Alex Briggs

A really good explanation of the relationship between a country's current account and its capital account
www.chicagofed.org/publications....

A Country Is Not a Company Why businesspeople don’t necessarily make great economists.

Useful piece by Paul Krugman
hbr.org/1996/01/a-co...

Country Net International Investment Position (Sept 2025)

United States –$27.61 Trillion
Germany +$4.12 Trillion
Japan +$3.66 Trillion
China +$4.05 Trillion
United Kingdom –$0.35 Trillion

Yes, thanks. I'm thinking that provided the appliance is situated away from sleeping areas any noise should not be a problem

Is the heat pump noisy?

Oooops. There is no automatic succession....
No Automatic Succession: If a Prime Minister resigns or is incapacitated, the DPM does not automatically become the new PM. Instead, the cabinet or governing party must recommend a successor to the Monarch.

Keir Starmer’s electoral suicide – and how to fix it Labour must abandon its “punch a hippy” strategy

McSweeney and Starmer’s epic failure.

Piece and podcast with Labour thinker John McTernan on how Labour’s crazy determination to punch its natural supporters has opened the door for the far right
nickcohen.substack.com/p/keir-starm...

David Lammy is the deputy PM. If and when Starmer resigns Lammy's role automatically promotes him to the premiership, even if it is a stop-gap measure so as to defer the re-election of a new PM to a more propitious time

Dear Keir

You've been given an unbelievable opportunity to reset this government and remember (a) you're Labour and (b) what Human Rights are.

Please take it.

Yours in forlorn hope

A voter

A fresh chancellor, for example. Someone who understands economics but is not afraid to re-engineer institutions, markets, and policies so as to deliver security and affluence to the poor, the excluded, and the disadvantaged.

🐶 Our community can do this 🐶

A FREE vote could help Dog Desk Animal Action win £2,500 for rescue work 🐾
Donate if you can for double votes the dogs benefit either way 💛

Vote here ⬇️
mygivingcircle.org/dog-desk-ani...

#TogetherForDogs #AnimalWelfare 🐾

But...but...but the rozzers exist to protect the ruling class and to keep the working class down!

It’s not heroic to work when sick or race or play when injured. It’s damaging and dangerous and those that encourage or force it are doing their people an awful disservice (and ultimately harming their own and everyone’s interests too).

YouTube video by Timeless Music The Animals - House Of The Rising Sun (Music Video) [4K HD]

..the greatest #voice in #music history..in my personal and humble opinion

youtu.be/N4bFqW_eu2I?...

via Private Eye

British values

"Keynes defined the ‘rentier’ whose euthanasia he so ardently wished for as a ‘functionless investor’."

Yep. Spot on

On the nature of money and the sin that is usury My conversation with BREAK-DOWN's Adrienne Buller

article On the nature of money and the sin that is ursury, @annpettifor.bsky.social calls to mind #Lazzarato and his work on Indebtedness as a mode of governance annpettifor.substack.com/p/on-the-nat...

Is Willowbrook Park a Sustainable Urban Development? In 2025 I undertook the course Sustainable Cities: An Introduction taught by my fantastic and friendly colleague Dr David Howard. I wanted...

I took a course taught by a colleague on 'Sustainable cities' and for my assignment I reviewed a local housing development in North Didcot. Sharing my work here in case anyone is interested...
dougstaxappeal.blogspot.com/2026/02/is-w...

Donate to Help Us Heal: Medical Fundraiser for Dog Desk Animal Action, organized by Dale Robertson Every day, thousands of street dogs in Turkey suffer from … Dale Robertson needs your support for Help Us Heal: Medical Fundraiser for Dog Desk Animal Action

Our February medical fundraiser is now underway.

Funds raised will help cover essential veterinary care, emergency treatment, and ongoing medical needs for dogs in our care.

Please support, we really need the help ⬇️

www.gofundme.com/f/help-us-he...

“Labour” insiders constantly invoking the threat of bond market reactions is utterly tragic.
www.ft.com/content/c855...

From Gordon Brown's piece in The Guardian today.

Starmer's Labour promised to clean up politics, promised to ban second jobs for MPs. But has done nothing.

This must change. Cap donations. Ban 2nd jobs. Fines for non- and late declarations.

YouTube video by Into the Music Van Morrison - It's All in the Game / You Know What They're Writing About?

youtu.be/0AryTZOOWHc?...

Work with us - Liberty Come and join our team

WE'RE HIRING

We're looking for a Policy & Campaigns Officer as we begin to work on our new three-year strategy.

• Full time, 35 hours per week
• £43,918
• Hybrid (2 days per week in our Westminster office)
• Deadline: Midday, Monday 23 February

https://www.libertyhumanrights.org.uk/work-with-us/

Quite funny that Starmer's allies are waking up to this point now …

Cuts to Winter Fuel… not in the manifesto
Disability benefit cuts… not in there either
Cutting jury trials… also not there
Digital ID… no mention
Raising employers NI… nope
Freezing tax threholds… nah
Contracts with Palantir… no

"But what about China?" has been a throwaway comment made many times to justify inaction on climate change or criticise decarbonisation policies.

Well China is now by far the world's largest manufacturer, installer, and user of clean energy technologies.

💥 GOOD.

Because that £240 million contract gifted to Palantir, with no competition…

…after Starmer had an off-the-books meeting with Mandelson and Palantir…

…while Mandelson was officially LOBBYING FOR Palantir and so personally financially benefiting from such links and contracts…

Stinks.

Mandy Tice-Davis

EenSteen or IneStine?