Judith Fairbairn
@judithfairbairn.bsky.social
1.6K followers 1.2K following 1.6K posts
PhD from UCL Institute of Education: Perceptions of speaking on-topic. Interested in entrepreneurial public service, education, climate change, urban planning. Co-author https://api.equinoxpub.com/books/2874 and https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1210080 🇬🇧 🇨🇦
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Reposted by Judith Fairbairn
jphendo.bsky.social
Plenty of people said water privatisation was a bad idea when proposed but I don't recall anyone predicting it would be as bad as it has become. Doubt anyone thought investors would let costly company assets, in the form of vital infrastructure, deteriorate while they went for short term profits.
Reposted by Judith Fairbairn
martinlewis.moneysavingexpert.com
More water bills rises announced today, on top of those already planned.

Privatisation without competition, arguably the worst of both worlds
Reposted by Judith Fairbairn
mikem51.bsky.social
Yes it’s easy to say tax the rich as a slogan when not in government. Likewise the government needs to demonstrate its approach and why it’s doing so as most people believe it’s doing nothing different to previous governments when demonstrably it is.
Reposted by Judith Fairbairn
2300.bsky.social
List of wealth taxes already introduced by Labour.
Reposted by Judith Fairbairn
alxrchrds.bsky.social
Starmer plays the long game. He’s laying the groundwork for rejoining (or near as makes no difference) in a few years, somehow. The economy and global security are pretty convincing arguments.
Wouldn't be surprised if the plan is to position Labour as the pro-Europe/EU option at the next election.
Reposted by Judith Fairbairn
briantrumpet.bsky.social
My initial reaction to Labour's win was that they'd unravel Brexit bit by bit to 'overcome technical blockages' without each incrment really being noticeable, until the UK was within touching distance of SM/CU without really knowing how we got there, but that they were planning on 10 years to do it.
judithfairbairn.bsky.social
I think you’d enjoy it. Especially the first part where they refreshingly outline the positive things about Starmer.
Reposted by Judith Fairbairn
kevinstalder.bsky.social
Statement from the Nobel Peace Prize Committee 👏 🙏
Reposted by Judith Fairbairn
Reposted by Judith Fairbairn
davidzipper.bsky.social
"Though robotaxis have notched up impressive growth, they look ploddingly pedestrian compared with far zippier pedal-powered rivals. [Waymo] proudly proclaims that its cars do around 250k trips a week. Yet in NYC alone that number of trips is made every three days using the city’s bikeshare scheme."
Forget EVs. Cycling is revolutionising transport
Pedal power is booming, spinning up a new culture war
www.economist.com
Reposted by Judith Fairbairn
dawnbutlerbrent.bsky.social
The last Labour government almost eradicated homelessness.

This Labour government will do the same, helping people in difficult times.
Reposted by Judith Fairbairn
williamsimpson.bsky.social
Genuinely think one way to revitalise town centres would be to build kick-ass playgrounds in them. People underestimate the fact that parents will actually travel to places specifically for a good playground. And of course the kids will then want to buy snacks or a magazine or a toy...
Reposted by Judith Fairbairn
jonburkeuk.bsky.social
For my next decree, wonderful adventure playgrounds for every child in the land.

Public luxury, from the cradle to the grave.
Reposted by Judith Fairbairn
lucazanzi.bsky.social
As a Venezuelan, this is beautiful.

It has felt for years as though the world had forgotten my country and given up.

Maduro has outright stolen elections, and the world pretty much shrugged.

Maria Corina Machado has been the one constant fighter who has never given up in over 20 years.
judithfairbairn.bsky.social
Why would 0.5% be less difficult. We’d still need to calculate everyone’s wealth (including art, jewellery, overseas/offshore wealth etc).
judithfairbairn.bsky.social
Follow @danneidle.bsky.social for detail but a 1-2% wealth tax is difficult. Easier to implement are higher capital gains and inheritance taxes plus a land value tax. And get rid of trusts.
Reposted by Judith Fairbairn
eddieburfi.bsky.social
Former Head of Comms for the IEA, Annabel Denham, says the super rich will leave if we have a wealth tax.

Yes, the very same IEA that brought us Liz Truss’ disastrous mini budget. 🤦🏽‍♂️

Green Party leader Zack Polanski explains that their taxable assets can’t leave. #bbcqt
Reposted by Judith Fairbairn
13sarahmurphy.bsky.social
Private Eye offers up an excellently scornful commentary on the relentless polling. It’s become ridiculous and has oversimplified our politics to dangerous levels of stupid and irresponsible.
SHOCK POLL:
NIGEL FARAGE WILL BE PM TOMORROW
IN an amazing poll conducted
by The Pointless Polling Company, it was revealed that voters' intentions
may well change over the next three and a half years and at present it's 100 percent impossible to guess what the next government might look like.
However, 99 percent of journalists
agree that it would be much more fun if we had an election tomorrow and everybody resigned and everything was chaos and Farage had a go at being PM, just for the hell of it, because it was so much fun when
Brexit happened and then the government kept falling every five minutes and we could write endless pieces about (cont. p94)
judithfairbairn.bsky.social
“Trump and those around him have put enormous pressure on the committee to consider him for the prize - even though it technically isn’t possible, as nominations closed in January.”
Reposted by Judith Fairbairn
catcat1999.bsky.social
The EU can't even talk about us rejoining until our government is settled. While the tories are still slithering around and reform UK Ltd are still making a noise?
If Labour get a second term with Lib Dems in opposition, well. . .
Reposted by Judith Fairbairn
basavsen.bsky.social
Sticking with car dependence is a failure of imagination, particularly when the wide range of benefits of ending car dependence is so clear.
brenttoderian.bsky.social
“In a city once choked with cars and infamous for its traffic snarls, Paris has pulled off a remarkable turnaround…the French capital has officially become Europe’s best city for children to walk, cycle, and move around independently.” Via @momentummag.bsky.social

A victory for FAST leadership.
Paris Pedals to the Top: How the City of Light Became Europe’s Best for Young Cyclists
The French capital has officially become Europe’s best city for children to walk, cycle, and move around independently
momentummag.com
Reposted by Judith Fairbairn
jago2012.bsky.social
Maybe it's not racist to observe (just a bit obsessive; why does it bother her?)

But it is DEFINITELY racist to be upset, offended, bothered, scared, annoyed, angry, irritated, intimidated by it.

And it's ABSOLUTELY racist to use it as a pejorative about proudly integrated multicultural London.
Reposted by Judith Fairbairn
goodclimate.bsky.social
This lurid headline is about British tourists no longer getting away with overstaying in Schengen. Or being 'illegals', as it's often called in the UK.
Reposted by Judith Fairbairn
reformexposed.bsky.social
Things Farage won’t answer:

1. Why did he lie about buying a house in Clacton?

2. What did he know about Welsh Reform Leader Nathan Gill’s Russian Bribes?

3. Why did he lie about meeting the Russian Ambassador?

4. Why is his flagship council Kent raising taxes and cutting services?