Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Tom Powdrill @tompowdrill.bsky.social · 1h

I tried the same for other parties. Very roughly I think Tories are close to 70:30 male/female and Labour 60:40.
FWIW I think Reform now has quite a solid level of female support, so it’s an interesting skew. My guess is they will quietly (don’t want to be accused of DEI!) try and address it.

Tom Powdrill @tompowdrill.bsky.social · 1h

Just an aside: Reform UK appears to be the most ‘male’ party in local government. I used A Popular AI to assess gender breakdown of councillors by party (based on name). It’s a bit rough & ready (some names are ambiguous gender wise) but Reform came out at 76-78% male.

1

Tom Powdrill @tompowdrill.bsky.social · 2h

Some running nerdery. Strava and Garmin give me wildly different race predictions. Strava not bad (bit too generous at shorter distances) but Garmin is far too slow & bizarrely these have not changed even though it has recorded me running a lot faster.

Reposted by Tom Powdrill

Jill Blake @biscuitkitten.bsky.social · 6h

“the girlfriend of one of the founders of antifa”

Ingrid Bergman as Ilsa Lund in Casablanca

76 770 3.6K

Tom Powdrill @tompowdrill.bsky.social · 11h

I had a very similar thought

1

Tom Powdrill @tompowdrill.bsky.social · 16h

This is quite an explicitly political piece for an asset manager to publish… (scroll past the war stuff)
www.jupiteram.com/uk/en/profes...

3

Tom Powdrill @tompowdrill.bsky.social · 16h

The failure of the cyber truck as a product really serves to underline how hit & miss Musk is.
He’s caused the company lots of problems by getting embroiled in radical Right politics. But he also landed a duffer of a major product on them.
Any other CEO would be toast - so it’s a corpgov risk too.

1

Tom Powdrill @tompowdrill.bsky.social · 21h

Please everyone stop saying “bond markets” in response to every single fckin political development

Previous generations of politicians and those around them would think it nuts to voluntarily outsource limitations on decision-making by trying to second guess second guessers.

It’s dumb, not smart

1

Reposted by Tom Powdrill

Robert Smith @bondhack.ft.com · 1d

🔥FIRST BRANDS NIGHTMARE ON WALL STREET SPREADS TO PARADEPLATZ 🔥

A UBS fund has 30 per cent of its portfolio tied to the failed First Brands Group, leaving Switzerland’s largest bank grappling with a bankruptcy that has convulsed global finance.

Lots more scoopy detail here: on.ft.com/46VXxhD

UBS fund holds 30% exposure linked to First Brands

[FREE TO READ] Switzerland’s largest bank has multiple investments tied to bankrupt auto parts maker

on.ft.com

6 6 23

Tom Powdrill @tompowdrill.bsky.social · 1d

I take this 100% at face value. I would not be remotely surprised if Nigel Farage genuinely fears for his own safety. Much as I dislike his politics that is not a good thing.
Unfortunately his rhetoric and that of people who support him also creates fear for many others
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Nigel Farage 'genuinely worried' by 'TikTok death threat'

Southwark Crown Court hears how Fayaz Khan posted a video in which he makes a gun gesture with his hand before saying

www.bbc.co.uk

1 1

Tom Powdrill @tompowdrill.bsky.social · 1d

I once got into a big fight with a lefty mate who hates “nudging” but also thinks auto-enrolment into pensions is very good 🤷🏻‍♂️

2

Tom Powdrill @tompowdrill.bsky.social · 1d

Ah “nudge theory”… that’s a name I haven’t heard in a long time…

Think I’m the last man standing who still thinks there is something useful there. Think it was caught between Left view it was usurping regulation and more technical view it was a cop out for people too lazy to learn real economics

1 2

Reposted by Tom Powdrill

Rob Ford @robfordmancs.bsky.social · 1d

Four parties within a 5 point swing of first place and five parties on 12% plus.

This would be pure chaos under first past the post.

Election Maps UK @electionmaps.uk · 1d

Westminster Voting Intention:

RFM: 27% (-2)
LAB: 20% (-2)
CON: 17% (+1)
LDM: 17% (+2)
GRN: 12% (+1)
SNP: 4% (+1)

Via @yougov.co.uk, 5-6 Oct.
Changes w/ 28-29 Sep.

52 100 350

Tom Powdrill @tompowdrill.bsky.social · 2d

Relatedly

Tom Powdrill @tompowdrill.bsky.social · 2d

Bond market vigilantes live rent free in our heads
open.substack.com/pub/tompowdr...

Bond vigilantes live rent free in our heads

"Performed constraints" and financial markets

open.substack.com

1 1

Tom Powdrill @tompowdrill.bsky.social · 2d

1

Tom Powdrill @tompowdrill.bsky.social · 2d

Today’s quote is from The Great Transformation…

1 1

Tom Powdrill @tompowdrill.bsky.social · 3d

NEW: @mainstreamlabour.bsky.social endorses Lucy Powell for Deputy Leader of the Labour Party.In a special ballot, 82.2% of Mainstream members voted to endorse Lucy.Labour’s Mainstream wants the party and government to be reset in line with pluralist, democratic socialist values.

1

Tom Powdrill @tompowdrill.bsky.social · 3d

a yellow parrot with a black beak is laying on a white surface

ALT: a yellow parrot with a black beak is laying on a white surface

media.tenor.com

1

Tom Powdrill @tompowdrill.bsky.social · 3d

Tom Powdrill @tompowdrill.bsky.social · 4d

I think this is a marvellous book. Even though it doesn’t address populism (came out in about 2007 I think) it provides a good explanation for why populism might prove quite attractive. So am curious about how it is viewed by politics academics

1

Tom Powdrill @tompowdrill.bsky.social · 6d

The song remains the same

2

Reposted by Tom Powdrill

Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 6d

Green leader calls for BoE to end interest payments to commercial banks on.ft.com/3KzsiBq

Green leader calls for BoE to end interest payments to commercial banks

Zack Polanski echoes Reform UK’s push for central bank policy change

on.ft.com

1 8 23

Tom Powdrill @tompowdrill.bsky.social · 6d

Relatedly, it’s interesting to see how quickly the centre of gravity on arms stocks exclusions has moved. Very few people in Big P politics are going to support an ESG approach that targets defence companies, except as a niche ethical product for individuals