Mike Phelps
@mike1phelps.bsky.social
Retired ex-academic economist and civil servant
Reposted by Mike Phelps
This is wild. Why would a line like this be redacted:
“Epstein also threatened harm to victims and helped release damaging stories about them to damage their credibility when they tried to go public with their stories of being trafficked and sexually abused.”
“Epstein also threatened harm to victims and helped release damaging stories about them to damage their credibility when they tried to go public with their stories of being trafficked and sexually abused.”
Ok. Now had a chance to check and, well, at least some docs do appear to be straight up classic redaction fail. And there are some *interesting* bits here.
www.justice.gov/multimedia/C...
www.justice.gov/multimedia/C...
December 23, 2025 at 4:25 AM
This is wild. Why would a line like this be redacted:
“Epstein also threatened harm to victims and helped release damaging stories about them to damage their credibility when they tried to go public with their stories of being trafficked and sexually abused.”
“Epstein also threatened harm to victims and helped release damaging stories about them to damage their credibility when they tried to go public with their stories of being trafficked and sexually abused.”
Reposted by Mike Phelps
"In another area, where there was no safe place to climb to, a group of women used sandbags to build a fort so that even if they couldn’t keep the children properly safe, they could ensure that they wouldn’t get washed away."
#Gaza
#Gaza
Hunger and ongoing bombing: life in Gaza after the ceasefire - Bylines Scotland
The war on Gaza is officially on hold but as Israel continues to block aid, tens of thousands of lives are at risk
bylines.scot
December 23, 2025 at 10:46 AM
"In another area, where there was no safe place to climb to, a group of women used sandbags to build a fort so that even if they couldn’t keep the children properly safe, they could ensure that they wouldn’t get washed away."
#Gaza
#Gaza
Reposted by Mike Phelps
This makes a lot of sense.
Foreign interventions being used to trigger domestic legal powers.
Foreign interventions being used to trigger domestic legal powers.
I keep saying this but no one is connecting the dots. The war is to satisfy legal preconditions for mass removal *domestically* of Latinos (i.e., suddenly a lot of people are going to be “Venezuelan” for purposes of removal). This is 100% Stephen Miller…oil claim is to make grandpa go along
There is no national security logic that would impel the US to want to do regime change in Venezuela. It's simply not that important. I'm not even sure wag the dog is the right metaphor for what's happening here. Seems like an insane misallocation of US national security assets and attention.
December 19, 2025 at 7:36 AM
This makes a lot of sense.
Foreign interventions being used to trigger domestic legal powers.
Foreign interventions being used to trigger domestic legal powers.
Reposted by Mike Phelps
A fascinating example of how, what can appear to be reasonably robust, governance structures can be circumvented. This will be seen by HMT as further support for their traditional opposition to devolution. What lessons will ministers draw for planned, and existing, MCAs?
Auditors and new officials have been turning over stones at the body in charge of Teesworks. Turns out the Tees Valley Combined Authority has been lending hundreds of millions of £ to connected orgs, without loan agreements, and those orgs are now struggling to repay
as.ft.com/r/ac457745-4...
as.ft.com/r/ac457745-4...
Auditors raise red flags at public body run by Ben Houchen
[FREE TO READ] EY said errors included ‘material misstatements’ in latest setback for Conservative metro mayor Lord Houchen
as.ft.com
December 18, 2025 at 9:55 AM
A fascinating example of how, what can appear to be reasonably robust, governance structures can be circumvented. This will be seen by HMT as further support for their traditional opposition to devolution. What lessons will ministers draw for planned, and existing, MCAs?
Reposted by Mike Phelps
A short seven years (!) after I started writing the code, it’s great to see this paper published.
We use high-frequency NHS to data show that short-staffed, less experienced nursing teams deliver worse outcomes – with the largest mortality impacts for patients with sepsis.
We use high-frequency NHS to data show that short-staffed, less experienced nursing teams deliver worse outcomes – with the largest mortality impacts for patients with sepsis.
December 18, 2025 at 9:52 AM
A short seven years (!) after I started writing the code, it’s great to see this paper published.
We use high-frequency NHS to data show that short-staffed, less experienced nursing teams deliver worse outcomes – with the largest mortality impacts for patients with sepsis.
We use high-frequency NHS to data show that short-staffed, less experienced nursing teams deliver worse outcomes – with the largest mortality impacts for patients with sepsis.
Reposted by Mike Phelps
Essentially, corruption is being legalised (for some). Flynn 'joins Rod Blagojevich, the former Democratic governor of Illinois who went to prison on corruption charges, as the second person pardoned by Trump to work on behalf of the Bosnian Serb republic' www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Michael Flynn, once probed over foreign payments, lobbied for Bosnian Serbs
Flynn is the second person pardoned by President Trump to work on behalf of the Bosnian Serb republic.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 18, 2025 at 9:16 AM
Essentially, corruption is being legalised (for some). Flynn 'joins Rod Blagojevich, the former Democratic governor of Illinois who went to prison on corruption charges, as the second person pardoned by Trump to work on behalf of the Bosnian Serb republic' www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Mike Phelps
Reform UK split the right, Greens surged late, Scotland told a different story entirely, and Labour still lost voters.
Ten surprising insights from a new report on the 2024 election.
Prof Tim Bale reports
Ten surprising insights from a new report on the 2024 election.
Prof Tim Bale reports
Revealed: the ten most surprising facts from the 2024 election
As a landmark study of the 2024 election is published, co-author Tim Bale, reveals the ten most surprising facts from their analysis
eastangliabylines.co.uk
December 18, 2025 at 10:04 AM
Reform UK split the right, Greens surged late, Scotland told a different story entirely, and Labour still lost voters.
Ten surprising insights from a new report on the 2024 election.
Prof Tim Bale reports
Ten surprising insights from a new report on the 2024 election.
Prof Tim Bale reports
Reposted by Mike Phelps
NEW: judge-alone trials would save just 2% of time in the Crown Court. In total, we estimate reforms to jury trials would save <10% of court time. Great write-up from @reporterrwright.ft.com here www.ft.com/content/8a9f...
Scrapping juries would save less than 10% of court time, according to research
Reforms aim to ease backlog of nearly 80,000 cases waiting to be heard in England and Wales
www.ft.com
December 18, 2025 at 9:17 AM
NEW: judge-alone trials would save just 2% of time in the Crown Court. In total, we estimate reforms to jury trials would save <10% of court time. Great write-up from @reporterrwright.ft.com here www.ft.com/content/8a9f...
Reposted by Mike Phelps
It’s exactly this kind of dismal, prejudiced bollox from the Daily Mail that’s got us into the ruinous Brexit mess we’re in. What a moronic response to us rejoining Erasmus and all the benefits that brings. If they’re really worried about cost, they should push to cancel Brexit altogether.
December 18, 2025 at 7:21 AM
It’s exactly this kind of dismal, prejudiced bollox from the Daily Mail that’s got us into the ruinous Brexit mess we’re in. What a moronic response to us rejoining Erasmus and all the benefits that brings. If they’re really worried about cost, they should push to cancel Brexit altogether.
Reposted by Mike Phelps
Imagine being paid by the government to lie to people, fuck them outside your marriage, and stitch them up for imaginary crimes while you're at it.
'Married and manipulating' spy cop Mark Jenner faces inquiry
'Married and manipulating' spy cop Mark Jenner faces inquiry
Mark "Cassidy" Jenner had a five year relationship with an activist while married with children.
www.bbc.com
December 15, 2025 at 9:15 AM
Imagine being paid by the government to lie to people, fuck them outside your marriage, and stitch them up for imaginary crimes while you're at it.
Reposted by Mike Phelps
No Ephraim Mirvis, opposing genocide does not inspire antisemitic attacks. And neither does 'globalise the intifada' mean murdering Jews. Its a call for global activism in support of Palestinian resistance against a brutal Israeli occupation
December 15, 2025 at 9:32 AM
No Ephraim Mirvis, opposing genocide does not inspire antisemitic attacks. And neither does 'globalise the intifada' mean murdering Jews. Its a call for global activism in support of Palestinian resistance against a brutal Israeli occupation
Reposted by Mike Phelps
Retired physician here.
In 38 Yr career 1984-2022 my experience:
Measles - 0 cases
Mumps - 0
Rubella - 0
Polio - 0 active. Few post polio paralysis in Nepal, 0 in UK
Whooping Cough - 0
Tetanus - 2 or 3 cases in Nepal, 0 in UK
Meningococcal- several cases in 1980s (before vaccine available. 0 since)
In 38 Yr career 1984-2022 my experience:
Measles - 0 cases
Mumps - 0
Rubella - 0
Polio - 0 active. Few post polio paralysis in Nepal, 0 in UK
Whooping Cough - 0
Tetanus - 2 or 3 cases in Nepal, 0 in UK
Meningococcal- several cases in 1980s (before vaccine available. 0 since)
🚨new Indie SAGE report on childhood diseases!
🧵Vaccines have been so successful that once common diseases are now so rare that even many doctors might never see a case.
In this report we describe 12 diseases, their consequences & impact of vaccines 1/15
independentsage.org/report/preve...
🧵Vaccines have been so successful that once common diseases are now so rare that even many doctors might never see a case.
In this report we describe 12 diseases, their consequences & impact of vaccines 1/15
independentsage.org/report/preve...
December 14, 2025 at 11:38 PM
Retired physician here.
In 38 Yr career 1984-2022 my experience:
Measles - 0 cases
Mumps - 0
Rubella - 0
Polio - 0 active. Few post polio paralysis in Nepal, 0 in UK
Whooping Cough - 0
Tetanus - 2 or 3 cases in Nepal, 0 in UK
Meningococcal- several cases in 1980s (before vaccine available. 0 since)
In 38 Yr career 1984-2022 my experience:
Measles - 0 cases
Mumps - 0
Rubella - 0
Polio - 0 active. Few post polio paralysis in Nepal, 0 in UK
Whooping Cough - 0
Tetanus - 2 or 3 cases in Nepal, 0 in UK
Meningococcal- several cases in 1980s (before vaccine available. 0 since)
Reposted by Mike Phelps
Reposted by Mike Phelps
Great essay. www.ft.com/content/1258... Could America win the AI race but lose the war?
December 13, 2025 at 9:04 AM
Great essay. www.ft.com/content/1258... Could America win the AI race but lose the war?
Reposted by Mike Phelps
📈 #IFSSatStat: Spending on non-health-related working-age benefits fell by 23% over the 2010s, partly due to policy decisions, while disability spending slowly grew.
Spending on disability benefits accelerated after the COVID-19 pandemic, especially from 2022 onwards.
Spending on disability benefits accelerated after the COVID-19 pandemic, especially from 2022 onwards.
December 13, 2025 at 9:15 AM
📈 #IFSSatStat: Spending on non-health-related working-age benefits fell by 23% over the 2010s, partly due to policy decisions, while disability spending slowly grew.
Spending on disability benefits accelerated after the COVID-19 pandemic, especially from 2022 onwards.
Spending on disability benefits accelerated after the COVID-19 pandemic, especially from 2022 onwards.
Reposted by Mike Phelps
That's horrifying. And the world just looks on, doing nothing.
So, El Fasher looks like one of the worst single event atrocities to happen this century so far, but the evidence has come in such a trickle it seems to only now be getting verified
At least 60,000 murdered in Sudanese city, which resembles ‘a slaughterhouse’
Satellite evidence shows extent of paramilitary massacre in El Fasher
www.irishtimes.com
December 13, 2025 at 9:02 AM
That's horrifying. And the world just looks on, doing nothing.
Reposted by Mike Phelps
I wonder if a lot of this is driven by our modern culture of wanting kids to do better/go further in education and become an accountant, lawyer, doctor or, best of all, something in the City. Some just won't/can't.
December 13, 2025 at 9:10 AM
I wonder if a lot of this is driven by our modern culture of wanting kids to do better/go further in education and become an accountant, lawyer, doctor or, best of all, something in the City. Some just won't/can't.
Reposted by Mike Phelps
The UK far right is increasingly infiltrating the Anglican church so this is bang on trend.
December 13, 2025 at 9:14 AM
The UK far right is increasingly infiltrating the Anglican church so this is bang on trend.
Reposted by Mike Phelps
Incredible that The Institute of Economic Affairs continues to get such a platform from the media as though it's some kind of neutral commentator (including the BBC) when they don't declare their funders - exposures like this just demonstrate why they don't. Great work from @writesbright.bsky.social
The Institute of Economic Affairs Banked £640,000 from Oil Giants and Murdoch
The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) – the anti-state, anti-climate pressure group – received more than £640,000 from fossil fuel companies and Rupert Murdoch’s media conglomerate between 1957 and ...
www.desmog.com
December 11, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Incredible that The Institute of Economic Affairs continues to get such a platform from the media as though it's some kind of neutral commentator (including the BBC) when they don't declare their funders - exposures like this just demonstrate why they don't. Great work from @writesbright.bsky.social
Reposted by Mike Phelps
The cat is out of the bag:
The Danish intelligence service names the US as a threat and sources from the Swedish military intelligence share the assessment that the politicisation of the FBI and CIA has caused a deep crisis of trust
The Danish intelligence service names the US as a threat and sources from the Swedish military intelligence share the assessment that the politicisation of the FBI and CIA has caused a deep crisis of trust
USA pekas ut som del av hotbild i Danmark
För första gången pekas USA ut som en del av hotbilden mot Danmark.
www.svd.se
December 12, 2025 at 8:44 AM
The cat is out of the bag:
The Danish intelligence service names the US as a threat and sources from the Swedish military intelligence share the assessment that the politicisation of the FBI and CIA has caused a deep crisis of trust
The Danish intelligence service names the US as a threat and sources from the Swedish military intelligence share the assessment that the politicisation of the FBI and CIA has caused a deep crisis of trust
Reposted by Mike Phelps
ICC judges stoic in face of US sanctions over Israeli war crimes cases https://aje.io/evaca4
December 12, 2025 at 11:04 AM
ICC judges stoic in face of US sanctions over Israeli war crimes cases https://aje.io/evaca4
Reposted by Mike Phelps
This is the scoop for which @lewisgoodall.com and the News Agents team won their award
Two governments took The News Agents to secret court for two years via a constitutionally unprecedented superinjunction to stop you from hearing this story.
The MoD is responsible for a data leak that put up to 100,000 Afghans at risk of death.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zdc6...
The MoD is responsible for a data leak that put up to 100,000 Afghans at risk of death.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zdc6...
The secret court that silenced the News Agents...until now
YouTube video by The News Agents
www.youtube.com
December 12, 2025 at 11:05 AM
This is the scoop for which @lewisgoodall.com and the News Agents team won their award
Reposted by Mike Phelps
"He was reputed to be the first person in the country to receive a football banning order when they were introduced, and spent several spells in prison in his younger days for football-related violence."
Well-known Bristol football fan died in tragic fall from lamppost
City fan Paul Lumber was a published author of books about the days of football casuals in the 1980s
www.bristolpost.co.uk
December 12, 2025 at 10:24 AM
"He was reputed to be the first person in the country to receive a football banning order when they were introduced, and spent several spells in prison in his younger days for football-related violence."
Reposted by Mike Phelps
Sobering but acute analysis.
"The US can no longer be relied on... Rather any US involvement will be transactional, and the UK needs to rapidly unpick 80 years of defence integration with, and dependence on, the US."
✍️ Andrew Dorman on Starmer's defence dilemma & the US National Security Strategy
ukandeu.ac.uk/starmers-def...
✍️ Andrew Dorman on Starmer's defence dilemma & the US National Security Strategy
ukandeu.ac.uk/starmers-def...
Starmer’s defence dilemma - UK in a changing Europe
Andrew M Dorman reflects on UK defence policy and argues that while the UK must deintegrate its defence capabilities from the US and implement the recommendations of this year's Strategic Defence Revi...
ukandeu.ac.uk
December 12, 2025 at 11:12 AM
Sobering but acute analysis.