Ed Wilson
@eddwilson.bsky.social
Lefty liberal by temperament, exasperated by experience.
Not strictly qualified for most arguments, but I do read a lot.
Stockport, UK
Not strictly qualified for most arguments, but I do read a lot.
Stockport, UK
An interesting piece and the first one to properly grapple with what Nathan Gill did by a figure from within Reform
gawaintowler.substack.com/p/the-deep-b...
gawaintowler.substack.com/p/the-deep-b...
The Deep Betrayal of Nathan Gill
A Personal Reckoning
gawaintowler.substack.com
November 26, 2025 at 8:59 AM
November 26, 2025 at 8:59 AM
This valuable research on US tech company Palantir is essential reading for anyone interested in data governance in the UK.
Great stuff from Mark!
If you want to read more about Palantir's aggressive expansion into the UK, it is something I have mapped quite extensively over time.
2022: bylinetimes.com/2022/06/30/h...
2023: www.bylinesupplement.com/p/the-defaul...
2025: bylinetimes.com/2025/04/25/p...
If you want to read more about Palantir's aggressive expansion into the UK, it is something I have mapped quite extensively over time.
2022: bylinetimes.com/2022/06/30/h...
2023: www.bylinesupplement.com/p/the-defaul...
2025: bylinetimes.com/2025/04/25/p...
November 26, 2025 at 8:30 AM
Annual moan time.
A sensible system would be the budget documents and OBR report being posted online on, say, a Monday evening.
And then a Parliamentary debate on the Wednesday.
A sensible system would be the budget documents and OBR report being posted online on, say, a Monday evening.
And then a Parliamentary debate on the Wednesday.
November 26, 2025 at 8:29 AM
November 2023: Jeremy Hunt raises the top rate of minimum wage by 9.8% to £11.44 per hour. The living wage is £12 per hour.
November 2024: Rachel Reeves raises the top rate of minimum wage by 6.7% to £12.21 per hour. The living wage is £12.60 per hour.
Socialism eh?
#politicslive
November 2024: Rachel Reeves raises the top rate of minimum wage by 6.7% to £12.21 per hour. The living wage is £12.60 per hour.
Socialism eh?
#politicslive
November 26, 2025 at 8:21 AM
Hoo boy, another fictitious "EV market slows" headline from the Times
*EU EV sales are up 25.6% in 2025*
Receipts in thread.
*EU EV sales are up 25.6% in 2025*
Receipts in thread.
November 26, 2025 at 8:18 AM
Gordon Brown, George Osborne and Jeremy Hunt have all on their own ways proclaimed that the minimum wage should reach two-thirds of the median wage. We're pretty much there for the over-20s.
Is that a good target? Is the median wage at a good level?
#R4Today
Is that a good target? Is the median wage at a good level?
#R4Today
November 26, 2025 at 8:16 AM
Gordon Brown, George Osborne and Jeremy Hunt have all on their own ways proclaimed that the minimum wage should reach two-thirds of the median wage. We're pretty much there for the over-20s.
Is that a good target? Is the median wage at a good level?
#R4Today
Is that a good target? Is the median wage at a good level?
#R4Today
November 26, 2025 at 7:52 AM
Can we use some form of AI to cut all the "you knows" from #R4Today interviews?
Without BBC management picking it up to eliminate legally threatening clauses?
Without BBC management picking it up to eliminate legally threatening clauses?
November 26, 2025 at 7:47 AM
Can we use some form of AI to cut all the "you knows" from #R4Today interviews?
Without BBC management picking it up to eliminate legally threatening clauses?
Without BBC management picking it up to eliminate legally threatening clauses?
Couple of thought-provoking but worrying pieces in the FT today. First, does China want to buy anything from anyone? Not really, no different then to the US or many others. The lure of self-sufficiency. Most worrying, why is this thought a surprise? www.ft.com/content/f294...
China is making trade impossible
Europe has nothing to offer and difficult decisions to make
www.ft.com
November 26, 2025 at 7:38 AM
Reposted by Ed Wilson
Sorry, what now? Personally I tend to think this government suggesting scrapping the right to appeal is potentially an even bigger issue with Lammy's reported proposals than the idiotic idea of getting rid of juries. This would be dangerous territory. #r4today
solicitornews.co.uk/lammy-jury-t...
solicitornews.co.uk/lammy-jury-t...
November 26, 2025 at 6:56 AM
Sorry, what now? Personally I tend to think this government suggesting scrapping the right to appeal is potentially an even bigger issue with Lammy's reported proposals than the idiotic idea of getting rid of juries. This would be dangerous territory. #r4today
solicitornews.co.uk/lammy-jury-t...
solicitornews.co.uk/lammy-jury-t...
A small but significant step: Dutch national broadcaster NOS is leaving X.
“The volume of hateful comments and disinformation on X is enormous and flows freely. This also applies under our own posts, meaning we unintentionally contribute to their spread”
over.nos.nl/nieuws/nos-p...
“The volume of hateful comments and disinformation on X is enormous and flows freely. This also applies under our own posts, meaning we unintentionally contribute to their spread”
over.nos.nl/nieuws/nos-p...
NOS plaatst vanaf vandaag geen nieuwsberichten meer op X - Over NOS
De NOS en Nieuwsuur (NOS/NTR) zijn gestopt met posten op X. Het platform past niet meer bij onze visie op...
over.nos.nl
November 26, 2025 at 7:21 AM
On Bregman, I was there in the audience and I can’t see what the BBC have gained by removing this line except more bad publicity. I will say that no such edits or censorship occurred when I gave the Reith Lectures and free-speech defenders might want think about whether this is the world they want.
November 26, 2025 at 7:20 AM
Has anybody kept track of the budget conversation over the last few months? My impression is that there were many weeks of media speculation before Reeves & co started their briefings and U-briefings.
#R4Today
#R4Today
November 26, 2025 at 7:19 AM
Has anybody kept track of the budget conversation over the last few months? My impression is that there were many weeks of media speculation before Reeves & co started their briefings and U-briefings.
#R4Today
#R4Today
Reposted by Ed Wilson
Juries are not perfect.
Many of the worst miscarriages of justice have followed jury trials.
But the merit of juries is not so much the power they have, but the power they prevent others from having.
They mean a judge cannot just nod-along with prosecution evidence and give a guilty verdict.
Many of the worst miscarriages of justice have followed jury trials.
But the merit of juries is not so much the power they have, but the power they prevent others from having.
They mean a judge cannot just nod-along with prosecution evidence and give a guilty verdict.
November 25, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Juries are not perfect.
Many of the worst miscarriages of justice have followed jury trials.
But the merit of juries is not so much the power they have, but the power they prevent others from having.
They mean a judge cannot just nod-along with prosecution evidence and give a guilty verdict.
Many of the worst miscarriages of justice have followed jury trials.
But the merit of juries is not so much the power they have, but the power they prevent others from having.
They mean a judge cannot just nod-along with prosecution evidence and give a guilty verdict.
Trump’s latest tweet. He is taking full responsibility for the “peace” plan. It’s not Witkoff’s, Vance’s or Kushner’s.
It’s Trump’s and it has always been Trump’s.
It’s Trump’s and it has always been Trump’s.
November 26, 2025 at 7:08 AM
To return Britain to austerity, Reeves would have to show that we have emerged from it.
Austerity doesn't end when you just stop making it worse.
#R4Today
Austerity doesn't end when you just stop making it worse.
#R4Today
November 26, 2025 at 7:04 AM
To return Britain to austerity, Reeves would have to show that we have emerged from it.
Austerity doesn't end when you just stop making it worse.
#R4Today
Austerity doesn't end when you just stop making it worse.
#R4Today
Income tax thresholds have been frozen since 2023. What Reeves might announce is an extension of the freeze.
ifs.org.uk/articles/how...
#R4Today
ifs.org.uk/articles/how...
#R4Today
November 26, 2025 at 7:03 AM
Income tax thresholds have been frozen since 2023. What Reeves might announce is an extension of the freeze.
ifs.org.uk/articles/how...
#R4Today
ifs.org.uk/articles/how...
#R4Today
Reposted by Ed Wilson
Apparently, Turning Point UK are now the morality police.
In Orwell's "1984," the primary function of the morality police was to monitor, control, and punish any unapproved thoughts, doubts, or desires that could be considered disloyal to the Party.
See where we're heading, yet?
In Orwell's "1984," the primary function of the morality police was to monitor, control, and punish any unapproved thoughts, doubts, or desires that could be considered disloyal to the Party.
See where we're heading, yet?
October 5, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Apparently, Turning Point UK are now the morality police.
In Orwell's "1984," the primary function of the morality police was to monitor, control, and punish any unapproved thoughts, doubts, or desires that could be considered disloyal to the Party.
See where we're heading, yet?
In Orwell's "1984," the primary function of the morality police was to monitor, control, and punish any unapproved thoughts, doubts, or desires that could be considered disloyal to the Party.
See where we're heading, yet?
Ezra Cohen (under secretary of defense during the first Trump Administration): ... obviously the Russians are also going to have to make compromise...
Is he the first person who has thought that obvious?
#R4Today
Is he the first person who has thought that obvious?
#R4Today
November 26, 2025 at 6:57 AM
Ezra Cohen (under secretary of defense during the first Trump Administration): ... obviously the Russians are also going to have to make compromise...
Is he the first person who has thought that obvious?
#R4Today
Is he the first person who has thought that obvious?
#R4Today
This afternoon in the Commons
Daisy Cooper, Lib Dem: ... The Prime Minister is absolutely right to request that Reform UK conducts an investigation into pro-Russian bribes. Will he also commission a second Russia report into Russian interference in our democracy? ...
Starmer didn't answer.
#BBCPM
Daisy Cooper, Lib Dem: ... The Prime Minister is absolutely right to request that Reform UK conducts an investigation into pro-Russian bribes. Will he also commission a second Russia report into Russian interference in our democracy? ...
Starmer didn't answer.
#BBCPM
G20 and Ukraine - Hansard - UK Parliament
Hansard record of the item : 'G20 and Ukraine' on Tuesday 25 November 2025.
hansard.parliament.uk
November 26, 2025 at 6:46 AM
Two exciting phase two trials show incredible success of mrna vaccines for seasonal flu with infectious symptoms prevented in some healthy individuals. 🧪🧵
Experimental mRNA flu vaccine shows superior efficacy against symptomatic illness
www.cidrap.umn.edu
November 26, 2025 at 6:45 AM
Three more school contemporaries who claim to have witnessed Nigel Farage’s alleged teenage racism have rejected the Reform UK leader’s suggestion that it was “banter”, describing it as targeted, persistent and nasty.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
#R4Today
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
#R4Today
Three more ex-pupils at school with Nigel Farage reject ‘banter’ claims
Exclusive: Dulwich college contemporaries ‘rubbish’ Reform UK leader’s suggestion alleged racist taunts not intended to hurt
www.theguardian.com
November 26, 2025 at 6:42 AM
Three more school contemporaries who claim to have witnessed Nigel Farage’s alleged teenage racism have rejected the Reform UK leader’s suggestion that it was “banter”, describing it as targeted, persistent and nasty.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
#R4Today
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
#R4Today