Jim Pickard
@pickardje.bsky.social
73K followers 470 following 1.9K posts
Deputy political editor, Financial Times. Also amateur iphone photographer and some-time musician.
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pickardje.bsky.social
this isn’t a new photo - I took it a few years ago - but wanted to share it regardless
Photo of a heron sitting by a lake with Autumnal trees reflected in the water
Reposted by Jim Pickard
timbale.bsky.social
If you can't see how this will end, then you're not paying attention (not least to what's going on on the other side of the Atlantic).
Reposted by Jim Pickard
jamesrball.com
Labour has a majority of about 150. What is the internal turmoil this person imagines that would lead to a Labour PM voluntarily calling an early election. Because that’s the only way one happens.

Or to put it another way: what are these people smoking?
pickardje.bsky.social
CBI welcomes Tory shadow chancellor's calls for fiscal prudence but adds: “Business will however be concerned by reactionary proposals to scrap key pieces of legislation, like the Climate Change Act, that have done much to boost confidence and underpin investment in high growth sectors."
Reposted by Jim Pickard
mitsubishop.bsky.social
I’m still baffled by an argument that suggests “seeing how dependent we are on imported energy means we need to move away from taking up renewables”.

It’s just madness.
pickardje.bsky.social
not sure this is as logical as you think it is
In
forthcoming book
called
Prosperity Through Growth, Johnson admitted that when Russia's invasion of Ukraine pushed up gas prices,
it
became clear that the UK's net-zero strategy had to change, The Daily Telegraph reported.
Reposted by Jim Pickard
samfr.bsky.social
There are lots of reasons not to leave ECHR. But apart from anything else, it just doesn't solve the problem the Tories/Reform think it does.

E.g. the Supreme Court judgment re Rwanda being unsafe explicitly said it was not based on ECHR.
Reposted by Jim Pickard
localnotail.bsky.social
no excuse for being this bad
pickardje.bsky.social
The King has approved the nomination of Sarah Mullally as Archbishop of Canterbury
pickardje.bsky.social
Kemi Badenoch, a year ago:

"People throwing out numbers and saying we’ll leave the ECHR are giving easy answers. That’s how we got in this mess in the first place"
pickardje.bsky.social
The UK government faces an uphill battle to recover the £122mn that a judge has ordered PPE Medpro to repay after finding that the medical supplier provided substandard equipment during the Covid-19 pandemic, lawyers have warned

www.ft.com/content/998e...
UK’s PPE Medpro win unlikely to guarantee recovery of £122mn, lawyers warn
Medical equipment supplier linked to Michelle Mone breached government contract during pandemic, judge says
www.ft.com
pickardje.bsky.social
their North Sea policy hasn’t changed, have a read of the 2024 manifesto - it allowed new licenses on old fields
pickardje.bsky.social
sometimes it does feel a little like this
Reposted by Jim Pickard
koltai.bsky.social
So the Geneva convention is woke now
atrupar.com
Hegseth: "We unleash overwhelming and punishing violence on the enemy. We also don't fight with stupid rules of engagement. We untie the hands of our warfighters to intimidate, demoralize, hunt, and kill the enemies of our country. No more politically correct and overbearing rules of engagement."
Reposted by Jim Pickard
samfr.bsky.social
Can someone ask Farage or Zia Yusuf why, if they're so concerned about incitement to violence, they had Lucy Connolly as a guest star at their conference?
pickardje.bsky.social
hardly anyone will watch Starmer's appearance at Labour conference today but it was probably the best speech he's ever given

he clearly signposted what he stands for - a diverse, tolerant, decent Britain - and how be believes progressives are in an existential fight with the populist right
pickardje.bsky.social
Keir Starmer questions whether Nigel Farage loves "our beautiful, tolerant, diverse country"?
pickardje.bsky.social
Keir Starmer: "When was the last time you heard Nigel Farage saying anything positive about Britain’s future? He doesn’t like Britain.”
pickardje.bsky.social
the idea of Blair acting alongside Trump in a peacemaking role in the Middle East surprised some in his Labour party

One UK minister said: “It’s like a mini-series where the scriptwriters have lost the plot. It has jumped the shark and should be taken off air.”

www.ft.com/content/527b...
Tony Blair set to serve on Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ for Gaza
Some in former UK prime minister’s Labour party react with surprise at his proposed role in Palestinian territory
www.ft.com
Reposted by Jim Pickard
stephenkb.bsky.social
"It's genuinely hard to imagine today's Labour activists going to a northern fish and chip shop" is a really self-incriminating sentence. Yeah, when I sit down in The Scrap Box in York or, frankly, anywhere in Whitby, I think 'I can't imagine a middle class person eating here'.
Reposted by Jim Pickard
ascottreid.bsky.social
I feel rule number one of polticial comms is not to repeat the allegation that’s been made against you in a quote …
pickardje.bsky.social
Andy Burnham has hit back against veiled criticism by chancellor Rachel Reeves, saying “I reject entirely this idea that I’m hopeless and I have no idea how to add up”.