Edward Barrow

SPEAKING OFFER:

My periodic offer to do (online) sessions for schools, universities or any other interested group. Free.

My main topics are around government and public admin; the evolution of cooperation; the cooperative movement. And lots more - so just ask. 😃

Engaged in politics since 1967!

My late Mum was at school with her (Cheltenham Ladies'). Both studied art. Riley was much the better! but when it came to a flat watercolour wash, was the only exercise Mum did better at.... She carried on painting even with Parkinsons.

I will, I will, I just need one of those round tuit things..

It's not that good a tax. It's a sales tax. All sales taxes are regressive. It's levied at far too high a rate. But yeah the system also sucks.

Arms in, gold out: UK military equipment is helping to fuel slaughter in Sudan Arms used in Sudan came from the UK, Canada, and France - yet more Western powers aiding and abetting a genocide

“RSF are backed by the UAE who have armed and supported the three year long war which has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions. The UAE has denied involvement – pretty unconvincingly. And, the UAE are a major customer for British arms and equipment.”

www.thecanary.co/global/world...

We've not lit the fire yet this year. OTOH, was watching BBC4 about 1963 last night....

Which one is more English?

Tax policy on the British left is pure "anti-bedtime left". Bizarre idea that you can have a big social democratic welfare state without everyone contributing properly www.economist.com/britain/2025...

logical next step: the system only works when only he's on the ballot

This is brilliant.

I have a feeling that when it all comes out in the wash what the Huntingdon incident will show we need isn't more scanners or tougher policing but better mental health care.

It’s because no-one likes admitting they’ve got older: if states were having to spend more for the same results because, say, AI meant that students needed to stay in school much longer, wouldn’t be as much widespread denial about it IMO.

A shocking illustration of the extent to which UK universities’ dependency on China for students paying overseas fees exposes them to Chinese state pressure to restrict academic freedom.

The sheer greasy desperation from these bastards that any violent crime is committed by an immigrant so they can continue their grift. Even when they know it isn't true. Foul.

cheap gas is a powerful drug.

Germany wanted non-confrontation. It had - has - memories.

Schröder and Merkel both turned a blind eye to the atrocities and the Mafia connections rather than forgo the gas and the markets that it opened for their manufacturers.

Oh and the entirety of Western liberal political leadership, Blair, Bush Obama - everyone knew what he was like, we'd all seen the pics from Grozny, but they welcomed him to the G8 table....

which Trump has no clue about ofc

which are all in the majority-Christian South-East of the country, a very long way away from Maiduguri

The Energy Revolution Nobody's Talking About Solutions are here, today.

I sincerely believe this is fundamentally important:
allanpaterson.substack.com/p/the-energy...

Up to a point. But most local authorities would do fine if they didn't have to fund adult social care. That should be a national responsibility. Take it out of equation and you solve the most immediate local authority funding problem straight away.

The sharp progressive impact of the LibDems' coalition increase in the basic allowance is very clear in that graph. And, later, of its erosion by fiscal drag.

Off-balance sheet finance (Enron) in there as well. The shitshow is going to make 2008 seem like a picnic in the park.

yeah but 'Nonce Andrew' is much less of a mouthful than 'Andrew Mountbatten Windsor'

A leek Tarte Tatin on a glass platter.

🍽️Leek Tatin🍽️ sections of leek, browned on their ends in butter, allowed to cool, topped with cheese and all-butter puff pastry from the supermarket, baked, inverted. Was very nice, all gone now...

quite. A much more progressive way of increasing taxes overall.

Got friends and their teens over for half-term. Cider-pressing time. Entire party outside surrounded by wasps, crushed apples and the occasional yellow-legged hornet. Panic becomes insouciance; no one has been stung.

I think the liquid was more a gel, made with carrageen, that's how they managed to do the feathering on marbled paper. That would soak into the paper less. And the paper was always quality: well sized, pure rag.

But Reform *is* a racist party. She is what they are. They are what she is. I don’t want them bullshitting us with insincere apologies. What they are needs to be publicly acknowledged and voters have to face up to their own racism in supporting them.

See also the Labour Party

billionaire-owned platforms and publications mediate the messages

amplifying any political movement most likely to benefit the billionaire class

and muffling and distorting anyone who would challenge them