Owen Jackson
@owenjackson.bsky.social
Policy 📑 | Science 💉 | Sport 🏈🏏🏉
Director of Policy
Trustee, 93% Club
Reposts ≠ endorsements, views my own
Director of Policy
Trustee, 93% Club
Reposts ≠ endorsements, views my own
When I told my primary school teacher I wanted £1m to build a dragon farm I was laughed at. When this guy does it, it is taken as a serious business proposition?
AI satellite factory on the moon? Giant space catapult? Self-sustaining city on the moon? A billion daily active users on X?
Elon Musk made all these predictions in an internal meeting with xAI employees last night. We listened in.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/10/t...
Elon Musk made all these predictions in an internal meeting with xAI employees last night. We listened in.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/10/t...
Elon Musk Wants to Build an A.I. Satellite Factory on the Moon
www.nytimes.com
February 11, 2026 at 9:47 PM
When I told my primary school teacher I wanted £1m to build a dragon farm I was laughed at. When this guy does it, it is taken as a serious business proposition?
Reposted by Owen Jackson
‘Due diligence vitally important’ in next top civil servant appointment – Lord McDonald
www.channel4.com/news/due-dil...
www.channel4.com/news/due-dil...
‘Due diligence vitally important’ in next top civil servant appointment – Lord McDonald
Another high profile departure from No 10 in the wake of the Mandelson scandal is due to be Britain's top civil servant.
www.channel4.com
February 11, 2026 at 8:17 PM
‘Due diligence vitally important’ in next top civil servant appointment – Lord McDonald
www.channel4.com/news/due-dil...
www.channel4.com/news/due-dil...
I worked on security and defence issues for 5+ years in government and I fully agree with this:
"The Northern JEF Nations, plus Poland, are like-minded on the threat and willing to act decisively; they really are our best friends, and we need to return the favour."
👇
"The Northern JEF Nations, plus Poland, are like-minded on the threat and willing to act decisively; they really are our best friends, and we need to return the favour."
👇
Another scream for action from me, in a world where the US is far from our best friend.
Maybe one day the UK government might listen.
Maybe one day the UK government might listen.
Vulnerable Britain
Time is running out
open.substack.com
February 5, 2026 at 2:51 PM
I worked on security and defence issues for 5+ years in government and I fully agree with this:
"The Northern JEF Nations, plus Poland, are like-minded on the threat and willing to act decisively; they really are our best friends, and we need to return the favour."
👇
"The Northern JEF Nations, plus Poland, are like-minded on the threat and willing to act decisively; they really are our best friends, and we need to return the favour."
👇
Reposted by Owen Jackson
After years of campaigning, we’re pleased the government has today launched its National Cancer Plan for England.
We need the government to follow through on these promises to make sure that it can meet its ambition to save more lives from cancer.
Learn more about the Plan : cruk.ink/4awC9Cw
We need the government to follow through on these promises to make sure that it can meet its ambition to save more lives from cancer.
Learn more about the Plan : cruk.ink/4awC9Cw
February 4, 2026 at 11:55 AM
After years of campaigning, we’re pleased the government has today launched its National Cancer Plan for England.
We need the government to follow through on these promises to make sure that it can meet its ambition to save more lives from cancer.
Learn more about the Plan : cruk.ink/4awC9Cw
We need the government to follow through on these promises to make sure that it can meet its ambition to save more lives from cancer.
Learn more about the Plan : cruk.ink/4awC9Cw
I can't decide if Nathan Barley grew up to write this article, or to become one of the "consortium of profoundly tedious bankers" who are behind Farmer J's (which I agree is overpriced sh*te).
"not a restaurant, more a nutritional correctional facility"
Very grateful for this recommended read from the FT's Inside Politics newsletter. Invective to brighten up my Friday afternoon.
normallondonbloke.substack.com/p/mind-the-r...
Very grateful for this recommended read from the FT's Inside Politics newsletter. Invective to brighten up my Friday afternoon.
normallondonbloke.substack.com/p/mind-the-r...
Mind the Rant: Why are all lunch options now shit? What’s a Farmer J?
There is a noticeable trend in London. The rise of the ‘almost lunch’, a terminal disappoint that we should all riot against. Welcome to the rise of Farmer J and the ‘almost meal’.
normallondonbloke.substack.com
January 30, 2026 at 4:15 PM
I can't decide if Nathan Barley grew up to write this article, or to become one of the "consortium of profoundly tedious bankers" who are behind Farmer J's (which I agree is overpriced sh*te).
Reposted by Owen Jackson
Holy moly this chart: Cumulative US measles cases
January 28, 2026 at 12:54 PM
Holy moly this chart: Cumulative US measles cases
Two great bits of Friday reading that connect in my brain:
@joxley.jmoxley.co.uk's excellent article on political desires for "magical thinking" www.joxleywrites.jmoxley.co.uk/p/airport-bo...
@eliothiggins.bsky.social's majestic thread on threats to democracy bsky.app/profile/elio...
1/
@joxley.jmoxley.co.uk's excellent article on political desires for "magical thinking" www.joxleywrites.jmoxley.co.uk/p/airport-bo...
@eliothiggins.bsky.social's majestic thread on threats to democracy bsky.app/profile/elio...
1/
January 23, 2026 at 11:01 AM
Two great bits of Friday reading that connect in my brain:
@joxley.jmoxley.co.uk's excellent article on political desires for "magical thinking" www.joxleywrites.jmoxley.co.uk/p/airport-bo...
@eliothiggins.bsky.social's majestic thread on threats to democracy bsky.app/profile/elio...
1/
@joxley.jmoxley.co.uk's excellent article on political desires for "magical thinking" www.joxleywrites.jmoxley.co.uk/p/airport-bo...
@eliothiggins.bsky.social's majestic thread on threats to democracy bsky.app/profile/elio...
1/
Reposted by Owen Jackson
This is just wonton racism
January 21, 2026 at 12:21 PM
This is just wonton racism
Really good clear thinking article from @stephenkb.bsky.social today on UK-US relations. No magic solutions but good to see an accessible piece on the options.
www.ft.com/content/0c8e...
www.ft.com/content/0c8e...
Westminster ‘riding it out’ is not a strategy for UK-US relations
London needs to seek deep trade and security alliances with other democratically minded middle powers
www.ft.com
January 21, 2026 at 1:26 PM
Really good clear thinking article from @stephenkb.bsky.social today on UK-US relations. No magic solutions but good to see an accessible piece on the options.
www.ft.com/content/0c8e...
www.ft.com/content/0c8e...
Reposted by Owen Jackson
I’ve been reading Trump’s "Board of Peace Charter," and despite the name, this isn’t a multilateral institution, it’s a centralised structure built entirely around the authority of one person (Trump).
www.timesofisrael.com/full-text-ch...
www.timesofisrael.com/full-text-ch...
Full text: Charter of Trump’s Board of Peace
No mention of Gaza, which bolsters ToI's reporting that US also envisions panel helping resolve other conflicts worldwide; member countries must pay $1 billion for permanent spot
www.timesofisrael.com
January 20, 2026 at 9:26 AM
I’ve been reading Trump’s "Board of Peace Charter," and despite the name, this isn’t a multilateral institution, it’s a centralised structure built entirely around the authority of one person (Trump).
www.timesofisrael.com/full-text-ch...
www.timesofisrael.com/full-text-ch...
If there was ever a week to drive me into being a prepper, this might be it.
January 19, 2026 at 11:35 AM
If there was ever a week to drive me into being a prepper, this might be it.
Policy wonk q: years ago I saw a brill diagram of the 10+ "constituencies" UK ministers are responsible to (constituency party, nat party, constituents, family, cabinet etc). I think as part of Civil Service PGCS course. Does anyone remember it / know where it is? @ukcivilservant.bsky.social ?
January 14, 2026 at 5:05 PM
Policy wonk q: years ago I saw a brill diagram of the 10+ "constituencies" UK ministers are responsible to (constituency party, nat party, constituents, family, cabinet etc). I think as part of Civil Service PGCS course. Does anyone remember it / know where it is? @ukcivilservant.bsky.social ?
Reposted by Owen Jackson
X is demonstrably not in full compliance with UK law: it has duties in law to address illegal hateful content when reported, to have an effective system + to proactively prevent
Important that Ministers + Ofcom recognise that - since intervention can compel change.
bsky.app/profile/sund...
Important that Ministers + Ofcom recognise that - since intervention can compel change.
bsky.app/profile/sund...
2. "GO HOME P___" to the former Conservative MP Nadhim Zahawi on the occasion of his defection to the Reform UK party.
This is an incessant user of the racial slur on the X platform, to Apsana Begum MP, to Shockat Adam MP, even to Jayda Fransen of far right Britain First
x.com/ERROR_350/st...
This is an incessant user of the racial slur on the X platform, to Apsana Begum MP, to Shockat Adam MP, even to Jayda Fransen of far right Britain First
x.com/ERROR_350/st...
January 14, 2026 at 12:49 PM
X is demonstrably not in full compliance with UK law: it has duties in law to address illegal hateful content when reported, to have an effective system + to proactively prevent
Important that Ministers + Ofcom recognise that - since intervention can compel change.
bsky.app/profile/sund...
Important that Ministers + Ofcom recognise that - since intervention can compel change.
bsky.app/profile/sund...
What is funny (*not funny) about the "why pick on X" line of argument in light of the latest egregious action is the absolutely enormous body of evidence that X has been the wrong side of the law for at least two years and nothing has been done.
New 2026 thread to retest in real time if X reporting system *mostly* ignores/protects unlawful racist abuse reported to it
Criteria: direct racist abuse @ people that would be unlawful on the bus + is unlawful online + that broad consensus (9/10 people across parties) would agree should be stopped
Criteria: direct racist abuse @ people that would be unlawful on the bus + is unlawful online + that broad consensus (9/10 people across parties) would agree should be stopped
January 13, 2026 at 12:22 PM
What is funny (*not funny) about the "why pick on X" line of argument in light of the latest egregious action is the absolutely enormous body of evidence that X has been the wrong side of the law for at least two years and nothing has been done.
STEP is exciting and pro-growth - it needs stuff the UK is very good at (cutting-edge R&D; precision engineering; energy technologies) and stuff policymakers are saying they want to be better at (smart regulation; AI-partnered sci/tech; commercialising technology).
My blogpost explains the science and engineering behind STEP - the Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production.
Success isn't guaranteed, but imo we should do it anyway. It's an area where the UK has a genuine leadership position, and the prize is abundant clean energy.
softmachines.org?p=3229
Success isn't guaranteed, but imo we should do it anyway. It's an area where the UK has a genuine leadership position, and the prize is abundant clean energy.
softmachines.org?p=3229
Putting fusion power on the UK grid – Soft Machines, by Richard Jones
softmachines.org
January 12, 2026 at 2:32 PM
STEP is exciting and pro-growth - it needs stuff the UK is very good at (cutting-edge R&D; precision engineering; energy technologies) and stuff policymakers are saying they want to be better at (smart regulation; AI-partnered sci/tech; commercialising technology).
Won't you look at that. The majority of Londoners, being the ones who would know, say London is a safe place to live.
2024 Reform UK voters are the most likely to say London is an unsafe place to live, at 85%
Reform: 85% unsafe
Con: 67%
Lab: 50%
Green: 50%
LD: 43%
34% of Londoners say London is not a safe place to live, although only 15% say so of their own local area
Reform: 85% unsafe
Con: 67%
Lab: 50%
Green: 50%
LD: 43%
34% of Londoners say London is not a safe place to live, although only 15% say so of their own local area
January 9, 2026 at 4:42 PM
Won't you look at that. The majority of Londoners, being the ones who would know, say London is a safe place to live.
Sitting in the footwell of a Morris Minor because there weren't enough seats
Without revealing your actual age,what's something you remember that if you told a younger person they wouldn't understand?
January 9, 2026 at 10:36 AM
Sitting in the footwell of a Morris Minor because there weren't enough seats
Ok, this one is good enough to have tipped me over into subscribing to @samfr.bsky.social's Comment is Freed. Hugely interesting interview providing the kind of grand, realistic sweep of real policymaking that it is a) really rare and b) insightful from many perspectives.
Absolutely magisterial interview with John Bew by @samfr.bsky.social and @ldfreedman.bsky.social. In a highly competitive field the most interesting thing I've read on Comment is Freed, on everything from the style of four administrations to our foreign policy challenges:
Interview with John Bew - adviser to four Prime Ministers
On Whitehall, Ukraine, Trump and the global challenges facing Britain
samf.substack.com
January 8, 2026 at 4:52 PM
Ok, this one is good enough to have tipped me over into subscribing to @samfr.bsky.social's Comment is Freed. Hugely interesting interview providing the kind of grand, realistic sweep of real policymaking that it is a) really rare and b) insightful from many perspectives.
Reposted by Owen Jackson
Who’s who at X, the deepfake porn site formerly known as Twitter.
Featuring illustrations by Grok, because “pixels 🟰 zero harm” apparently. www.ft.com/content/ad94...
Featuring illustrations by Grok, because “pixels 🟰 zero harm” apparently. www.ft.com/content/ad94...
January 6, 2026 at 10:26 AM
Who’s who at X, the deepfake porn site formerly known as Twitter.
Featuring illustrations by Grok, because “pixels 🟰 zero harm” apparently. www.ft.com/content/ad94...
Featuring illustrations by Grok, because “pixels 🟰 zero harm” apparently. www.ft.com/content/ad94...
This is top drawer Christmas content.
Christmas carols, as written by Parliamentary lawyers
Christmas carols, as written by Parliamentary lawyers
The Parliamentary Counsel Office has been putting its skills to work drafting legislatively clear versions of Christmas carols. How many can you identify?
buff.ly
December 19, 2025 at 1:12 PM
This is top drawer Christmas content.
"Rose Macaulay attempted a serious conversation in which I did not shine"
Evelyn Waugh speaking for the jeopardy we all feel at drinks receptions and Christmas parties at this time of year...
Evelyn Waugh speaking for the jeopardy we all feel at drinks receptions and Christmas parties at this time of year...
Happy 79th anniversary to this diary entry from Evelyn Waugh, in which he drinks enough to make you wonder how he lived for a further 19 years:
December 19, 2025 at 12:27 PM
"Rose Macaulay attempted a serious conversation in which I did not shine"
Evelyn Waugh speaking for the jeopardy we all feel at drinks receptions and Christmas parties at this time of year...
Evelyn Waugh speaking for the jeopardy we all feel at drinks receptions and Christmas parties at this time of year...
Reposted by Owen Jackson
Imperial scientists have been testing quantum-enhanced sensors for inertial navigation with the Royal Navy.
Unlike GPS, which doesn’t work underground or underwater, quantum sensors are super accurate, stable over long periods of time, and resilient to interference.
📺 ⤵️
Unlike GPS, which doesn’t work underground or underwater, quantum sensors are super accurate, stable over long periods of time, and resilient to interference.
📺 ⤵️
December 18, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Imperial scientists have been testing quantum-enhanced sensors for inertial navigation with the Royal Navy.
Unlike GPS, which doesn’t work underground or underwater, quantum sensors are super accurate, stable over long periods of time, and resilient to interference.
📺 ⤵️
Unlike GPS, which doesn’t work underground or underwater, quantum sensors are super accurate, stable over long periods of time, and resilient to interference.
📺 ⤵️
Excellent. His coverage of the Balkans conflicts were some of the first media coverage that made a lasting impression on me.
Things that will interest Bluesky; Misha Glenny, author of McMafia, replaces Melvyn Bragg as host of In Our Time.
December 3, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Excellent. His coverage of the Balkans conflicts were some of the first media coverage that made a lasting impression on me.
Reposted by Owen Jackson
once more I am begging everyone to do policy based on evidence, not on vibes from the loudest-shouting pressure groups. What the NHS is leaning towards - targeted screening for those most at risk - is the right way to do this. Blanket screening with an unreliable test causes harm.
🔺UPDATED: Start prostate cancer testing regardless of advice, Wes Streeting told
Start prostate cancer testing regardless of advice, Wes Streeting told
Start prostate cancer testing regardless of advice, Wes Streeting told
www.thetimes.com
November 28, 2025 at 12:30 PM
once more I am begging everyone to do policy based on evidence, not on vibes from the loudest-shouting pressure groups. What the NHS is leaning towards - targeted screening for those most at risk - is the right way to do this. Blanket screening with an unreliable test causes harm.
Reposted by Owen Jackson
![Comic. Panels up to the 10-year point are grayed out. New panels since the Ten Years comic, which chronicles the first ten years of PERSON 1's journey with cancer: (1) [two people in bed] PERSON 1 (woman): One more chapter? PERSON 2 (man): Don’t we both have to get up early? PERSON 1: Nnnnnggggh PERSON 2: Sure, good point. (2) [many people wearing masks, walking while looking at graphs on their phones] (3) [birds landing on people] PERSON 2 in beanie and scarf: Hah! They like *my* seeds best. PERSON 1 in scarf holding phone with a bird sitting on it: Wait, how do I take a picture of this one? (4) [two people rowing boats with tree landscape] (5) [Person 1 carries overflowing stack of things to Person 2 in bed] PERSON 1: I brought you honey lemon tea, more pillows, a cinnamon roll, Tylenol, another blanket, a– PERSON 2: It was just Appendicitis, I’m really– PERSON 1: *It is my turn to take care of you and I am going to do it right!* (6) [Two people in car] (7) [still in car) PERSON 1: Oh my god. PERSON 2: Oh my god. (8) [car driving] PERSON 1: Pull over! PERSON 2: I am! (9) [both people get out of car] (10) [Large colored panel of aurora borealis over water with both people looking on] (11) [Person 1 sits against tree while Person 2 lies on the ground] PERSON 1: Fifteen years. No sign of the cancer. (12) I *am* having some weird symptoms. Joint pain. Fatigue. I think I’m losing my close-up vision. PERSON 2: Yeah. Me too. (13) PERSON 2: I think we’re getting old. (14) PERSON 1: I guess that’s okay. PERSON 2: It’s all I wanted.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cz73r7iyiqn26upot4jtjdhk/bafkreihwhjblp5lyiwp63ouar7ocfea7evmckytoeo7rkfuoo4gw5rnrra@jpeg)
November 26, 2025 at 10:32 PM