ejoftheweb.bsky.social
A Londoner living in France: woke liberal socialist, empiricist. Likes food, dancing, gardening, interested in politics, economics, environment. Likely to block bigots and denialists of any stripe; will block crypto bros etc.
Signal: ejoftheweb-57
2,342 posts
531 followers
789 following
Regular Contributor
Active Commenter
comment in response to
post
I think there is some limited evidence that support for indy is growing, and I don't think the by-election result changes that. It's just that anti-incumbency is a stronger force right now. My sis & BiL are disillusioned with the SNP but would vote as strongly for indy now as they did in 2014.
comment in response to
post
Nah. It's a Holyrood election, not everything is about indy. Lots of Scots indy supporters are also tired of the SNP, which happens to all parties of government after a long period of incumbency. I have no doubt Scottish Labour would do even better if they weren't so Yoon though.
comment in response to
post
Great post. I think this Labour falling into its old habits of taking its core vote for granted. It took Scotland - for granted and lost it to the SNP, and likewise lost the 'Red Wall' to Johnson, now Reform. It is on course to lose the metropolitan multicultural vote too.
comment in response to
post
Those who were older then remembered the war. The 80+ generation voted Remain in 2016 too. The Leaverists in 2016 were mostly airfix patriots like François.
comment in response to
post
This is the only reason to keep an account on the other place. It's not quite as effective as it used to be, but it's still the best way of getting corporates to respond.
comment in response to
post
The old west wants to protect its steel industry but also develop cutting edge technology while decarbonising, attract the brightest and best but not many others, has an ageing population and infrastructure tangled up with budget issues, while being world leaders - try to make coherence from that.
comment in response to
post
Up to a point. Making it simpler, more progressive and more transparent will also make it easier to raise enough for what needs to be done. Special levies add complexity, and complexity makes tax more regressive.
comment in response to
post
Indeed. Maudling's great bribe to owner-occupiers has been slowly whittled down since tnen, but it is still significant. We are long overdue a land value tax, which I remember being Liberal Party policy as Site Value Rating in the 70s and 80s. I'm such a nerd.
comment in response to
post
It's absolutely fine spacing for saplings - if unnaturally regular. Naturally many seedlings could be closer than that. Most will die or be thinned as the stand matures, leaving a much bigger final spacing. Being so close, the young crowns will shade out the grass sooner too.
comment in response to
post
We are enjoying the remote rural life, particularly at this time of year. Winter is very boring though. Post-covid, we are back to the 2-3 weekly cross-Channel commute, but reversed from our working days. We are still very much Londoners! (and think London needs its own Devo-Max, fwiw).
comment in response to
post
Yes, I do - because I don't have a vote in France. Were I to have one, I would reconsider voting in London. And because I still have a foot firmly in Brixton. Back as usual for the Country Show this w/e, and a fortnight later for T&I's do.
comment in response to
post
No, you are both Londoners. There are no neat answers to any of this. Self-determination is a key principle of decolonisation, but it leaves unsaid the question of borders, which can get vexed. As it has done on the island of Ireland and in many other places. But always residence before blood.
comment in response to
post
which is irrelevant to any homelessness debate. It's often picked up by nimbys opposed to housing developments though.
comment in response to
post
This is, of course, a counsel of perfection. I should have a vote in France, where I live, but I don't. I do have a vote in London, where I only live for a small amount of the time.
comment in response to
post
I beg to differ. The only people whose views on the future of Scotland matter are the people who live in Scotland, whatever their heritage. People with Scots heritage who choose to live outside Scotland may should have a say only in the matters of their adopted home.
comment in response to
post
It's the City mentality. Stretch the rules. The more you can get away with on the regulatory boundaries, the more money you make.
comment in response to
post
Noted. It’s been weaponized in many ways too—distorted by the right for example in their “classical liberal” garbage. But the core of liberalism, the core of the American revolution, of the French republics, of today’s free societies, SK and Japan and stable societies worldwide, is equality
comment in response to
post
But: the question is where these homes are.
It's like 'tax the rich' - sure, because equity, but it's not going to pay for all those nice-to-haves. Ditto, 'put homeless in the empty homes'. Lots of work has been done on this.
comment in response to
post
Also, the favourable tax treatment of owner-occupation since 1963 has arguably diverted savings into unproductive bricks-and-mortar rather than productive plant and machinery...
comment in response to
post
7. Property tax is broken. Stamp duty stops people moving house, and gums up the labour market. Business rates share responsibility for the state of the high street. Council tax is a farce, based on 1991 valuations. Replace it all with a modern land tax. taxpolicy.org.uk/2024/06/09/s...
comment in response to
post
There are so many more. But politicians have to stop seeing tax as just a tap you turn to raise more/less money. It's also intrinsically linked to economic growth. And any growth agenda that doesn't include tax reform is a bust.
comment in response to
post
It's not just a bias against employment it's a bias against *work* (and it's nuts)
comment in response to
post
4. End the tax system's bias against employment. Kill national insurance and move it into income tax. Don't raise tax overall - so for the average worker it would be a tax cut. taxpolicy.org.uk/2024/07/04/a...
comment in response to
post
maps are great but ppl under 30 just go 'why'? and look at their phones. They don't know street names or landmarks either.
comment in response to
post
with any power. Ireland has a popularly elected figurehead - loved by all, but effectively powerless.
comment in response to
post
Variety? I am gutted that our local grower who always had some Mara des Bois has given up. Everything else in the market is just sweet with no actual strawberry flavour.
comment in response to
post
Well yes. But ultimately, of course, citizens are responsible for the fate of every democracy. Real education is the best defence against populism; which is why populists always want to dumb down education.
comment in response to
post
Education should be about producing confident and critical citizens, not compliant wage-slaves.
Confident and critical citizens are also likely to be the most productive workers.
comment in response to
post
I think they should be made to order. Otherwise they need to be wrapped or they will go stale in minutes, and if they're wrapped it might as well be Pret.
comment in response to
post
Backwards is the answer. I usually did it that way: not Mum though, despite her Parkinson's. We tried to ban her from using them but she wouldn't listen.
comment in response to
post
Most councils are, or will shortly become social care providers who happen to have a weird sideline in bins.
comment in response to
post
The blue is much more evident than the labour part. And it's definitely got a turqoisey tinge.
comment in response to
post
Lot fewer older people then.
comment in response to
post
My mum had those going up to her loft. You have to start on the correct foot and they're fine. Otherwise... She used them even at the height of her Parkinson's. Sometimes got stuck half-way up but never fell.
comment in response to
post
🍽️ and considerably more lime peel achar than we need: time to find something else to do with squeezed limes.... 🍽️
comment in response to
post
Imo rugby is a sport far better enjoyed in high-definition on a big screen from the comfort of one's own sofa, with tea and scones at half-time.
comment in response to
post
Every species should have a taxonomic history section, on a separate tab like wikipedia.
comment in response to
post
I don't even bother with looking at their face. If they're driving a BMW, there's no need.