Alan Boyle

And business confidence is at a 9 year high, while the FTSE100 is at an all time high.

Also, business confidence is apparently at a 9 year high. What is going on?

On BBC Breakfast this morning, after a long run of case studies of the negative impact on business, the reporter did slip in the fact that total employment is up. Sky News is about to cover unemployment up. There must be more people in the potential workforce for both to be up.

I don't think there is a charitable explanation, though the #FT is surprising.

Newspaper headlines: Spending Review 'renewing Britain' or 'reckless splurge' Reaction to the chancellor's Spending Review dominates the front pages on Thursday.

Why have the #Times, #DailyTelegraph and #FinancialTimes changed #RachelReeves suit colour from pale green to pale blue on their front pages? Is this their less than subtle way of pushing #Reform? www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Trump administration halts Harvard’s ability to enroll international students Homeland security secretary Kristi Noem posts copy of department’s letter to university on X

This is a clear cut coordination policy intended to force independent institutions into loyalty with the regime. It is obviously the behaviour of an authoritarian state and anyone who claims otherwise needs their fucking head examined www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

"The great tragedy of Science - the slaying of a beautiful hypothesis by an ugly fact." (Huxley, 1825 - 1895)

Lincolnshire is very flat and the perfect place for Andrea Jenkin’s proposed tents to house migrants.

Granulites... Autocorrect strikes again

I thought they were granules. I once stood on them with Nick Petford and Mike Cheadle in late 1993.

He bought AAPL stock before making the announcement.

A room with a view. #FensterFreitag at the D'oyly Carte's house in Colyton Fishacre, Devon.

I have an Airbnb booking next week, but it will be my last.

COYGs!!!

Ed Conway is always worth listening to.

We got the TGV from Morlaix to Montparnasse (and back) last summer after the Olympics finished, and the train arrived and left on the second at every stop. It was surreal.

It's a tart

We were just having this conversation while listening to C4 news. If European countries are to increase defence spending they should all do it through European production. Build the euro economy and stop relying on the USA. King Donald would only limit how US arms could be used, so don't buy US.

Summary of EDF electricity prices in France

Electricity prices in France have just gone down...

8/10. Only two of those leaving were starters, and all five incoming likely to be starters. Defence looks much stronger. A muscular CF might have made it 10/10. #COYG

Even better if it was Peter Green's version of FM! COYG

1946 photograph of Sydney Harbour Bridge

Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1946. My father's photograph.

First social tennis session for nine months. I hope my knee holds up.

Gully in mud at low tide in the River Mersey

Waders enjoy the mud at low tide in the River Mersey during sunset.

Gullying and waders in the Mersey mud during last night's sunset.
My 📷

The only thing Trevor Philips has going for him is that he is not Laura Kuenssberg. Sunday morning politics is not well served by either.

Graph of Octopus Energy Agile tariff rates for 8 January 2025

Shocking electricity prices today from the @octopus.energy Agile tariff (£1 per kWh at peak between 15:00-17:00). They seem to be too embarrassed to publish tomorrow's Agile rates, which should have been out over two hours ago.

Some people in recent days have alleged a ‘cover-up’ over the grooming & rape of hundreds of young girls in predominantly northern UK towns, leading to calls for a ‘national’ public inquiry into child sexual exploitation

FWIW here’s a non-exhaustive list of inquiries into #CSE in last 12 yrs…

Or Pulis!!!!

Hopefully we see an improvement with our own eyes at Stoke on Saturday ⚽

Nothing like some data to help understand an issue. I suspect the VAT can largely be absorbed by good management of existing income.