Ian Boucher
@desolationrow5.bsky.social
We have 15 years of low growth. A govt who promised growth as a priority yet have taken no real pro growth measures and a number of measures that are restrictive - yet the focus is ‘the fiscal position is BETTER than you implied it might be, resign’. This is not the Conservative Party of old.
December 2, 2025 at 12:10 PM
We have 15 years of low growth. A govt who promised growth as a priority yet have taken no real pro growth measures and a number of measures that are restrictive - yet the focus is ‘the fiscal position is BETTER than you implied it might be, resign’. This is not the Conservative Party of old.
I think it’s not really about political favouritism but more about the government gets this scrutiny - and the scrutiny has been edging ever more to nonsense. I mean the last election campaign was dominated by Sunak leaving an event early - it’s gotcha media nonsense in the social media age.
December 2, 2025 at 11:03 AM
I think it’s not really about political favouritism but more about the government gets this scrutiny - and the scrutiny has been edging ever more to nonsense. I mean the last election campaign was dominated by Sunak leaving an event early - it’s gotcha media nonsense in the social media age.
I mean in the interview she says a socialist economy means ‘public services run for profit not need’. It’s just a jumble of words that don’t mean anything in reality. It’s not even sloganistic identity politics because the words often aren’t even in an order that makes sense.
December 2, 2025 at 10:34 AM
I mean in the interview she says a socialist economy means ‘public services run for profit not need’. It’s just a jumble of words that don’t mean anything in reality. It’s not even sloganistic identity politics because the words often aren’t even in an order that makes sense.
It’s hard to say what it is because none of the words used have any meaning and I don’t think Zarah sultana could explain what anything she has said actually means. It’s just a word salad of phrases and slogans that are put together with no meaning or thought behind them.
December 2, 2025 at 10:33 AM
It’s hard to say what it is because none of the words used have any meaning and I don’t think Zarah sultana could explain what anything she has said actually means. It’s just a word salad of phrases and slogans that are put together with no meaning or thought behind them.
Dear me. I started by questioning which word, nationalise or internet she maybe doesn’t really understand. But then watching the clip I realised none of the words used have any actual meaning so it’s an irrelevant question.
December 2, 2025 at 9:31 AM
Dear me. I started by questioning which word, nationalise or internet she maybe doesn’t really understand. But then watching the clip I realised none of the words used have any actual meaning so it’s an irrelevant question.
Reposted by Ian Boucher
Seize the memes of production
December 2, 2025 at 6:37 AM
Seize the memes of production
Yeah that’s my issue. It’s not just thinking about a vision it’s also spending the time (lots of time) learning how you might translate that into reality in both political and economic terms. Blair spent years in opposition looking and thinking about that and learning off others.
December 2, 2025 at 9:21 AM
Yeah that’s my issue. It’s not just thinking about a vision it’s also spending the time (lots of time) learning how you might translate that into reality in both political and economic terms. Blair spent years in opposition looking and thinking about that and learning off others.
When England lose at the Gabba at the weekend - Kemi is primed and ready to call for the resignation of Keir Starmer.
December 1, 2025 at 5:50 PM
When England lose at the Gabba at the weekend - Kemi is primed and ready to call for the resignation of Keir Starmer.
Ha it was a bad bad joke about the budget! I have zero insight into her confectionary preferences!
December 1, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Ha it was a bad bad joke about the budget! I have zero insight into her confectionary preferences!
The heroes box only has one thing in that I’m not keen on crème egg! The celebrations box has more I’d not be fussed on but the better ones are more better in celebrations than heroes. Or, I hear Rachel Reeves likes a bounty…
December 1, 2025 at 2:51 PM
The heroes box only has one thing in that I’m not keen on crème egg! The celebrations box has more I’d not be fussed on but the better ones are more better in celebrations than heroes. Or, I hear Rachel Reeves likes a bounty…
Appears that page has been removed.
December 1, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Appears that page has been removed.
I think that’s my point. It isn’t and will never be 1997 again nor is there a single politician with even half Blair’s ability in the PLP imo. The only real route to popularity for Labour was and still is to make people feel better off through improving the economy. Without that it’s all fluff.
December 1, 2025 at 2:35 PM
I think that’s my point. It isn’t and will never be 1997 again nor is there a single politician with even half Blair’s ability in the PLP imo. The only real route to popularity for Labour was and still is to make people feel better off through improving the economy. Without that it’s all fluff.
But the telegraph for example didn’t. It was in its own universe back then. The difference now is social media and the number of people who have brains scrambled by X and the algorithms. The telegraph madness is just more prevalent and accessible.
December 1, 2025 at 2:19 PM
But the telegraph for example didn’t. It was in its own universe back then. The difference now is social media and the number of people who have brains scrambled by X and the algorithms. The telegraph madness is just more prevalent and accessible.
But that scrutiny would take a level of seriousness, and at least one political party offering a serious take (and ideally a serious budget proposition) and all that is absent. So instead it’s round the wheel of nonsense again and again.
December 1, 2025 at 2:14 PM
But that scrutiny would take a level of seriousness, and at least one political party offering a serious take (and ideally a serious budget proposition) and all that is absent. So instead it’s round the wheel of nonsense again and again.
What did she actually say that was misleading?
December 1, 2025 at 1:45 PM
What did she actually say that was misleading?
Reposted by Ian Boucher
Rachel Reeves's "headroom" is based on:
-£16bn in 'efficiency savings'
-£6bn in savings in order to fund taking SEND off local government backs
-tax rises that largely come in at the end of the forecast
-immigration being at c340k net in 2029!
-£16bn in 'efficiency savings'
-£6bn in savings in order to fund taking SEND off local government backs
-tax rises that largely come in at the end of the forecast
-immigration being at c340k net in 2029!
Suggestion Rachel Reeves exaggerated fiscal pressures is absurd
Chancellor was instead far too optimistic about public finances and government’s ability to secure cuts
www.ft.com
December 1, 2025 at 11:50 AM
Rachel Reeves's "headroom" is based on:
-£16bn in 'efficiency savings'
-£6bn in savings in order to fund taking SEND off local government backs
-tax rises that largely come in at the end of the forecast
-immigration being at c340k net in 2029!
-£16bn in 'efficiency savings'
-£6bn in savings in order to fund taking SEND off local government backs
-tax rises that largely come in at the end of the forecast
-immigration being at c340k net in 2029!
Reposted by Ian Boucher
Those cans we kept kicking down the road - there's a big pile of them that are coming into view!
December 1, 2025 at 10:21 AM
Those cans we kept kicking down the road - there's a big pile of them that are coming into view!
It was about spending really. Tax and spend and the extra headroom which still very small was necessary to try and offer some shield against global events and rounding errors. I don’t think that it was misleading. What’s misleading is a budget that has cuts and tax rises baked in that won’t happen.
December 1, 2025 at 10:22 AM
It was about spending really. Tax and spend and the extra headroom which still very small was necessary to try and offer some shield against global events and rounding errors. I don’t think that it was misleading. What’s misleading is a budget that has cuts and tax rises baked in that won’t happen.
The problem is he needs to do that whilst also engaging with the realities his govt have baked in. I think he can justify choices but only if he first will front up to them and acknowledge them. He has to make a proper political argument not just use slogans to cover all.
December 1, 2025 at 9:18 AM
The problem is he needs to do that whilst also engaging with the realities his govt have baked in. I think he can justify choices but only if he first will front up to them and acknowledge them. He has to make a proper political argument not just use slogans to cover all.
Exactly. It’s completely embarrassing. Clearly the thing to focus on here is deferring income raises till end of parliament and asking what magic beans reeves expects? The same magic beans pre election that haven’t materialised?
December 1, 2025 at 9:16 AM
Exactly. It’s completely embarrassing. Clearly the thing to focus on here is deferring income raises till end of parliament and asking what magic beans reeves expects? The same magic beans pre election that haven’t materialised?
She didn’t mislead about the position. There was a productivity downgrade and there was a need to raise substantial income to pay for stuff and re establish the headroom. None of that is not true. The mislead part is not even reported on - it’s deferring tax rises and spending cuts to 2028 ish…
December 1, 2025 at 9:13 AM
She didn’t mislead about the position. There was a productivity downgrade and there was a need to raise substantial income to pay for stuff and re establish the headroom. None of that is not true. The mislead part is not even reported on - it’s deferring tax rises and spending cuts to 2028 ish…
Exactly this. They’ve baked in cuts and tax rises to pre election budgets that are as credible as when the Tories did similar. Yet let’s argue about whether the economy is in as bad shape as Reeves said or not having spent a year telling you it’s far worse than she says.
November 30, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Exactly this. They’ve baked in cuts and tax rises to pre election budgets that are as credible as when the Tories did similar. Yet let’s argue about whether the economy is in as bad shape as Reeves said or not having spent a year telling you it’s far worse than she says.
Same thing that happened in the US. We think we are different. We are not.
November 30, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Same thing that happened in the US. We think we are different. We are not.