Jon Loveridge
@jonloveridge.bsky.social
Optimistic but pragmatic. Data & Analytics enjoyer. Derby County and Bromsgrove Sporting supporter
Reposted by Jon Loveridge
I wonder if it's time to retire the role of "political editor" altogether
Return most of the coverage to the Economics Editor, the Health Editor, the Home Affairs team & so on.
Leave the "who-said-what-to-whom" & "what-does-it-mean-for-the-polls" to others. The BBC doesn't need to foreground this.
Return most of the coverage to the Economics Editor, the Health Editor, the Home Affairs team & so on.
Leave the "who-said-what-to-whom" & "what-does-it-mean-for-the-polls" to others. The BBC doesn't need to foreground this.
Watched BBC 6 o clock news. Just a completely unserious broadcast. Chris Mason, acting like a children's entertainer, giving a prolonged impenetrable editorial. Not a whiff of informative content about the Budget or what it means for the country. Just playschool blah blah bollocks.
December 1, 2025 at 10:17 PM
I wonder if it's time to retire the role of "political editor" altogether
Return most of the coverage to the Economics Editor, the Health Editor, the Home Affairs team & so on.
Leave the "who-said-what-to-whom" & "what-does-it-mean-for-the-polls" to others. The BBC doesn't need to foreground this.
Return most of the coverage to the Economics Editor, the Health Editor, the Home Affairs team & so on.
Leave the "who-said-what-to-whom" & "what-does-it-mean-for-the-polls" to others. The BBC doesn't need to foreground this.
Reposted by Jon Loveridge
Think this is exactly right - political journalism that is completely abstracted from policy, which was not the norm before 2017, has become the default. Impossible to have a serious attempt to either shrink what the state does or widen the tax base (have to do at least one) on that basis.
All this budget news, claims, counter claims is confusing, but two things of consequence.
1. We're all talking about that, not any financial benefits (or losses) of the budget.
2. Yet more focus on the very weird few weeks and politics of it all. Starting to feel dangerously like a norm.
1. We're all talking about that, not any financial benefits (or losses) of the budget.
2. Yet more focus on the very weird few weeks and politics of it all. Starting to feel dangerously like a norm.
December 1, 2025 at 1:12 PM
Think this is exactly right - political journalism that is completely abstracted from policy, which was not the norm before 2017, has become the default. Impossible to have a serious attempt to either shrink what the state does or widen the tax base (have to do at least one) on that basis.
Reposted by Jon Loveridge
For context the 'Middle England' referred to here is the 0.5% of households living in homes worth more than £2 million
November 30, 2025 at 10:27 PM
For context the 'Middle England' referred to here is the 0.5% of households living in homes worth more than £2 million
I’ve got an idea, the £2M mansion tax BUT if you also voted for Brexit the rate is doubled for all the damage you contributed to
November 28, 2025 at 2:18 PM
I’ve got an idea, the £2M mansion tax BUT if you also voted for Brexit the rate is doubled for all the damage you contributed to
Reposted by Jon Loveridge
It's part of the electionification of everything, which is why we as a country are failing to have a proper conversation about our actual problems. It's bad for the left *and* the right.
It's such a bizarre framing. Labour MPs think taking 450k kids out of poverty is putting the country first! That's why they wanted it to happen! It's not because they personally benefit.
Headline on The World at One just now:
"Sir Keir Starmer has denied putting the Labour Party before the country by ending the two-child benefit cap".
Can we please go back to reporting the actual news, not someone's partisan take on it?
"Sir Keir Starmer has denied putting the Labour Party before the country by ending the two-child benefit cap".
Can we please go back to reporting the actual news, not someone's partisan take on it?
November 27, 2025 at 10:17 PM
It's part of the electionification of everything, which is why we as a country are failing to have a proper conversation about our actual problems. It's bad for the left *and* the right.
Reposted by Jon Loveridge
Me being grumpy on Peston about the lack of pro-growth tax reform in the Budget: youtu.be/ZKx_qF3YpoU?...
November 27, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Me being grumpy on Peston about the lack of pro-growth tax reform in the Budget: youtu.be/ZKx_qF3YpoU?...
Reposted by Jon Loveridge
THE POLICY ADDRESSES THIS ALREADY.
"Homeowners will be able to roll up the annual payments and defer them until they move house or die." www.ft.com/content/5b07...
"Homeowners will be able to roll up the annual payments and defer them until they move house or die." www.ft.com/content/5b07...
November 27, 2025 at 11:43 AM
THE POLICY ADDRESSES THIS ALREADY.
"Homeowners will be able to roll up the annual payments and defer them until they move house or die." www.ft.com/content/5b07...
"Homeowners will be able to roll up the annual payments and defer them until they move house or die." www.ft.com/content/5b07...
I dont think I really care where migration figures are, but what is deeply frustrating is the complete inability to have an informed debate around it. This isn’t new I can recall engaging with news & current affair for around 30-35 years & for that whole time immigration has been toxically discussed
November 27, 2025 at 11:41 AM
I dont think I really care where migration figures are, but what is deeply frustrating is the complete inability to have an informed debate around it. This isn’t new I can recall engaging with news & current affair for around 30-35 years & for that whole time immigration has been toxically discussed
Reposted by Jon Loveridge
'This isn't an opinion. This is counting.'
- A 100,000 drop in net migration costs us £7bn
- Scrapping the two-child benefit cap costs us £3bn
What gets more attention?
James O’Brien says 'we have become a ludicrous country'.
- Scrapping the two-child benefit cap costs us £3bn
What gets more attention?
James O’Brien says 'we have become a ludicrous country'.
November 27, 2025 at 11:29 AM
'This isn't an opinion. This is counting.'
I do sometimes despair at how a proper conversation around wealth, tax and who should pay their fair share in the UK is all but impossible. And here we have people - in all seriousness - suggesting people in homes worth £2M are not well off or can’t pay a few £k a year. Just utterly bonkers
November 27, 2025 at 10:16 AM
I do sometimes despair at how a proper conversation around wealth, tax and who should pay their fair share in the UK is all but impossible. And here we have people - in all seriousness - suggesting people in homes worth £2M are not well off or can’t pay a few £k a year. Just utterly bonkers
Reposted by Jon Loveridge
On Truss & Kwarteng in ‘22. Allister Heath, Telegraph: “the best budget I have ever heard a British chancellor deliver". Alex Brummer, Mail: “a genuine Tory package elbowing to one side the Treasury's fiscal conservatism".
These men will now be paid actual money for their analysis of today’s budget.
These men will now be paid actual money for their analysis of today’s budget.
November 26, 2025 at 4:32 PM
On Truss & Kwarteng in ‘22. Allister Heath, Telegraph: “the best budget I have ever heard a British chancellor deliver". Alex Brummer, Mail: “a genuine Tory package elbowing to one side the Treasury's fiscal conservatism".
These men will now be paid actual money for their analysis of today’s budget.
These men will now be paid actual money for their analysis of today’s budget.
The budget itself is pretty insipid, some good bits, lots of kicking the can down the road - but practically all criticism from the other party leaders is bad, nothing that’s credible or offers useful alternatives, and perhaps this is as good an illustration as any of the challenges we face
November 26, 2025 at 6:47 PM
The budget itself is pretty insipid, some good bits, lots of kicking the can down the road - but practically all criticism from the other party leaders is bad, nothing that’s credible or offers useful alternatives, and perhaps this is as good an illustration as any of the challenges we face
Yet again, I’m forced to wonder, who cares about what Kemi Badenoch has to say about the budget. Worthless and pointless
November 26, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Yet again, I’m forced to wonder, who cares about what Kemi Badenoch has to say about the budget. Worthless and pointless
Reposted by Jon Loveridge
There's no obvious big picture sitting above this budget beyond muddling through.
November 26, 2025 at 12:24 PM
There's no obvious big picture sitting above this budget beyond muddling through.
As usual, this won’t get the attention it deserves
OBR says lower net migration will hurt overall productivity
November 26, 2025 at 12:55 PM
As usual, this won’t get the attention it deserves
Says a lot for the Johnson that his strategy ended up being to deliver Brexit THEN let net migration spike to almost 1M a year, presumably to prevent further damage. Utter madness that satisfied no one and pissed off everyone
Hopefully we can stop discussing fiscal policy and the economy soon and get back to surging immigration. (Editor: please check).
November 26, 2025 at 12:52 PM
Says a lot for the Johnson that his strategy ended up being to deliver Brexit THEN let net migration spike to almost 1M a year, presumably to prevent further damage. Utter madness that satisfied no one and pissed off everyone
Reposted by Jon Loveridge
Would you bet against the purple dotted line?
November 26, 2025 at 12:11 PM
Would you bet against the purple dotted line?
Reposted by Jon Loveridge
On one level, this is unprecedented. On another level, the Treasury had leaked it all anyway. Does it matter?
November 26, 2025 at 12:18 PM
On one level, this is unprecedented. On another level, the Treasury had leaked it all anyway. Does it matter?
Reposted by Jon Loveridge
Having a great first day running a business where I import milkshakes on an individual basis to take advantage of de minimis exemptions. Margins are thin but I think I can make it work as my electric van doesn’t pay VED.
Anyway, now to take a big gulp of milkshake and tune into the Budget.
Anyway, now to take a big gulp of milkshake and tune into the Budget.
November 26, 2025 at 10:47 AM
Having a great first day running a business where I import milkshakes on an individual basis to take advantage of de minimis exemptions. Margins are thin but I think I can make it work as my electric van doesn’t pay VED.
Anyway, now to take a big gulp of milkshake and tune into the Budget.
Anyway, now to take a big gulp of milkshake and tune into the Budget.
Reeves & Starmer - with some justification - will get criticised whatever they do today. But I don’t understand people saying they have “killed the economy”. They’ve failed to improve what they inherited, but plainly, this is not the same thing. This is still an important distinction IMO
November 26, 2025 at 10:29 AM
Reeves & Starmer - with some justification - will get criticised whatever they do today. But I don’t understand people saying they have “killed the economy”. They’ve failed to improve what they inherited, but plainly, this is not the same thing. This is still an important distinction IMO
Reposted by Jon Loveridge
New: 'Shark's fin' chart reveals the uneven impact of 'fiscal drag', the stealth tax beloved of recent chancellors. Plus use our interactive calculator to see how fresh freezes announced by Rachel Reeves at todays Budget could affect you on.ft.com/3KqOYUL
November 26, 2025 at 8:37 AM
New: 'Shark's fin' chart reveals the uneven impact of 'fiscal drag', the stealth tax beloved of recent chancellors. Plus use our interactive calculator to see how fresh freezes announced by Rachel Reeves at todays Budget could affect you on.ft.com/3KqOYUL
Reposted by Jon Loveridge
Small price to pay to fully empower the UK Parliament, Britain's most trusted institution filled with its most beloved and inspiring leaders.
Still reeling from the Stanford report on Brexit. Reduced GDP by up to 8% and investment by as much as 18%. The UK Treasury would have £40 billion more each year if Britain had remained in the EU. Devastating self-immolation.
The Economic Impact of Brexit
Other
siepr.stanford.edu
November 25, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Small price to pay to fully empower the UK Parliament, Britain's most trusted institution filled with its most beloved and inspiring leaders.
Is it only in Britain where someone who has seen an asset increase in value 50x over 50 years, will oppose a tax which wouldn’t even impact them and would still see themselves as a victim?!
‘That’s the beauty of right-wing approaches to tax…’
James O’Brien hears from a listener who opposes the mansion tax, but isn’t actually affected by it.
James O’Brien hears from a listener who opposes the mansion tax, but isn’t actually affected by it.
November 25, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Is it only in Britain where someone who has seen an asset increase in value 50x over 50 years, will oppose a tax which wouldn’t even impact them and would still see themselves as a victim?!
As popular as people like Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage were and are with the British public, who only see their manufactured personas from a distance, it always seems to be the people who know them best who are the most critical
'He doesn't know the monster he's created.'
Caller Nick, who went to school with Nigel Farage, tells @henryriley1.bsky.social that he 'absolutely will not' vote Reform.
Caller Nick, who went to school with Nigel Farage, tells @henryriley1.bsky.social that he 'absolutely will not' vote Reform.
November 25, 2025 at 2:30 PM
As popular as people like Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage were and are with the British public, who only see their manufactured personas from a distance, it always seems to be the people who know them best who are the most critical
The psychology of someone who is already very rich and maybe has right leaning politics, deciding to move to Dubai, is incredibly curious youtube.com/shorts/4q0Ar...
James O'Brien tells billionaire: 'hop on your jet and go to Dubai'
YouTube video by LBC
youtube.com
November 25, 2025 at 12:36 PM
The psychology of someone who is already very rich and maybe has right leaning politics, deciding to move to Dubai, is incredibly curious youtube.com/shorts/4q0Ar...