Ian Wiggett
@wiggett-ie.bsky.social
200 followers 460 following 740 posts
Cymro, Kernow, Wrestler. Policing stuff.
Posts Media Videos Starter Packs
Reposted by Ian Wiggett
adambienkov.bsky.social
"15 years ago, Polish workers came here to find opportunity. Now Poland is growing twice as fast as we are," says Kemi Badenoch.

Any ideas what may have happened in the interim?
Reposted by Ian Wiggett
resfoundation.bsky.social
Older adults are more likely than younger adults to have seen passive gains in wealth.

Between 2018-20 and 2020-22, adults aged 75-79 saw the highest average passive increase in family wealth, a gain of nearly £18,000. People in their late 30s gained roughly half that amount (around £9,000).
Chart showing Estimated mean change in family wealth per adult over preceding two years, by age group: GB, 2014-16, 2016-18 and 2020-22
Reposted by Ian Wiggett
omaromalleykhan.bsky.social
I know statistics are poorly understood and are misused. But facts matter

Between the 1991, 2001, 2011 and 2021 Census *every* ethnic group in the UK has become *less* geographically segregated and *all* groups, majority and minorities, are more likely to interact with people not like them
wiggett-ie.bsky.social
The government said the officers can provide safety guidance ahead of high-risk reporting, such as protests, and ensures crimes against journalists are consistently recorded and addressed.

The officers were appointed as part of the Government’s national action plan for the safety of journalists.
Every UK force to have dedicated journalist safety officer
www.policeoracle.com
wiggett-ie.bsky.social
A water company is extracting sugar from toilet paper flushed down the loo.
United Utilities said the naturally occurring glucose could be turned into biofuels, bioplastics and detergents.
Sugar made from Blackburn sewage 'won't be going into food chain'
United Utilities trials scheme that sees glucose extracted from used toilet paper for use in industry.
www.bbc.co.uk
wiggett-ie.bsky.social
Asked about perceptions that London was becoming unsafe, Commander Featherstone said there was “no doubt” that it suited “some people, organisations and others” to suggest that was the case.

“When you look at the actual facts, that is not true,” said Feathertone
People claim London crime is rising because it suits them, Met commander says
Nigel Farage and right-wing commentators seek to portray capital as ‘lawless’ despite evidence to the contrary
www.theguardian.com
Reposted by Ian Wiggett
georgeperetzkc.bsky.social
Chris Philp on R4 yesterday making 3 false statements about the ECHR and the GFA.
1. “The ECHR is mentioned only in the Multi-Party Agreement not the UK/Ireland Agreement.”. Wrong: the latter agreement requires the UK to support the former: they can’t be pulled apart like that.
Reposted by Ian Wiggett
jdportes.bsky.social
This detailed demolition of @gullyfoyleuk.bsky.social's "75 Brexit Benefits" by @alanbeattie.bsky.social deserves wider circulation.

Intellectual garbage disposal is a valuable public service!
alanbeattie.bsky.social
OK, let's take this seriously. I had an odd half an hour and via Apple Books had a quick look at the three claims I knew most about - two re the post-Brexit bilateral preferential trade agreements replicated from the EU versions and one about cheaper bananas. All are wrong or wildly implausible. 1/n
Reposted by Ian Wiggett
alexgathomas.bsky.social
On the civil service bit of this…£8bn savings *a year* by the end of the Parliament claimed

Reducing headcount to 2016 levels is easier said than done, as previous govts know

on.ft.com/46Da3nm
Tories tout £47bn in spending cuts in bid to reclaim fiscal reputation
Shadow chancellor says he will target welfare spending, overseas aid budget and civil service staffing to find savings
on.ft.com
Reposted by Ian Wiggett
njdavies.bsky.social
Tell me you haven’t read Performance Tracker* without telling me you haven’t read Performance Tracker

*or literally any serious writing on local government finances
wiggett-ie.bsky.social
…on the second trip we stayed in all the carriages. A couple of cops per carriage checked everyone’s passports/ID. At the first stop in D we waited until the checks were completed. This time a couple of people (non-white) were taken off. Another delay, then they were let back on.
wiggett-ie.bsky.social
…after another delay while the cops seemed less than clear what to do with them, they were eventually let back onto the train. We were all then allowed to move into the front carriages if we wished. It seemed a pointless exercise…
wiggett-ie.bsky.social
I’ve been through those checks a couple of times. The first time everyone had to go in the rear 4/5 carriages. At the first stop in D, we were all checked. Which took a while. About a dozen were taken off, all non-white…
Reposted by Ian Wiggett
alanrew.bsky.social
"Storm Amy brings negative electricity prices to UK"

"National Grid forecasting 20 gigawatts of wind power from the storm, more than three-quarters of the country’s total electricity demand."

www.ft.com/content/3bbe...
Storm Amy brings negative electricity prices to UK
Gusty weather drives huge amounts of wind power into the grid
www.ft.com
Reposted by Ian Wiggett
warrenoates1.bsky.social
Things you don't really think about:

The need to protect satellites, which are crucial to our economy and security, from laser attacks by adversaries.

Thankfully, our government do and they are investing in a system which will protect these crutial satellites.

www.gov.uk/government/n...
Critical UK satellites to be defended from laser threats
The UK is investing in sensors that will help protect satellites crucial to our economy and security from lasers from adversaries
www.gov.uk
wiggett-ie.bsky.social
“The PSNI budget has remained almost at the same level since 2010 and our numbers have been butchered. Both education and health have received considerable uplifts while policing, which holds the fabric of our society together, has not been financially supported in anywhere near the same way.”
‘Butchered’ PSNI officer strength falls to record low of 6,233
www.policeoracle.com
Reposted by Ian Wiggett
danneidle.bsky.social
Douglas Barrowman and Michelle Mone's company, PPE Medpro, has just been ordered to refund the Government £122m from a PPE contract.

There are two very odd things about PPE Medpro that may affect the odds of the Government ever getting that £122m...

Thread:
Reposted by Ian Wiggett
penguinsentinel.bsky.social
Another grand history thread from John. I love these.
garius.bsky.social
In 1945, the Allies faced a tricky question: where to hold Nazi war criminals until the trials.

A run-down hotel in Luxembourg was quickly converted to a prison ("Camp Ashcan"). The hope was to keep the nature of the prisoners secret.

In May 1945, this failed, and almost turned into a disaster. /1
equusonthebuses.bsky.social
Judgement at Nuremberg - David Low's cartoon in the Evening Standard #OnThisDay 1946
wiggett-ie.bsky.social
“The Americans decided that the red wasn’t right for them, and that they wanted a cherry red instead, so we had to buy all new flags for this visit.”

The switch of the 66 hand-sewn flags cost an estimated £52,800 in public funds
Stars and stripes flags for Trump UK visit had to be changed for brighter red
Switch of 66 hand-sewn flags for use along Mall and at Windsor Castle cost estimated £52,800 in public funds
www.theguardian.com
Reposted by Ian Wiggett
dankaszeta.bsky.social
It’s like Stella. Americans somehow think it’s posh.

I heard Americans pronounce it “le dell”
thetimes.com
The German budget supermarket chain is taking the US by storm, winning over shoppers with ‘insanely low’ prices and high quality
The new Trader Joe’s? Americans are falling in love with Lidl
www.thetimes.com