Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Purple Larley

Dan Neidle @danneidle.bsky.social · 1d

A better answer: replace stamp duty with a smarter tax, that's fairer, doesn't discourage people from moving, and can't be avoided.

I'll be writing more about that at the weekend.

14 25 240

Purple Larley @purplelarley.bsky.social · 1d

This must all feel utterly exhausting for you. I wish there was enough all of us sane people could say to counterbalance the horrendous abuse you're getting. This seems entirely inadequate, but I always appreciate your posts on this platform and think you come across as a delightful person.

Reposted by Purple Larley

Robert Hutton @roberthutton.co.uk · 2d

One Small Step: my SKETCH of Kemi Badenoch, a leader unconstrained by reality.

One small step… | Robert Hutton | The Critic Magazine

“I thought you’d like that one!” Kemi Badenoch shouted as the Conservative Party rose to its feet to cheer. She chuckled happily. There’s nothing Tories like more than a tax cut, and she’d just…

thecritic.co.uk

8 24 73

Reposted by Purple Larley

I Am Incorrigible @imincorrigible.bsky.social · 3d

Robert Jenrick quoted from his Mail on Sunday article in August 2025:

"I certainly don't want my children to share a neighbourhood with men from backward countries"

He's very, very racist.

#bbcpm

Nicolas Chinardet @zefrog.eu · 3d

He claimed on Sky that he wants his kids to live in a country of mixed communities without preponderance of one group or another; railed against ghettoisation. He also lives in Herefordshire where 96.9% of the population identified as white in 2021...

5 10

Reposted by Purple Larley

Indy @indy.bsky.social · 4d

It nags at me that people are dancing around the fact that one reason centre-right think-tanks are in an intellectual crisis moment is because we've spent over a decade where lots of their ideas were tried out and didn't pan out as advertised.

14 89 410

Purple Larley @purplelarley.bsky.social · 4d

God he's just vile. I couldn't watch it the whole way through.

1 6

Reposted by Purple Larley

The Secret Barrister @barristersecret.bsky.social · 4d

This is a lie.

There are many criticisms you might sensibly and truthfully make of the Sentencing Council and the Sentencing Guidelines. I’ve been making them for years.

But this is an outright lie. Pure fabrication. A fraud on the public.

120 1.8K 3.4K

Purple Larley @purplelarley.bsky.social · 4d

"Nigel Farage has pledged to fight the next election at least partly on anti-environmental policy."
I... huh... wha? HOW ARE SOME PEOPLE SO UTTERLY DERANGED?!

1

Purple Larley @purplelarley.bsky.social · 4d

I suspect the Tories are going to be nowhere near power for a while but I can't stand the general direction of travel and it wouldn't surprise me if Jenrick just switched to Reform, as he seems to share their 'values'. I can't stand how we're going so backwards right now.

7

Reposted by Purple Larley

Jan Rosenow @janrosenow.bsky.social · 5d

Exciting developments in solar.

Just read this fascinating FT article on perovskite solar panels – the next-gen innovation that's lighter, more flexible, and up to 20% more efficient than traditional silicon ones.

Imagine panels turning everyday surfaces into power generators

30 110 450

Reposted by Purple Larley

Peter Jukes @peterjukes.bsky.social · 5d

Something significant people might have missed on Nathan Gill’s indictment for bribery… “conspired with Oleg Voloshyn, and with others”

Maybe sentencing in November will make this clearer

www.spotlightcorruption.org/wp-content/u...

10 170 340

Reposted by Purple Larley

Josiah Mortimer @josiah.writes.news · 5d

Are Reform UK getting donations from a tax exile - or has this guy just failed to fulfil his promise to leave the UK? (As most of them do). Via Private Eye:

Nigel Farage and his Reform UK treasurer (and former tax exile) Nick Candy must be relieved that one of their more generous donors doesn’t keep his promises.

“I’m moving – that is it,” Nigerian-born businessman Bassim Haidar told the Guardian in May last year after the previous government announced the end of the “non-dom” tax regime (following which chancellor Rachel Reeves enacted the changes). “What’s the logic of me living in the UK when other countries are offering no taxes at all?” he wondered. “In Monaco there are no taxes, and no inheritance tax.” He was reported to have established a “working group” of 29 non-doms looking to up sticks before the start of the September 2024 school year.

Latest political donation declarations, however, show that Haidar gave Reform UK £200,000 in April this year. As laws introduced in 2009 require donors of such sums to be “resident, ordinarily resident and domiciled in the United Kingdom for the purposes of income tax”, it seems the entrepreneur has opted to stay put.

For yet another erstwhile non-dom, when push comes to shove, life in a country with a tax system turns out to be preferable to tax haven tedium

5 73 190

Purple Larley @purplelarley.bsky.social · 7d

However, I also agree that sudden change could have dreadful consequences.

1

Purple Larley @purplelarley.bsky.social · 7d

Hmm, I probably disagree with you about fairy stories. I genuinely believe we need quite a profound change to the way our whole economy is structured and I don't see any of the mainstream parties offering any vision for that. Which I understand because it's going to be very, very hard to deliver.

1 1

Purple Larley @purplelarley.bsky.social · 7d

I really really hope Labour are able to make some really positive changes to people's lives, and are able to communicate it effectively, in the next couple of years because I absolutely dread the prospect of a Reform government.

1

Purple Larley @purplelarley.bsky.social · 7d

This is exactly what I hope is happening, but my experience of this particular government seems to have involved an awful lot of hope. And so far I think the UK approach is actually to increase defence interdependence even more: assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/683d89...

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk

1

Purple Larley @purplelarley.bsky.social · 7d

Quite possibly. But I suspect he understands that a lot of the public frustration comes from the fact that people put a lot of hope in Labour and every time they water down what people thought they were getting, Labour loses some credibility and voters.

1 2

Purple Larley @purplelarley.bsky.social · 7d

I think there's some truth in this too. However, I am very worried that the work in the shadows to ensure our own national defence isn't reliant on American support is just not happening, or at least not at the pace and degree I think is probably needed.

1

Purple Larley @purplelarley.bsky.social · 7d

I think he's clarified his position and earlier interviews suggested leaving NATO full stop. I agree this seems sensible to me too. Defence is my main concern regarding his policies and I'm very keen to learn more about how he'd go about building international networks and collaborations.

1 6

Purple Larley @purplelarley.bsky.social · 7d

"on Nato, Polanski said that while he maintained the alliance was untenable under a Trump-led US, he did not advocate immediate UK withdrawal, only if an alternative European defence alliance could be set up, a process he said could take years."
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

New Green leader Polanski distances party from electoral pact with Corbyn

Leftist would need to see ‘very strong arguments’ before agreeing a deal with party launched by ex-Labour leader

www.theguardian.com

1 17

Purple Larley @purplelarley.bsky.social · 8d

This is epic. www.secretts.co.uk/nicolas-spic...

Made some yesterday. It's the only cake every single member of my family likes.

NICOLAS SPICY PUMPKIN CAKE - Secretts

Nicola Secrett our farm sales manager, has a reputation for being a very fine cook! Here is her recipe for spicy pumpkin cake, lovely with a cuppa! Makes 1 large tray 250mls vegetable oil 3 eggs, beat...

www.secretts.co.uk

1 2

Reposted by Purple Larley

Steve Peers @stevepeers.bsky.social · 9d

Here's Farage saying that he would 'pick up a rifle' - www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...

33 230 560

Reposted by Purple Larley

Olga Nesterova @onestpress.onestnetwork.com · 9d

Barbra Streisand is joining Jane Fonda and 600+ entertainment figures in re-launching the Committee for the First Amendment. Fonda announced the revival of the organization, initially founded by her father, Henry Fonda. The organization was founded in the 1940s to defend free speech against fascism.

180 3.6K 11K

Reposted by Purple Larley

Minnie Rahman @minnierahman.bsky.social · 9d

The only political party whose policies are in line with the recommendations made by Praxis. Lib Dems close. Everyone else miles away and actively working against our charitable objectives.

Zack Polanski @zackpolanski.bsky.social · 9d

"We absolutely need to stop the boats,” Polanski said, “but let’s stop the boats by offering safe and legal routes to asylum and not having people clinging on to dinghies for dear life.*

www.newstatesman.com/politics/gre...

Zack Polanski: “We absolutely need to stop the boats”

The Greens’ Zack Polanski on facing up to Reform

www.newstatesman.com

1 13 59

Reposted by Purple Larley

Robert Saunders @robertsaunders.bsky.social · 9d

Politics is not like selling biscuits, where the task is to find out what people like & flog it to them.

It's a moral activity. It's about arguing for the things you believe in. It's about *shaping* the "median voter".

Farage has moved the centre-ground of politics. His opponents can move it back.

The New Statesman @handle.invalid · 10d

Crying racism only hurts Labour

Activists like it, but the median voter will feel attacked.

📊 @bwalker.uk

Crying racism only hurts Labour

Activists like it, but the median voter will feel attacked.

www.newstatesman.com

28 160 700