Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Tim Leunig @timleunig.bsky.social · 3h

I agree we should make housing transactions easier, but houses are cheap in the North East despite the same rules. Housing supply (lack thereof) is what makes prices high in the South East. Nothing else. Build more houses, solve the problem. Nothing else will solve it.

Giles Wilkes @gilesyb.bsky.social · 15h

Brilliant and depressing piece on how hard it is to transact property

on.ft.com/4nHDf2m

I know some people think housing policy is simple - just build more! And to do that just have less planning! - but most appreciate the more complex tangles in life.

Moving home is maddening — here’s how the system needs to change

A new government consultation promises to speed up the conveyancing process in England and Wales. But will it work?

on.ft.com

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Tim Leunig @timleunig.bsky.social · 3h

I love technological change, economic growth and @ourworldindata.org!

Our World in Data @ourworldindata.org · 5h

Over the last 60 years, the world population has more than doubled.

This has inevitably reduced the land available per person to live and grow food.

How have we managed to feed a rapidly growing population with ever-shrinking land resources?

A line chart showing the change from 1961 to 2023 in global cereal production, yield, land use, and population. All figures are indexed to 1961, which is given a value of zero.

In this time, the world population has more than doubled. And the world can now produce more than three times as much cereal from a given area of land as it did in 1961 (i.e., an increase in yield of 214%). In the same period, land used for cereal has only increased by 14%.

The data sources are the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (2025); HYDE (2023); Gapminder (2022); and the UN WPP (2024). The chart is licensed CC BY to Our World in Data.

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Tim Leunig @timleunig.bsky.social · 3h

President Trump is merely bringing the US in line with US with the UK and EU on this.

Alistair King @alistairking.bsky.social · 9h

Does the picture they’ve used for this leaflet really capture the mood that either the sender or receiver would feel in light of this shittyTrump-induced move?

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Tim Leunig @timleunig.bsky.social · 4h

The evidence is that if you study (say) theology at Oxford you will earn a lot less than if you study history or PPE. I think all kids should know that.

ironeconomist.bsky.social @ironeconomist.bsky.social · 4h

I think it’s good advice for very smart and competent kids. If you are kind of Oxbridge quality the advantage you get from actually liking your flavour of knowledge work outweighs any cross subject disadvantages. It’s bad advice for more average kids.

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ironeconomist.bsky.social @ironeconomist.bsky.social · 4h

I think it’s good advice for very smart and competent kids. If you are kind of Oxbridge quality the advantage you get from actually liking your flavour of knowledge work outweighs any cross subject disadvantages. It’s bad advice for more average kids.

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Our World in Data @ourworldindata.org · 5h

Over the last 60 years, the world population has more than doubled.

This has inevitably reduced the land available per person to live and grow food.

How have we managed to feed a rapidly growing population with ever-shrinking land resources?

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Tim Leunig @timleunig.bsky.social · 6h

If you want to live in London away from your parents it really does help to have done a degree in a subject that has good employment outcomes. (Google IFS LEO to find what they are)

Tim Leunig @timleunig.bsky.social · 6h

I think this is exceptionally poor advice unless you live in a country where housing is cheap and jobs plentiful, or you have really rich parents.

Jo Wolff @jowolff.bsky.social · 1d

The advice I give young people on choice of degree programme. Choose something you love. You’ve got the rest of your life to be frustrated and miserable.

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Resolution Foundation @resfoundation.bsky.social · 6h

"The tax system gets worse and worse over time."

@danneidle.bsky.social makes the case for big-picture tax reform.

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Alistair King @alistairking.bsky.social · 9h

Does the picture they’ve used for this leaflet really capture the mood that either the sender or receiver would feel in light of this shittyTrump-induced move?

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Rob Ford @robfordmancs.bsky.social · 10h

Among the many possibilities for the next few years, the scenario of swapping one pair of dominant parties (Lab and Con) for another (Reform and LD) is intriguing, under-discussed and, in English elections, not entirely implausible either (several county councils made this leap in May)

Election Maps UK @electionmaps.uk · 11h

Aggregate Result of the 122 Council By-Elections (for 125 Seats) since the 2025 Local Elections:

RFM: 47 (+40)
LDM: 32 (+10)
CON: 13 (-15)
LAB: 12 (-30)
GRN: 11 (+3)
Ind: 5 (-4)
Local: 3 (-3)
SNP: 1 (-1)
PLC: 1 (=)

Explore: electionmaps.uk/byelections-...

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BremainInSpain @bremaininspain.com · 10h

Remember when Nigel Farage said, 'If we vote to Remain on June 23rd, it will be the end of the steel industry in this country. It's as simple as that.'

Now we all know Brexit’s to blame for the crisis facing UK steel – it’s time for politicians to be honest and reverse it

We all know Brexit’s to blame for the crisis facing UK steel – it’s time for politicians to be honest and reverse it | Simon Jenkins

With British industry faltering, the excuse that the public wants this is risible. Parliament must force Starmer to act, says Guardian columnist Simon Jenkins

www.theguardian.com

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Giles Wilkes @gilesyb.bsky.social · 15h

Brilliant and depressing piece on how hard it is to transact property

on.ft.com/4nHDf2m

I know some people think housing policy is simple - just build more! And to do that just have less planning! - but most appreciate the more complex tangles in life.

Moving home is maddening — here’s how the system needs to change

A new government consultation promises to speed up the conveyancing process in England and Wales. But will it work?

on.ft.com

5 8 21

Jo Wolff @jowolff.bsky.social · 1d

The advice I give young people on choice of degree programme. Choose something you love. You’ve got the rest of your life to be frustrated and miserable.

18 75 420

Rachel Cunliffe @rmcunliffe.bsky.social · 1d

Hollow laughter

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Tim Leunig @timleunig.bsky.social · 1d

Yes @judithfreedman.bsky.social, having flu and covid vaccinations together would be safe and sensible - www.uhbw.nhs.uk/p/october-20....

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Anna Clarke @annaclarke.bsky.social · 2d

Badenoch is saying welfare cuts. But some interesting ideas for replacing with an actual charge here from @timleunig.bsky.social Loading PDF… ukonward.com/wp-content/u...

ukonward.com

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Sathnam Sanghera @sathnam.bsky.social · 3d

I've responded to Robert Jenrick's vile comments in @thetimes.com

www.thetimes.com/life-style/c...

I sang Jerusalem with Robert Jenrick at school — he’s wrong about race

The Conservative MP has complained that, visiting Handsworth in Birmingham, he didn’t see ‘another white face’. You can’t judge whether someone is integrated by skin colour, argues fellow Wulfrunian S...

www.thetimes.com

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Steve Rose @steverose7.bsky.social · 3d

I spoke to British Future's Sunder Katwala, who was a refreshing antidote to all the far right rhetoric on immigration, flags, etc. Britain is not nearly as divided as extremists suggest, he says, and we're "a generation ahead" when it comes to multiculturalism.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...

Sunder Katwala on race, patriotism and flag-waving: ‘The far right is vocal and angry because it is shrinking’

The director of British Future has spent his career trying to find common ground when it comes to race and immigration. He describes his own experience of racism – and why he’s still hopeful for the U...

www.theguardian.com

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Nathan Lane @nathanlane.bsky.social · 7d

We’re hiring @ LSE

We have *multiple* economist positions—assistant and associate professor—here at LSE International Development.

Our economics group is expanding and we have exciting stuff planned.

We’re keen on big picture economists.

Feel free to DM me questions.

American Economic Association: JOE Listings - August 1, 2025 - January 31, 2026

www.aeaweb.org

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Naomi Alderman @naomialderman.bsky.social · 7d

I didn't know until we buried my mother, so probably most people here don't know: Jewish cemeteries strongly recommend that you get insurance for the headstone.

Because the cemeteries are so often desecrated, the gravestones smashed.

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Alex Clegg @alexclegg.bsky.social · 9d

Very encouraging to read that the Government is preparing to lift the two-child limit as part of its child poverty strategy, but it is disheartening that options short of scrapping it entirely are still being considered. Thread on why this would be the wrong choice for an ambitious strategy:

Rachel Reeves to lift two-child benefit cap in November budget

Exclusive: Officials exploring options to change rule that affected 1.7 million children in Great Britain last year

www.theguardian.com

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Tim Leunig @timleunig.bsky.social · 9d

Three idea that schools should have to find every kid a destination at 16 is bizarre. It is not in their gift to persuade an employer to hire someone.

Schools Week @schoolsweek.bsky.social · 9d

Downing Street has said schools will be 'tasked with ensuring every pupil has a clear post-16 destination', after Sir Keir Starmer announced a new target for further and higher education participation

schoolsweek.co.uk/schools-to-b...

Schools to 'ensure pupils have a post-16 destination'

But details scarce on policy after Sir Keir Starmer announces new higher-level learning target

schoolsweek.co.uk

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Ruth Curtice @ruthcurtice.bsky.social · 9d

PM says on radio that there are 1m young people on benefits. Presume he meant 1m young people not in education employment or training. Only about half of them claim benefits.

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Schools Week @schoolsweek.bsky.social · 9d

Downing Street has said schools will be 'tasked with ensuring every pupil has a clear post-16 destination', after Sir Keir Starmer announced a new target for further and higher education participation

schoolsweek.co.uk/schools-to-b...

Schools to 'ensure pupils have a post-16 destination'

But details scarce on policy after Sir Keir Starmer announces new higher-level learning target

schoolsweek.co.uk

FDA Union @fdaunion.bsky.social · 10d

The current balance of pay and pensions is economically inefficient, says @timleunig.bsky.social, as it incentivises people to retire earlier. He continues that civil service pensions “are not generous”. You have to think of the package as a whole - you cannot look at pensions in isolation. #Lab25

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Giles Wilkes @gilesyb.bsky.social · 10d

I'm not in the hall listening. But reading this on the train heading back, this from Starmer calling out racism is ****ING excellent

www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...

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Ben Ansell @benansell.bsky.social · 10d

On the morning of Keir Starmer's conference speech here's a new post on an odd psychopathology in British politics - our main parties don't like the people who vote for them - the dreaded Professional Managerial Class. And so they are acting out like a divorced dad seeking cooler voters. 1/n

British Politics' Midlife Crisis

Why British Parties Can't Make Peace with Their Actual Voters

benansell.substack.com

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Andrew Sissons @acjsissons.bsky.social · 14d

A quick update on work we're doing with Plymouth, testing what a local clean heat plan could look like in practice.

Key learnings so far:
- Finding the "right" heating tech for homes is hard; you need both data and human input
- We were surprised how interested the supply chain was in heat planning

Early learnings through testing a clean heat plan in Plymouth

Planning should identify suitable technology while also engaging the wider supply chain, local skills, and the economy to prepare for delivery

www.nesta.org.uk

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Tim Leunig @timleunig.bsky.social · 14d

ourworldindata.org/wolbachia-ne... Big news from @hannahritchie.bsky.social @ourworldindata.org

How Wolbachia bacteria could help us tackle some of the world’s most neglected tropical diseases

A common bacterium can dramatically reduce the spread of dengue fever and other tropical diseases.

ourworldindata.org

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