R
@liburghal.bsky.social
Adopted Northerner ‖ AuDHD ‖ 🏳️🌈 ‖ he/him
Might tell my employers that they are wasting their time and money doing things like buying insurance, updating risk registers and formulating business continuity plans.
Thank you senior Labour Minister, Darren Jones MP, for stating that businesses "shouldn't prepare for the hypothetical"!
Thank you senior Labour Minister, Darren Jones MP, for stating that businesses "shouldn't prepare for the hypothetical"!
Susanna Reid asks Darren Jones what British companies who export to the US should do to prepare for a possible increase in tariffs.
Darren Jones replies: "you shouldn't prepare for a hypothetical"
Darren Jones replies: "you shouldn't prepare for a hypothetical"
January 20, 2026 at 11:26 AM
Might tell my employers that they are wasting their time and money doing things like buying insurance, updating risk registers and formulating business continuity plans.
Thank you senior Labour Minister, Darren Jones MP, for stating that businesses "shouldn't prepare for the hypothetical"!
Thank you senior Labour Minister, Darren Jones MP, for stating that businesses "shouldn't prepare for the hypothetical"!
For the avoidance of doubt, my tongue was firmly in my cheek.
Though the sentiment remains, not enough is spoken about military spending being a relatively good way of reducing regional inequality that is self-sustaining.
Merseyside, Barrow and S. Yorks would benefit if there was proper strategy.
Though the sentiment remains, not enough is spoken about military spending being a relatively good way of reducing regional inequality that is self-sustaining.
Merseyside, Barrow and S. Yorks would benefit if there was proper strategy.
I'm sure Zack is behind a fully independent and native nuclear deterrent.
Operational freedom, well paid and high skill jobs with clear links to reducing regional inequality.
Good to see sensible grown up politics from him!
Operational freedom, well paid and high skill jobs with clear links to reducing regional inequality.
Good to see sensible grown up politics from him!
When we said NATO wasn't working we were derided.
When we said a nuclear weapons system relying on the US is dangerous we were called stupid.
The truth is the establishment are more interested in kissing US feet than keeping the UK safe.
It's time for a rethink.
When we said a nuclear weapons system relying on the US is dangerous we were called stupid.
The truth is the establishment are more interested in kissing US feet than keeping the UK safe.
It's time for a rethink.
January 18, 2026 at 12:25 PM
For the avoidance of doubt, my tongue was firmly in my cheek.
Though the sentiment remains, not enough is spoken about military spending being a relatively good way of reducing regional inequality that is self-sustaining.
Merseyside, Barrow and S. Yorks would benefit if there was proper strategy.
Though the sentiment remains, not enough is spoken about military spending being a relatively good way of reducing regional inequality that is self-sustaining.
Merseyside, Barrow and S. Yorks would benefit if there was proper strategy.
I'm sure Zack is behind a fully independent and native nuclear deterrent.
Operational freedom, well paid and high skill jobs with clear links to reducing regional inequality.
Good to see sensible grown up politics from him!
Operational freedom, well paid and high skill jobs with clear links to reducing regional inequality.
Good to see sensible grown up politics from him!
When we said NATO wasn't working we were derided.
When we said a nuclear weapons system relying on the US is dangerous we were called stupid.
The truth is the establishment are more interested in kissing US feet than keeping the UK safe.
It's time for a rethink.
When we said a nuclear weapons system relying on the US is dangerous we were called stupid.
The truth is the establishment are more interested in kissing US feet than keeping the UK safe.
It's time for a rethink.
January 18, 2026 at 12:20 PM
I'm sure Zack is behind a fully independent and native nuclear deterrent.
Operational freedom, well paid and high skill jobs with clear links to reducing regional inequality.
Good to see sensible grown up politics from him!
Operational freedom, well paid and high skill jobs with clear links to reducing regional inequality.
Good to see sensible grown up politics from him!
The appeal of Reform to so many is the distance they have from the traditional parties and the "clean break" nature if they do get into government.
Will people pay enough attention to notice their swelling ranks comprised increasingly from those parties that the electorate is rejecting?
Will people pay enough attention to notice their swelling ranks comprised increasingly from those parties that the electorate is rejecting?
Anyone else thinking Reform might be making a political error with all these defections?
A few make you look like a credible alternative.
Too many (and from the same party) makes you look like you're a party of continuity and careerism.
A few make you look like a credible alternative.
Too many (and from the same party) makes you look like you're a party of continuity and careerism.
January 15, 2026 at 12:38 PM
The appeal of Reform to so many is the distance they have from the traditional parties and the "clean break" nature if they do get into government.
Will people pay enough attention to notice their swelling ranks comprised increasingly from those parties that the electorate is rejecting?
Will people pay enough attention to notice their swelling ranks comprised increasingly from those parties that the electorate is rejecting?
In the same way that gov.uk is lauded as the gold standard in public sector information websites, should Whitehall invest in LLM'ifying gov.uk to adapt to increased natural language search preferences?
Localise information to UK specific contexts, improve access and reduce error.
Localise information to UK specific contexts, improve access and reduce error.
The UK National Health Service has very clear information on all major medical conditions.
It is browsable by all
Never EVER rely on an LLM for health advice
www.nhs.uk/conditions/
It is browsable by all
Never EVER rely on an LLM for health advice
www.nhs.uk/conditions/
January 13, 2026 at 8:44 AM
Reposted by R
Based and Ed-pilled
Special delivery from the Lib Dem media team to the lobby to “pep you up for the rest of the afternoon”
January 12, 2026 at 3:22 PM
Based and Ed-pilled
The concept of business rates actively stifles high street development.
Improving a premises, either though changing it's use or upgrading facilities, increases it's rateable value and therefore it's business rates.
Why convert a derelict shop into a cafe if the new tax rate makes it unviable?
Improving a premises, either though changing it's use or upgrading facilities, increases it's rateable value and therefore it's business rates.
Why convert a derelict shop into a cafe if the new tax rate makes it unviable?
Agree with this. Wrote about what to do about it here:
open.substack.com/pub/howtorun...
open.substack.com/pub/howtorun...
How do you solve a problem like the high street?
Time for a Troubled Buildings Programme
open.substack.com
January 12, 2026 at 3:14 PM
The concept of business rates actively stifles high street development.
Improving a premises, either though changing it's use or upgrading facilities, increases it's rateable value and therefore it's business rates.
Why convert a derelict shop into a cafe if the new tax rate makes it unviable?
Improving a premises, either though changing it's use or upgrading facilities, increases it's rateable value and therefore it's business rates.
Why convert a derelict shop into a cafe if the new tax rate makes it unviable?
There is always an XKCD
January 12, 2026 at 8:58 AM
There is always an XKCD
Reposted by R
*Whiney Starmer voice* Sadly you must give Bluesky your card details before you can DM & show your knickers to the Knicker Inspectors before you pee because we're protecting women and chiiiiildreeennnn
*5 minutes later*
*5 minutes later*
Starmer's spokesman says the reports of Grok's activity is "disturbing" but doesn't say UK Government will take any action
January 5, 2026 at 12:39 PM
*Whiney Starmer voice* Sadly you must give Bluesky your card details before you can DM & show your knickers to the Knicker Inspectors before you pee because we're protecting women and chiiiiildreeennnn
*5 minutes later*
*5 minutes later*
It is completely understandable why the government, has taken the position it has given the vindictive nature of the US Administration.
But where do we draw the red line? What do they need to do for our response to be a reflexive moral statement rather than a calculated position?
But where do we draw the red line? What do they need to do for our response to be a reflexive moral statement rather than a calculated position?
WH sources say Venezuela's opposition leader committed the "ultimate sin": She accepted the Nobel Peace prize.
“If she had turned it down and said, ‘I can’t accept it because it’s Donald Trump’s,’ she’d be the president of Venezuela today,” one said.
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
“If she had turned it down and said, ‘I can’t accept it because it’s Donald Trump’s,’ she’d be the president of Venezuela today,” one said.
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
January 5, 2026 at 8:36 AM
It is completely understandable why the government, has taken the position it has given the vindictive nature of the US Administration.
But where do we draw the red line? What do they need to do for our response to be a reflexive moral statement rather than a calculated position?
But where do we draw the red line? What do they need to do for our response to be a reflexive moral statement rather than a calculated position?
So we have a CSAM generating LLM which has described itself as"MechaHitler" and stated that Musk was more important than half the worlds population...
And journalists just print it's statements?
Which link has broken here?
And journalists just print it's statements?
Which link has broken here?
Unbelievably bleak to see journalists quoting an LLM bot's output as if it's an agent capable of making statements that mean something.
January 2, 2026 at 8:08 PM
So we have a CSAM generating LLM which has described itself as"MechaHitler" and stated that Musk was more important than half the worlds population...
And journalists just print it's statements?
Which link has broken here?
And journalists just print it's statements?
Which link has broken here?
Stood next to Daniel Radcliffe at a baggage carousel after being on the same flight with him from Russia.
Picked up the phone to James May. I told him that my uncle was busy and asked him to call back later.
Which is more mundane?
Picked up the phone to James May. I told him that my uncle was busy and asked him to call back later.
Which is more mundane?
Right folks. Feeling rather down at the moment so bringing back an oldie
Please Quote this with your most minor celebrity interaction
Please Quote this with your most minor celebrity interaction
December 30, 2025 at 9:50 AM
Stood next to Daniel Radcliffe at a baggage carousel after being on the same flight with him from Russia.
Picked up the phone to James May. I told him that my uncle was busy and asked him to call back later.
Which is more mundane?
Picked up the phone to James May. I told him that my uncle was busy and asked him to call back later.
Which is more mundane?
Reposted by R
Having had a day to think through everything about El-Fattah, here's where I stand. Yes, it's possible to believe all of these things at once! In fact, it really shouldn't be that hard.
December 29, 2025 at 11:10 AM
Having had a day to think through everything about El-Fattah, here's where I stand. Yes, it's possible to believe all of these things at once! In fact, it really shouldn't be that hard.
The Gilbreths, especially Lillian, are unsung heroes in the development of the modern world. Their time-and-motion assessments, industrial ergonomics and home economics were fundamental to the modern world.
December 25, 2025 at 7:15 PM
The Gilbreths, especially Lillian, are unsung heroes in the development of the modern world. Their time-and-motion assessments, industrial ergonomics and home economics were fundamental to the modern world.
Have always carried a spare couple of spatulas with me whilst delivering.
Both to have a spare for myself and to hand out to any others I meet out there.
Scored a free succulent Chinese dinner after giving one to a granny pushing menus through doors.
Both to have a spare for myself and to hand out to any others I meet out there.
Scored a free succulent Chinese dinner after giving one to a granny pushing menus through doors.
Informative and fun thread about delivering the festive post. This gave me a flashback to when I was a political activist and just turning into one door and the postman just doing a 'no, no, stay away' hand gesture. I leapt back as a dog *hurled* itself against the front door.
20. Speaking of dogs - having a sign that says “beware of the dog” hanging on the gate you have to walk through to reach your front door: not very reassuring for your postman that.
Do you actually want your post delivered?
Do you actually want your post delivered?
December 24, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Have always carried a spare couple of spatulas with me whilst delivering.
Both to have a spare for myself and to hand out to any others I meet out there.
Scored a free succulent Chinese dinner after giving one to a granny pushing menus through doors.
Both to have a spare for myself and to hand out to any others I meet out there.
Scored a free succulent Chinese dinner after giving one to a granny pushing menus through doors.
Nothing speaks to the cowardice and incoherence of this government more than quibbling over defence spending whilst also claiming to lead the "coalition of the willing" during a land war in Europe.
Absolute clowns.
Absolute clowns.
Starmer pushes back on delayed defence spending plan ft.trib.al/f3rWLVF
Starmer pushes back on delayed defence spending plan
New national armaments director insists the paper is in its ‘final stages’
ft.trib.al
December 17, 2025 at 6:20 AM
Nothing speaks to the cowardice and incoherence of this government more than quibbling over defence spending whilst also claiming to lead the "coalition of the willing" during a land war in Europe.
Absolute clowns.
Absolute clowns.
Reposted by R
It would be an incredible Labour Moment to push people towards S&S ISAs right before a market correction.
changing ISA rules to encourage people to invest in shares rather than cash would be a reasonable idea *if* the FTSE wasn’t currently touching a huge all-time high
instead it looks like an attempt to push retail investors into the stock market at (potentially) the worst possible time
instead it looks like an attempt to push retail investors into the stock market at (potentially) the worst possible time
December 6, 2025 at 9:48 AM
It would be an incredible Labour Moment to push people towards S&S ISAs right before a market correction.
Reposted by R
I studied for a Level 7 Degree Apprenticeship because I couldn't afford to take on a full time MSc. But now Government changes are removing Level 7 Apprenticeship funding for those aged over 21 - penalizing especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
I've been working with my industry body and they've launched this petition to protect funding for Level 7 Apprenticeships. Please sign and share.
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/74...
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/74...
Petition: Fund Level 7 Apprenticeships for over 21s if a MSc Is Essential for Career Entry
Instead of capping funding for Level 7 apprenticeships for those over 21, we urge the government to distinguish between career entry and career progression and continue funding level 7 apprenticeships...
petition.parliament.uk
December 3, 2025 at 9:53 PM
I studied for a Level 7 Degree Apprenticeship because I couldn't afford to take on a full time MSc. But now Government changes are removing Level 7 Apprenticeship funding for those aged over 21 - penalizing especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
I have a "Days of NHS" spreadsheet on my OneDrive for this very reason.
Tesco's pre-tax profit of £2.29 billion?
5 days of NHS spending.
Tesco's pre-tax profit of £2.29 billion?
5 days of NHS spending.
So many policy debates would be better understood (I’m not saying they would necessarily have better outcomes) if we used percentage figures. Tesco’s pre-tax profit of 4.5 per cent, for example.
I think there might be a case for retiring millions and billions from our vocabulary entirely, and expressing public spending as multiples of a house price.
"The government today committed to spending three streets of terraced housing in Middlesbrough on the NHS to cut waiting lists."
"The government today committed to spending three streets of terraced housing in Middlesbrough on the NHS to cut waiting lists."
December 1, 2025 at 4:53 PM
I have a "Days of NHS" spreadsheet on my OneDrive for this very reason.
Tesco's pre-tax profit of £2.29 billion?
5 days of NHS spending.
Tesco's pre-tax profit of £2.29 billion?
5 days of NHS spending.
It's no wonder that trust is dissolving from all directions when there is a conscious disconnect between the truth and the message.
Especially when the press is complicit in glossing over this fact, either consciously or not.
Especially when the press is complicit in glossing over this fact, either consciously or not.
There is an actual interesting little deceit in the budget, namely ther have the OBR still forecasting based on increasing net immigration back to 300-350k whilst the Home Secretary is promising to bring it down from 200k, which does dissolve about half the headroom, but somehow we're doing vibes.
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.
December 1, 2025 at 2:10 PM
It's no wonder that trust is dissolving from all directions when there is a conscious disconnect between the truth and the message.
Especially when the press is complicit in glossing over this fact, either consciously or not.
Especially when the press is complicit in glossing over this fact, either consciously or not.
Having just finished Nick Clegg's memoirs, one of the final comments made has stuck with me.
Political affiliation has become more an outward expression of personal identity than a preferred form of governance and direction.
Hence the fractures, disillusionment and divisive anger.
Political affiliation has become more an outward expression of personal identity than a preferred form of governance and direction.
Hence the fractures, disillusionment and divisive anger.
There is an extraordinary sense of entitlement behind the belief that there ought to be political party that aligns 100% with your own opinions.
November 30, 2025 at 11:34 AM
Having just finished Nick Clegg's memoirs, one of the final comments made has stuck with me.
Political affiliation has become more an outward expression of personal identity than a preferred form of governance and direction.
Hence the fractures, disillusionment and divisive anger.
Political affiliation has become more an outward expression of personal identity than a preferred form of governance and direction.
Hence the fractures, disillusionment and divisive anger.
I'm going to be so sad when Yorp folds.
It satisfies a deep desire for comedy in British politics in a way that has zero actual electoral or institutional impact.
Being able to laugh at the cranks without worrying that they will take charge.
It satisfies a deep desire for comedy in British politics in a way that has zero actual electoral or institutional impact.
Being able to laugh at the cranks without worrying that they will take charge.
Former Labour MP Claudia Webb is announcing the results of voting at YP conference. She was expelled from Labour after being convicted of harassment.
November 30, 2025 at 11:29 AM
I'm going to be so sad when Yorp folds.
It satisfies a deep desire for comedy in British politics in a way that has zero actual electoral or institutional impact.
Being able to laugh at the cranks without worrying that they will take charge.
It satisfies a deep desire for comedy in British politics in a way that has zero actual electoral or institutional impact.
Being able to laugh at the cranks without worrying that they will take charge.