Ryan MacMullen
@dogpatchryan.bsky.social
Reposted by Ryan MacMullen
These whole performance is just completely divorced from politics never mind reality. Labour's at 19%, promising major tax rises and spending cuts in the two years before the budget, and yet they're all cheering as Reeves highlights random investments. I just don't get it.
November 26, 2025 at 12:54 PM
These whole performance is just completely divorced from politics never mind reality. Labour's at 19%, promising major tax rises and spending cuts in the two years before the budget, and yet they're all cheering as Reeves highlights random investments. I just don't get it.
Reposted by Ryan MacMullen
Everyone needs to calm down a bit. It’s an embarrassing and stupid leak. But we knew all the detail anyway- the Treasury had leaked it. Markets have reacted well. This bit of process won’t be anything close to the most politically difficult thing about today.
Keir Starmer: "The Chancellor will set out the Budget in just a few minutes time."
In fact, the OBR did it just a few minutes ago.
In fact, the OBR did it just a few minutes ago.
November 26, 2025 at 12:27 PM
Everyone needs to calm down a bit. It’s an embarrassing and stupid leak. But we knew all the detail anyway- the Treasury had leaked it. Markets have reacted well. This bit of process won’t be anything close to the most politically difficult thing about today.
Reposted by Ryan MacMullen
OBR says lower net migration will hurt overall productivity
November 26, 2025 at 12:31 PM
OBR says lower net migration will hurt overall productivity
Reposted by Ryan MacMullen
Damning line from the OBR this: "We have assessed that none of the policy measures in this Budget have a sufficiently material impact to justify adjusting our post-measures potential output forecast."
Ie it's a budget which does nothing new for growth.
Ie it's a budget which does nothing new for growth.
November 26, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Damning line from the OBR this: "We have assessed that none of the policy measures in this Budget have a sufficiently material impact to justify adjusting our post-measures potential output forecast."
Ie it's a budget which does nothing new for growth.
Ie it's a budget which does nothing new for growth.
Reposted by Ryan MacMullen
I’m obsessed. Does she think the Deputy Speaker is French?
November 26, 2025 at 12:39 PM
I’m obsessed. Does she think the Deputy Speaker is French?
Reposted by Ryan MacMullen
Having a great first day as the OBR's website manager. Got all of the content queued up as a scheduled post, ready for a big day, but all of the work is done now.
Now before I put my feet up, time to take a big gulp of water and check the latest news.
Now before I put my feet up, time to take a big gulp of water and check the latest news.
November 26, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Having a great first day as the OBR's website manager. Got all of the content queued up as a scheduled post, ready for a big day, but all of the work is done now.
Now before I put my feet up, time to take a big gulp of water and check the latest news.
Now before I put my feet up, time to take a big gulp of water and check the latest news.
If you think he is doing this without Pres/VP approval I have a bridge to sell you. They are not trustworthy interlocutors.
EXCLUSIVE: US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff advised Russia on how to pitch Ukraine plans to Trump, in audio files reviewed by Bloomberg
Witkoff Advised Russia on How to Pitch Ukraine Plan to Trump
US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff, fresh from the triumph of the Gaza peace deal, held a phone call last month with a senior Kremlin official to suggest they work together on a similar plan for Ukraine — and that Vladimir Putin should raise it with Donald Trump.
bloom.bg
November 25, 2025 at 8:46 PM
If you think he is doing this without Pres/VP approval I have a bridge to sell you. They are not trustworthy interlocutors.
Delusional.
Wes Streeting’s allies plot coronation after May elections
The health secretary’s backers say he is a safer bet to replace Keir Starmer than left-wing rivals like Angela Rayner — and that changing leader should not involve a contest
www.thetimes.com
November 25, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Delusional.
Reposted by Ryan MacMullen
Entirely unsustainable for Starmer. Gigs up.
UK, Opinium poll:
REFORM~NI: 32% (-1)
LAB-S&D: 19% (-1)
CON~ECR: 17%
LDEM-RE: 13% (+1)
GREENS-G/EFA: 12% (+1)
SNP-G/EFA: 3%
PC-G/EFA: 1%
+/- vs. 5-7 November 2025
Fieldwork: 19-21 November 2025
Sample size: 2,050
➤ europeelects.eu/uk
REFORM~NI: 32% (-1)
LAB-S&D: 19% (-1)
CON~ECR: 17%
LDEM-RE: 13% (+1)
GREENS-G/EFA: 12% (+1)
SNP-G/EFA: 3%
PC-G/EFA: 1%
+/- vs. 5-7 November 2025
Fieldwork: 19-21 November 2025
Sample size: 2,050
➤ europeelects.eu/uk
November 22, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Entirely unsustainable for Starmer. Gigs up.
As someone who spent the last 12 years living and working in the US, I’m confident your average Brit would find it far easier to live and work in Rotterdam than they would in Raleigh.
"America is British", "socialism is heaven". Good Charlotte Edwardes profile of Danny Kruger, in which he gets the opportunity to say what he really thinks. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
November 22, 2025 at 8:54 AM
As someone who spent the last 12 years living and working in the US, I’m confident your average Brit would find it far easier to live and work in Rotterdam than they would in Raleigh.
Why is the PM doing set piece interviews (where he answers no questions with a real answer) in a warehouse with a loud industrial noise in the background?
Starmer refuses to rule out manifesto-breaking tax rises in budget
The prime minister would not be drawn on the contents of his government's second budget while speaking to Beth Rigby. Follow live coverage of the budget from 12.30pm on Wednesday with Sky News.
news.sky.com
November 21, 2025 at 10:51 PM
Why is the PM doing set piece interviews (where he answers no questions with a real answer) in a warehouse with a loud industrial noise in the background?
Reposted by Ryan MacMullen
I just think Trump understands Mamdani is not someone he wants to tangle with. Too smart, too charismatic, too New York, too straightforward, too young. Easier targets elsewhere, like everyone who works for him and most of Congress. (1/2)
November 21, 2025 at 10:35 PM
I just think Trump understands Mamdani is not someone he wants to tangle with. Too smart, too charismatic, too New York, too straightforward, too young. Easier targets elsewhere, like everyone who works for him and most of Congress. (1/2)
Reposted by Ryan MacMullen
I’ve said this every month for a year.
November 21, 2025 at 5:59 PM
I’ve said this every month for a year.
Trump likes telegenic, popular people. That’s all there is to it.
November 21, 2025 at 10:28 PM
Trump likes telegenic, popular people. That’s all there is to it.
Rachel Reeves is studiously ignoring the cause of Britain’s woes: the Brexit-shaped hole in its roof | Jonathan Freedland
Rachel Reeves is studiously ignoring the cause of Britain’s woes: the Brexit-shaped hole in its roof | Jonathan Freedland
The autumn budget will mop up some damage, but the true source of the economic crisis is clear. The government should now fix it – tragically, it won’t, says Guardian columnist Jonathan Freedland
www.theguardian.com
November 21, 2025 at 6:35 PM
In the same way the tariffs should have been the time to junk the manifesto commitments on tax, US behaviour in Europe is now just cause to junk the commitments around the EU/Single Market.
November 21, 2025 at 12:24 PM
In the same way the tariffs should have been the time to junk the manifesto commitments on tax, US behaviour in Europe is now just cause to junk the commitments around the EU/Single Market.
Excellent thread, as always
Some notable things in what's being called the "Trump peace plan" but which could not have been more clearly written in Moscow if it came with a 2 for 1 deal on tickets to the Bolshoi Ballet. 🧵
November 21, 2025 at 10:19 AM
Excellent thread, as always
“Political leadership lies in the poetry of offering a transformative purpose within constraints rather than binding yourself, your party and the country to prosaic, technocratic, process-driven government.”
My @newstatesman piece on what must change.
www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
My @newstatesman piece on what must change.
www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
Starmer needs to go
It will take more than a new leader to save the party – but it is the only way to regenerate this failing government
www.newstatesman.com
November 19, 2025 at 12:19 PM
Reposted by Ryan MacMullen
Labour’s “we have to do it, or racism will get worse” argument is striking. Any other public policy failures British ethnic minorities should be on the hook for? Can we be blamed en bloc for Rachel Reeves’ budget next week too? www.ft.com/content/37b0...
Defence of Labour asylum policy reveals backsliding on racism
Home secretary’s framing of failures is partly low politics, but also a result of ministers’ poor approach to race relations
www.ft.com
November 18, 2025 at 10:08 AM
Labour’s “we have to do it, or racism will get worse” argument is striking. Any other public policy failures British ethnic minorities should be on the hook for? Can we be blamed en bloc for Rachel Reeves’ budget next week too? www.ft.com/content/37b0...
Reposted by Ryan MacMullen
Honestly, the potential case for getting rid of Starmer before was the lack of any political project and absence of charisma. But now No.10 is creating a moral imperative for the PLP to act as well.
November 17, 2025 at 11:23 AM
Honestly, the potential case for getting rid of Starmer before was the lack of any political project and absence of charisma. But now No.10 is creating a moral imperative for the PLP to act as well.
Reposted by Ryan MacMullen
Does feel like a confidence issue for Starmer with how many labour MPs have come out already against this policy publicly.
Imagine many more in private- did someone ask if they could do the welfare bill but on 5x speed?
Imagine many more in private- did someone ask if they could do the welfare bill but on 5x speed?
November 17, 2025 at 12:32 PM
Does feel like a confidence issue for Starmer with how many labour MPs have come out already against this policy publicly.
Imagine many more in private- did someone ask if they could do the welfare bill but on 5x speed?
Imagine many more in private- did someone ask if they could do the welfare bill but on 5x speed?
Reposted by Ryan MacMullen
Great interview with Russell Tovey - and really delighted to say welcome to @greenparty.org.uk
www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...
www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...
Russell Tovey on pride, sexual power and politics: ‘The Green party slogan – make hope normal again – is what we need’
One of the most prolific and popular actors of his generation, he reflects on therapy, homophobia, why he suspects now is the worst time in history for trans people, and his secret life as a geek
www.theguardian.com
November 17, 2025 at 7:29 AM
Great interview with Russell Tovey - and really delighted to say welcome to @greenparty.org.uk
www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...
www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...
The type of policy detail and thinking that is galaxies away from what this government could dream of being able to perform.
New essay out today by me and @acjsissons.bsky.social - ‘Getting Britain out of the hole: a plan for the economy’. You can read the whole thing here getting-out-of-the-hole.uk
A chart mega-thread follows 🧵
A chart mega-thread follows 🧵
Getting Britain out of the hole
A plan for the UK economy
getting-out-of-the-hole.uk
November 17, 2025 at 9:15 AM
The type of policy detail and thinking that is galaxies away from what this government could dream of being able to perform.