a belief this will make the scheme better.
This piece is so damn good.
Particularly the way Marie so clearly draws out the connection between elite acceptance/appeasement of the far right on Twitter and in the real world.
This paragraph is a work of art.
Particularly the way Marie so clearly draws out the connection between elite acceptance/appeasement of the far right on Twitter and in the real world.
This paragraph is a work of art.
November 21, 2025 at 1:04 PM
This piece is so damn good.
Particularly the way Marie so clearly draws out the connection between elite acceptance/appeasement of the far right on Twitter and in the real world.
This paragraph is a work of art.
Particularly the way Marie so clearly draws out the connection between elite acceptance/appeasement of the far right on Twitter and in the real world.
This paragraph is a work of art.
England take four wickets, I tune in, they take no wickets, I tune out, Stokes takes five.
Guess I’m not watching the rest of the series then.
Guess I’m not watching the rest of the series then.
November 21, 2025 at 9:52 AM
England take four wickets, I tune in, they take no wickets, I tune out, Stokes takes five.
Guess I’m not watching the rest of the series then.
Guess I’m not watching the rest of the series then.
AI has already mastered that most human of skills, the ability to generate cringe
November 20, 2025 at 4:58 PM
AI has already mastered that most human of skills, the ability to generate cringe
Reposted by Conor Sewell
With every passing day, Starmer’s strategy gets more bizarre.
Even if you assume it pays off electorally, he’s increasingly alienating Labour MPs and members (whose support he needs in 2026) to prioritise an election in 2029.
Staring at the horizon whilst ignoring the cliff crumbling at his feet.
Even if you assume it pays off electorally, he’s increasingly alienating Labour MPs and members (whose support he needs in 2026) to prioritise an election in 2029.
Staring at the horizon whilst ignoring the cliff crumbling at his feet.
November 20, 2025 at 3:41 PM
With every passing day, Starmer’s strategy gets more bizarre.
Even if you assume it pays off electorally, he’s increasingly alienating Labour MPs and members (whose support he needs in 2026) to prioritise an election in 2029.
Staring at the horizon whilst ignoring the cliff crumbling at his feet.
Even if you assume it pays off electorally, he’s increasingly alienating Labour MPs and members (whose support he needs in 2026) to prioritise an election in 2029.
Staring at the horizon whilst ignoring the cliff crumbling at his feet.
Reposted by Conor Sewell
VERY funny that Labour are being pointlessly cruel and haemorrhaging support from their base and yet none of what they're offering is ever going to be enough for the people whose approval they're seeking, WHO could have predicted it
November 20, 2025 at 3:20 PM
VERY funny that Labour are being pointlessly cruel and haemorrhaging support from their base and yet none of what they're offering is ever going to be enough for the people whose approval they're seeking, WHO could have predicted it
Don’t worry folks, if we keep stirring up hatred against immigrants surely this will change
Zack Polanski and Ed Davey have positive net ratings among 2024 Labour voters, while a majority of those who backed the party at the last election now have unfavourable views of Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves
Polanski: +24 net favourable
Davey: +17
Starmer: -10
Corbyn: -15
Reeves: -31
Polanski: +24 net favourable
Davey: +17
Starmer: -10
Corbyn: -15
Reeves: -31
November 20, 2025 at 11:03 AM
Don’t worry folks, if we keep stirring up hatred against immigrants surely this will change
I’m getting flashbacks to the audience member on Question Time during the 2019 election complaining about his tax rate as someone on a “normal, average income” of… £85k
I sometimes feel like I am going mad.
Owning a £1.5m home is not normal in London or the South East of England.
Owning a £1.5m home is not normal in London or the South East of England.
November 20, 2025 at 10:57 AM
I’m getting flashbacks to the audience member on Question Time during the 2019 election complaining about his tax rate as someone on a “normal, average income” of… £85k
Reposted by Conor Sewell
Last night was pure ecstasy as a long-suffering Scotland fan.
I was 3(!) years old last time we made it to a World Cup. What a win. What a team.
I was 3(!) years old last time we made it to a World Cup. What a win. What a team.
November 19, 2025 at 8:55 AM
Last night was pure ecstasy as a long-suffering Scotland fan.
I was 3(!) years old last time we made it to a World Cup. What a win. What a team.
I was 3(!) years old last time we made it to a World Cup. What a win. What a team.
There is perhaps no group of human beings alive with less capacity for pattern recognition than professional centre-left advisers who go “if we pander to far-right rhetoric and outright racism on immigration, surely it will work out for us!”
November 18, 2025 at 3:30 PM
There is perhaps no group of human beings alive with less capacity for pattern recognition than professional centre-left advisers who go “if we pander to far-right rhetoric and outright racism on immigration, surely it will work out for us!”
Reposted by Conor Sewell
it is almost as if accommodating and conceding to far right ideas legitimizes them and signals to voters that the far right is a legitimate choice for governance
The Danish Social Democrats are currently on course for their worst election result since at least the Second World War, despite their brand of far-right accommodationism being touted as a blueprint for other centre-left parties.
Oh
November 18, 2025 at 2:24 PM
it is almost as if accommodating and conceding to far right ideas legitimizes them and signals to voters that the far right is a legitimate choice for governance
From the latest YouGov - example of danger for the McSweeney “they’ll come back” case.
The share of 2024 Labour voters who are now Don’t Know has been falling. They’re going to other parties.
Doesn’t mean that they can’t come back, but they’re less likely to. The opposite of what Labour needs.
The share of 2024 Labour voters who are now Don’t Know has been falling. They’re going to other parties.
Doesn’t mean that they can’t come back, but they’re less likely to. The opposite of what Labour needs.
November 18, 2025 at 11:37 AM
From the latest YouGov - example of danger for the McSweeney “they’ll come back” case.
The share of 2024 Labour voters who are now Don’t Know has been falling. They’re going to other parties.
Doesn’t mean that they can’t come back, but they’re less likely to. The opposite of what Labour needs.
The share of 2024 Labour voters who are now Don’t Know has been falling. They’re going to other parties.
Doesn’t mean that they can’t come back, but they’re less likely to. The opposite of what Labour needs.
Reposted by Conor Sewell
Reposted by Conor Sewell
A strong immigration system doesn't need to be a cruel one.
It shouldn't need saying - but refugees & asylum seekers are real people, fleeing war and persecution.
This daughter of an immigrant is proud of our British and Labour values of respect and not turning our backs on people in real need.
It shouldn't need saying - but refugees & asylum seekers are real people, fleeing war and persecution.
This daughter of an immigrant is proud of our British and Labour values of respect and not turning our backs on people in real need.
November 17, 2025 at 11:02 AM
A strong immigration system doesn't need to be a cruel one.
It shouldn't need saying - but refugees & asylum seekers are real people, fleeing war and persecution.
This daughter of an immigrant is proud of our British and Labour values of respect and not turning our backs on people in real need.
It shouldn't need saying - but refugees & asylum seekers are real people, fleeing war and persecution.
This daughter of an immigrant is proud of our British and Labour values of respect and not turning our backs on people in real need.