steve the skeptic
@policyskeptic.bsky.social
government policy, health policy, evidence, statistics and sometimes other topics
Reposted by steve the skeptic
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
November 25, 2025 at 9:26 AM
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
Reposted by steve the skeptic
November 25, 2025 at 1:05 PM
The NHS is very poor at training its managers to consistent standards. But the only big policy response is not to improve training but to regulate managers. This is the wrong way to fix NHS management: bmjleader.bmj.com/content/earl...
Placing the cart before the horse: proposals to regulate NHS managers
Doubts about the performance, value and conduct of healthcare managers continue to stir public debate. In the UK, the denigration of NHS managers as an unproductive, bureaucratic overhead is a longsta...
bmjleader.bmj.com
November 25, 2025 at 9:41 AM
The NHS is very poor at training its managers to consistent standards. But the only big policy response is not to improve training but to regulate managers. This is the wrong way to fix NHS management: bmjleader.bmj.com/content/earl...
Reposted by steve the skeptic
CDC ‘vaccine safety’ webpage changed to contradict scientific conclusion that vaccines don’t cause autism
CDC 'vaccine safety' webpage changed to contradict scientific conclusion that vaccines don't cause autism
The Trump administration has revised a website to contradict the scientific consensus that vaccines don't cause autism.
buff.ly
November 24, 2025 at 3:30 PM
CDC ‘vaccine safety’ webpage changed to contradict scientific conclusion that vaccines don’t cause autism
Reposted by steve the skeptic
Really interesting post - captures a lot about the dysfunctionalities of modern government.
For people who leave their nerdy public sector reform long-reads to the weeekend… 👇👀
Are legacy mentalities from comms, political strategy and trad policy dragging government down?
Are legacy mentalities from comms, political strategy and trad policy dragging government down?
Are a small number of legacy disciplines dragging the whole of government down? A provocation:
medium.com/@jamestplunk...
Government seems increasingly unable to cope with the pace and complexity of today's world. Why? 1/n
medium.com/@jamestplunk...
Government seems increasingly unable to cope with the pace and complexity of today's world. Why? 1/n
November 24, 2025 at 11:17 AM
Really interesting post - captures a lot about the dysfunctionalities of modern government.
Today is 62 years since the assassination of JFK. Another famous figure died on the same day: C S Lewis.
November 23, 2025 at 6:14 PM
Today is 62 years since the assassination of JFK. Another famous figure died on the same day: C S Lewis.
Reposted by steve the skeptic
OMG. My head hurts! The logical construct is insane, science doesn't operate by 'ruling things out', and the statement would equally to the existence of pink baboons singing opera...
Vaccines DO NOT cause autism - there is extensive research showing this. Resurrecting old, discredited, fraudulent work is shameful.
Vaccine-preventable illnesses are serious - this is going to cause real harms.
This is dangerous & disappointing.
Vaccine-preventable illnesses are serious - this is going to cause real harms.
This is dangerous & disappointing.
November 22, 2025 at 11:29 PM
OMG. My head hurts! The logical construct is insane, science doesn't operate by 'ruling things out', and the statement would equally to the existence of pink baboons singing opera...
Reposted by steve the skeptic
The evidence that Lee Harvey Oswald killed JFK while acting alone is abundant; it’s probably one of the best documented and clearly understood events in modern history, and anyone continuing to insist on it being a matter of debate either hasn’t paid attention or is deliberately trying to mislead.
My first political memory - exactly 62 years ago right now, a 4-year-old boy trying to understand his mom's tears - is still the biggest event in my lifetime. We still (IMO) don't *really* know who killed JFK, but we know the public's trust was shattered. It's a straight line to today's mess
November 23, 2025 at 2:14 AM
The evidence that Lee Harvey Oswald killed JFK while acting alone is abundant; it’s probably one of the best documented and clearly understood events in modern history, and anyone continuing to insist on it being a matter of debate either hasn’t paid attention or is deliberately trying to mislead.
Reposted by steve the skeptic
Reposted by steve the skeptic
For all those naive enough to argue that a wealth tax would fix the UK's economic problems: on.ft.com/4oU1tXO
Answer: nope.
Answer: nope.
Britain’s tax system combines the worst of the US and Scandinavia
The UK’s experiment in eating the rich while shrinking the state has left everyone worse off
on.ft.com
November 21, 2025 at 3:51 PM
For all those naive enough to argue that a wealth tax would fix the UK's economic problems: on.ft.com/4oU1tXO
Answer: nope.
Answer: nope.
Looks like Trump has rediscovered the best way to stop wars: one side surrenders.
That's not far from his new Ukraine plan.
I wonder what Witkoff would have proposed in late 1940 to prevent the carnage of the rest of WW2?
That's not far from his new Ukraine plan.
I wonder what Witkoff would have proposed in late 1940 to prevent the carnage of the rest of WW2?
November 21, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Looks like Trump has rediscovered the best way to stop wars: one side surrenders.
That's not far from his new Ukraine plan.
I wonder what Witkoff would have proposed in late 1940 to prevent the carnage of the rest of WW2?
That's not far from his new Ukraine plan.
I wonder what Witkoff would have proposed in late 1940 to prevent the carnage of the rest of WW2?
Reposted by steve the skeptic
I never thought a comparison could be overly harsh on Stevenage. But here we are.
November 20, 2025 at 9:56 PM
I never thought a comparison could be overly harsh on Stevenage. But here we are.
Reposted by steve the skeptic
Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok ranks him as world history’s greatest human
Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok ranks him as world history’s greatest human
Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok ranks him as world history’s greatest human
www.independent.co.uk
November 21, 2025 at 8:13 AM
Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok ranks him as world history’s greatest human
Reposted by steve the skeptic
Extremely upset that a throw-away XKCD joke somehow became the organizing principle for the Internet.
November 20, 2025 at 2:31 AM
Extremely upset that a throw-away XKCD joke somehow became the organizing principle for the Internet.
Reposted by steve the skeptic
Confidently Wrong marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevo...
Confidently Wrong - Marginal REVOLUTION
If you’re going to challenge a scientific consensus, you better know the material. Most of us, most of the time, don’t—so deferring to expert consensus is usually the rational strategy. Pushing agains...
marginalrevolution.com
November 20, 2025 at 1:27 PM
Confidently Wrong marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevo...
Reposted by steve the skeptic
✨ Nvidia crushed expectations with $57B in Q3 revenue — but look closer. Its inventories have nearly doubled to $20B in unsold chips, and its operating cash flow is falling fast. The growth story may not be what it seems.
November 20, 2025 at 5:39 PM
✨ Nvidia crushed expectations with $57B in Q3 revenue — but look closer. Its inventories have nearly doubled to $20B in unsold chips, and its operating cash flow is falling fast. The growth story may not be what it seems.
Reposted by steve the skeptic
Better than Jesus, eh? The @royalsociety.org really should add that to their biography of Elon Musk FRS. royalsociety.org/people/elon-...
I asked grok who was the better role model for humanity, Jesus Christ or Elon Musk. GUESS WHAT.
November 20, 2025 at 11:02 PM
Better than Jesus, eh? The @royalsociety.org really should add that to their biography of Elon Musk FRS. royalsociety.org/people/elon-...
The move to release site-level A&E data also provides useful information on 12h A&E waits. One conclusion is that some trusts seem to neglect harmful long waits to achieve better 4hr performance: www.hsj.co.uk/emergency-ca... ...
Revealed: Long waits for sickest patients at ‘above average’ A&Es
Trusts within reach of NHS England's headline A&E performance target are often dealing with only a small fraction of their sickest patients in a timely fashion, new data has revealed.
www.hsj.co.uk
November 20, 2025 at 12:51 PM
The move to release site-level A&E data also provides useful information on 12h A&E waits. One conclusion is that some trusts seem to neglect harmful long waits to achieve better 4hr performance: www.hsj.co.uk/emergency-ca... ...
Reposted by steve the skeptic
November 19, 2025 at 10:20 AM
Reposted by steve the skeptic
New post from @ldfreedman.bsky.social
"Retreat, Defeat and the Sunk Cost Fallacy"
On the increasingly desperate Battle for Pokrovsk - and the tactical/strategic decisions for the Ukrainians and the Russians.
(£/free trial)
samf.substack.com/p/retreat-de...
"Retreat, Defeat and the Sunk Cost Fallacy"
On the increasingly desperate Battle for Pokrovsk - and the tactical/strategic decisions for the Ukrainians and the Russians.
(£/free trial)
samf.substack.com/p/retreat-de...
Retreat, Defeat and the Sunk Cost Fallacy
Ukraine’s choices on Pokrovsk
samf.substack.com
November 19, 2025 at 11:17 AM
New post from @ldfreedman.bsky.social
"Retreat, Defeat and the Sunk Cost Fallacy"
On the increasingly desperate Battle for Pokrovsk - and the tactical/strategic decisions for the Ukrainians and the Russians.
(£/free trial)
samf.substack.com/p/retreat-de...
"Retreat, Defeat and the Sunk Cost Fallacy"
On the increasingly desperate Battle for Pokrovsk - and the tactical/strategic decisions for the Ukrainians and the Russians.
(£/free trial)
samf.substack.com/p/retreat-de...
Reposted by steve the skeptic
What the hell were they doing for the TWO YEARS it was obvious they were going to win with a massive majority?
November 19, 2025 at 9:12 AM
What the hell were they doing for the TWO YEARS it was obvious they were going to win with a massive majority?
Reposted by steve the skeptic
More striking stats from our #NHSProductivityCommission report (bit.ly/3WPxu76). UK hospital length of stay (a key #productivity indicator) increased hugely from 2019 to 2023. Hospital employment jumped by >15%. No wonder £ spent are not translating into better health outcomes. #dataisbeautiful
November 17, 2025 at 10:15 AM
More striking stats from our #NHSProductivityCommission report (bit.ly/3WPxu76). UK hospital length of stay (a key #productivity indicator) increased hugely from 2019 to 2023. Hospital employment jumped by >15%. No wonder £ spent are not translating into better health outcomes. #dataisbeautiful
Reposted by steve the skeptic
Why has #NHS #productivity underperformed? Same as the broader economy: lack of productive capital to support workers. Capital per worker declined by a massive 36% to 2020, probably more since.
#dataisbeautiful
#NHSProductivityCommission report: bit.ly/3WPxu76
UK's capital gap: bit.ly/455vGwe
#dataisbeautiful
#NHSProductivityCommission report: bit.ly/3WPxu76
UK's capital gap: bit.ly/455vGwe
November 18, 2025 at 11:50 AM
Why has #NHS #productivity underperformed? Same as the broader economy: lack of productive capital to support workers. Capital per worker declined by a massive 36% to 2020, probably more since.
#dataisbeautiful
#NHSProductivityCommission report: bit.ly/3WPxu76
UK's capital gap: bit.ly/455vGwe
#dataisbeautiful
#NHSProductivityCommission report: bit.ly/3WPxu76
UK's capital gap: bit.ly/455vGwe
The latest Public Services Performance Tracker from @instituteforgovernment.org.uk on the NHS is long but well worth a read. It is full for good skeptical analysis and some absolute crackers. Some quotes below: ...
November 18, 2025 at 4:46 PM
The latest Public Services Performance Tracker from @instituteforgovernment.org.uk on the NHS is long but well worth a read. It is full for good skeptical analysis and some absolute crackers. Some quotes below: ...