Rick
@flipchartrick.bsky.social
Nottingham-born West Londoner. Author of Flip Chart Fairy Tales blog. Patient #NFFC supporter.
https://flipchartfairytales.wordpress.com/
https://flipchartfairytales.wordpress.com/
Twas ever thus.
This is great identifying the problem - one the UK shares with the US and other countries - although the solution remains elusive www.nytimes.com/2026/09/14/o...
September 16, 2026 at 11:14 AM
Twas ever thus.
Reposted by Rick
🔴950 people have now taken Democracy for Sale's survey about big money in British politics
How worried are you about politics for sale? Should donations be capped?
Do take the survey - and share it!
thanks 😀
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
How worried are you about politics for sale? Should donations be capped?
Do take the survey - and share it!
thanks 😀
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
How concerned are you about UK political funding? – A Democracy for Sale survey
We're Democracy for Sale, a newsletter covering dark money and influence in UK politics. We're trying to better understand our readers' and the wider public's opinions and concerns about political fun...
docs.google.com
September 16, 2026 at 9:22 AM
🔴950 people have now taken Democracy for Sale's survey about big money in British politics
How worried are you about politics for sale? Should donations be capped?
Do take the survey - and share it!
thanks 😀
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
How worried are you about politics for sale? Should donations be capped?
Do take the survey - and share it!
thanks 😀
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
“Something really broke around the 2008 financial crisis got worse around Brexit, and never really recovered.”
Excellent piece by @gilesyb.bsky.social
Excellent piece by @gilesyb.bsky.social
instituteforgov.substack.com/p/have-thing...
I have published my first ever Substack for @instituteforgovernment.org.uk . People love to say "things have never been so volatile".... What do they mean, and are they right?
I have published my first ever Substack for @instituteforgovernment.org.uk . People love to say "things have never been so volatile".... What do they mean, and are they right?
Have things ‘never been more uncertain’?
Giles Wilkes takes time out of his own Substack to talk uncertainty for The Write-Round.
instituteforgov.substack.com
September 16, 2026 at 6:24 AM
“Something really broke around the 2008 financial crisis got worse around Brexit, and never really recovered.”
Excellent piece by @gilesyb.bsky.social
Excellent piece by @gilesyb.bsky.social
Reposted by Rick
Liverpool to Manchester railway, world's first inter-city passenger service, opened on this day 1830. Tragedy struck when politician William Huskisson stepped on to the parallel track and was hit by a locomotive. Taken to nearest place on the line, Eccles, died later that day.
September 15, 2026 at 7:39 AM
Liverpool to Manchester railway, world's first inter-city passenger service, opened on this day 1830. Tragedy struck when politician William Huskisson stepped on to the parallel track and was hit by a locomotive. Taken to nearest place on the line, Eccles, died later that day.
Reposted by Rick
So the exact sort of sabotage and assassination operations the Russians have been running all across Europe, they've been running in the United States, too. No one is surprised by this... other, perhaps, that Donald Trump and Trump Jr. But then, perhaps they approve.
US charges five people linked to Russian ‘assassination network’
Indictment marks a rare accusation of Kremlin-backed plots on American soil
ft.trib.al
September 16, 2026 at 5:52 AM
So the exact sort of sabotage and assassination operations the Russians have been running all across Europe, they've been running in the United States, too. No one is surprised by this... other, perhaps, that Donald Trump and Trump Jr. But then, perhaps they approve.
Reposted by Rick
The Leader of Reform in Wales has quit, Reform MS Sarah Cooper-Lesadd has defected to Plaid Cymru and now three councillors in Durham have resigned. Just another day on our unstoppable march to power.
September 15, 2026 at 8:26 PM
The Leader of Reform in Wales has quit, Reform MS Sarah Cooper-Lesadd has defected to Plaid Cymru and now three councillors in Durham have resigned. Just another day on our unstoppable march to power.
Reposted by Rick
All day Piddington's womminfolk have been telling news how they will be terrified of "hundreds of young men nearby, free to come and go as they please." NOT ONE JOURNALIST has asked: "How did you cope when it was an army base? Who came and went then? Nuns?"
Soon as you ask that, all becomes clear.
Soon as you ask that, all becomes clear.
The people of Piddington have spoken. I say, grant them independence. Border controls. Visas to cross into the UK. Tariffs on goods. No GBP. No NHS. No benefits or pensions.
Let us know when your little lilywhite enclave has gone all Mad Max and you started eating each other. BUH-BYE!
Let us know when your little lilywhite enclave has gone all Mad Max and you started eating each other. BUH-BYE!
September 15, 2026 at 10:45 PM
All day Piddington's womminfolk have been telling news how they will be terrified of "hundreds of young men nearby, free to come and go as they please." NOT ONE JOURNALIST has asked: "How did you cope when it was an army base? Who came and went then? Nuns?"
Soon as you ask that, all becomes clear.
Soon as you ask that, all becomes clear.
Reposted by Rick
General tone in discussions today, if you think the global economy is bad today it will be worse in a few months time. Oil prices meet protectionist panic and bond market turmoil for a real storm.
September 15, 2026 at 5:45 PM
General tone in discussions today, if you think the global economy is bad today it will be worse in a few months time. Oil prices meet protectionist panic and bond market turmoil for a real storm.
Reposted by Rick
Andy Haldane almost Truss like in his wrongness. Where's the evidence that 'doing something on one of the big spending departments' would 'almost pay for itself as a growth dividend'? This is just economics by a hunch.
Andy Haldane - for it is he - calls for public spending to be slashed, as that would lower yields and thereby reap a “growth dividend”.
From @lbc.co.uk
From @lbc.co.uk
September 15, 2026 at 6:02 PM
Andy Haldane almost Truss like in his wrongness. Where's the evidence that 'doing something on one of the big spending departments' would 'almost pay for itself as a growth dividend'? This is just economics by a hunch.
Reposted by Rick
EXCL: UK ‘actively’ exploring joining Canada-led global defence bank
British officials examining proposals for UK to join the Defence, Security and Resilience Bank (DSRB) under Burnham, after proposal was rejected by Starmer
W/ @pickardje.bsky.social & Ilya Gridneff
www.ft.com/content/4e14...
British officials examining proposals for UK to join the Defence, Security and Resilience Bank (DSRB) under Burnham, after proposal was rejected by Starmer
W/ @pickardje.bsky.social & Ilya Gridneff
www.ft.com/content/4e14...
UK ‘actively’ exploring joining Canada-led global defence bank
The DSRB aims to provide low-cost financing for military initiatives
www.ft.com
September 15, 2026 at 7:18 PM
EXCL: UK ‘actively’ exploring joining Canada-led global defence bank
British officials examining proposals for UK to join the Defence, Security and Resilience Bank (DSRB) under Burnham, after proposal was rejected by Starmer
W/ @pickardje.bsky.social & Ilya Gridneff
www.ft.com/content/4e14...
British officials examining proposals for UK to join the Defence, Security and Resilience Bank (DSRB) under Burnham, after proposal was rejected by Starmer
W/ @pickardje.bsky.social & Ilya Gridneff
www.ft.com/content/4e14...
Reposted by Rick
Amazing and depressing in equal measure. Two centuries of a world in which one power enforced freedom of navigation dissolving before our eyes. I really don't think people want to see what a world without global trade would look like.
New post out:
The battle over the Strait of Hormuz combined with the Houthis capturing the coast of Yemen, is putting severe strain on the global economy.
We have an alarming guest post from a leading maritime expert on how bad things could get.
(£/free trial)
samf.substack.com/p/houthis-ho...
The battle over the Strait of Hormuz combined with the Houthis capturing the coast of Yemen, is putting severe strain on the global economy.
We have an alarming guest post from a leading maritime expert on how bad things could get.
(£/free trial)
samf.substack.com/p/houthis-ho...
Houthis, Hormuz and the “chokepoint” threat to the global economy
Today and Thursday we have two posts addressing big risks facing the global economy.
samf.substack.com
September 15, 2026 at 3:11 PM
Amazing and depressing in equal measure. Two centuries of a world in which one power enforced freedom of navigation dissolving before our eyes. I really don't think people want to see what a world without global trade would look like.
Reposted by Rick
It would be quite funny to see the CANZ part of CANZUK turn to the EU and leave the UK high and dry.
Australia and Canada are leading the way - they are choosing closer ties with the EU.
The EU is our closest partner.
The UK government should put EU membership on the table. It's really a no-brainer.
The EU is our closest partner.
The UK government should put EU membership on the table. It's really a no-brainer.
September 15, 2026 at 7:36 PM
It would be quite funny to see the CANZ part of CANZUK turn to the EU and leave the UK high and dry.
Reposted by Rick
We are in the stupidest timeline. I give up.
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...
Blindness charity targeted by anti-migrant protesters after being mistaken for RNLI
One person accused the blind people’s charity of ‘deliberately overfilling our great country with illegals’
www.independent.co.uk
September 15, 2026 at 3:19 PM
We are in the stupidest timeline. I give up.
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...
Reposted by Rick
An *entire generation* of politicians whose main idea has been "tax cuts, people like them, yeah sure the spending cuts are damaging but here's the clever bit - they don't notice or attribute them till its far too late!". Incredible.
September 5, 2026 at 7:23 AM
An *entire generation* of politicians whose main idea has been "tax cuts, people like them, yeah sure the spending cuts are damaging but here's the clever bit - they don't notice or attribute them till its far too late!". Incredible.
Reposted by Rick
I was going to work harder today but having reflected on the likely tax bill my by-then-adult children might face upon my death in 30-40 years, I'm just not sure I can be bothered
September 15, 2026 at 1:10 PM
I was going to work harder today but having reflected on the likely tax bill my by-then-adult children might face upon my death in 30-40 years, I'm just not sure I can be bothered
Reposted by Rick
Performative public lying is a hallmark of far right authoritarian parties
Sometimes, I honestly can’t believe the mega-lies delivered with a straight face.
You’d think they’d feel like idiots.
Then I wake up.
You’d think they’d feel like idiots.
Then I wake up.
Tim Scott: "Frankly, having the president for the first time in the history of this country abide and put himself and the VP under the federal laws of this country, that is a remarkable shift in the right direction. President Trump should actually be applauded."
September 15, 2026 at 1:03 PM
Performative public lying is a hallmark of far right authoritarian parties
Having a tax threshold lower than the state pension is just nuts.
Of course many pensioners were in work over the last 20 years and those in work now, will be pensioners one day. Those with just the state pension will still be poor especially if the rise takes them into tax. Those on the Right presumably would prefer everyone to make their own private provision.
State pension likely to rise by £488 a year in April
The triple lock has come under scrutiny as the number of pensioners rises making the policy more expensive.
www.bbc.co.uk
September 15, 2026 at 7:23 AM
Having a tax threshold lower than the state pension is just nuts.
Reposted by Rick
In the absence of good economic diagnosis (across Europe) then blaming others becomes more ingrained, and that is what is happening with Made in Europe. The UK telling the EU it is wrong is not working. We may escape the worse, but this is today's world. www.ft.com/content/439d...
The EU’s ‘Made in Europe’ policy spooks British industry
Bloc’s proposed restrictions threaten to cut UK companies out of valuable supply chains, including cars, energy and chemicals
www.ft.com
September 15, 2026 at 6:53 AM
In the absence of good economic diagnosis (across Europe) then blaming others becomes more ingrained, and that is what is happening with Made in Europe. The UK telling the EU it is wrong is not working. We may escape the worse, but this is today's world. www.ft.com/content/439d...
Two years after leaving @resolutionfoundation.org,
@torstenbell.bsky.social is back doing charts and stuff.
torstenbell.substack.com/p/charting-t...
@torstenbell.bsky.social is back doing charts and stuff.
torstenbell.substack.com/p/charting-t...
Charting the Course
Welcome to Charting the Course, a newsletter helping you keep your bearings on what’s really driving the politics and economy of modern Britain.
torstenbell.substack.com
September 15, 2026 at 6:41 AM
Two years after leaving @resolutionfoundation.org,
@torstenbell.bsky.social is back doing charts and stuff.
torstenbell.substack.com/p/charting-t...
@torstenbell.bsky.social is back doing charts and stuff.
torstenbell.substack.com/p/charting-t...
Reposted by Rick
Bewildered when I see grown men cycling on the pavement like a five year old.
Road, or get off and push.
Road, or get off and push.
It is not anti-cyclist to ask cyclists to respect rules & pedestrians, it is not pro-car to ask cyclists to respect rules & pedestrians, it is pro-cycling & pro-cyclist to expect cyclists to respect rules & pedestrians, it is anti-cyclist to defend aggressive cyclists before pedestrians.
September 15, 2026 at 6:32 AM
Bewildered when I see grown men cycling on the pavement like a five year old.
Road, or get off and push.
Road, or get off and push.
Apart from Zelenskyy, he is the only politician in what’s left of the democratic world showing any kind of leadership.
The new Leader of the Free World.
Canada is not seeking to become an EU 28th member - but does seek a "unique alliance" given shared interests + values. If Canada could forge a new form of association with EU, might that one day reshape options for European countries outside EU (eg UK,Ukraine,Turkey) too?
www.cbc.ca/news/politic...
www.cbc.ca/news/politic...
September 15, 2026 at 6:32 AM
Apart from Zelenskyy, he is the only politician in what’s left of the democratic world showing any kind of leadership.
Reposted by Rick
"They care less for the Olympics, Wimbledon, the Oscars or seeing the Bayeux tapestry...odd for a party that venerates British history... character counts in life—and some voters are just less fun. Control for age/education, and Reform voters are still less inclined to read a book or see a play"
September 13, 2026 at 11:08 AM
"They care less for the Olympics, Wimbledon, the Oscars or seeing the Bayeux tapestry...odd for a party that venerates British history... character counts in life—and some voters are just less fun. Control for age/education, and Reform voters are still less inclined to read a book or see a play"
I really hope I will be proved wrong here but I’m not very optimistic.
The last thing this country needs is another pleaser.
Andy Burnham is sounding more and more like Starmer 2.0 - which increases the chances that 81 MPs will decide in the end to back a death or glory leadership challenge. Today's note:
September 15, 2026 at 6:30 AM
I really hope I will be proved wrong here but I’m not very optimistic.