Not my thing, but the cartoon was always popular in the UK, Tolkien never died

Stephen, it isn’t “Britishness” the right reacts against — it’s Englishness, Scottishness, or Welshness. The reaction to The Black Scottish on TikTok made that pretty clear, and it was grimly instructive!

Louis CK one was better

It has halved my workload drafting etc is so much easier, so is basic excel analysis

A load of people (me included) who passively roll over their subscription every month felt the compulsion to cancel. It gave me the reason I should have cancelled months ago!

Retract!

This Bob Vylan furore is a distraction from finding an en... The musician’s comments at Glastonbury were somewhat inevitable – but blaming the BBC is daft

David Aaronovitch: This Bob Vylan furore is a distraction from finding an end to the bloodshed

The musician’s comments at Glastonbury were somewhat inevitable – but blaming the BBC is daft.

@davidsonofaaron.bsky.social

bit.ly/3I6GBft

Telegraph, Mail, Sun are all worse than the National

I literally do not see the point of discussing a fiscal plan for an independent Scotland. I do, though, see the point of discussing employment law and a range of other areas. You are obsessed

Sam, can you at least accept given the changing nature of devolution (most recently), North of Ireland, staying in the single market. That it's wise to do horizon scanning? I don't want another ref, but it makes sense for these issues to be continually assessed and reassessed.

I guess it depends if for capital then acceptable but a rolling deficit not so much. However, Scotland has a state that makes up more than 50% of the economy!!!!

Only 8?

It is like a traditional mob shakedown, and the UK/EU needs the US to be the security backstop in any future peace deal in Ukraine.

I guess the EU needs to use this, as it did with the 2008 crisis to strengthen areas where it is currently weak. This could be a positive in the longrun

Talk of cosying up to China is a dangerous fantasy China’s export orders hit their lowest level since 2022. A closer trade relationship is a perilous illusion

While the U.S. and China jostle, too many politicians and commentators have naively concluded the answer to trade more with the biggest mercantilist that only wants to export more to them. Dumb. Talk of cosying up to China is a dangerous fantasy

www.thetimes.com/article/018b...

I'd really love to hear what you informally think about all of this George

Maybe it's just a good place to hide their abject lack of vision

In exchange for Tea?

Yes, because the fringes of Unionism are going bananas?

I felt Paul Swinney provided a better and more insightful explanation, thanks

I really enjoyed this!

China intends to crush the trade war Beijing has retaliated against Donald Trump's tariffs — and the response was far stronger than expected.

No question that politicians and markets (now just fear) were not braced for China's escalatory response. But this doesn't mean, despite awful optics now, that there wont be a deal at some point. Interesting q is who, by then, will hold the stronger cards 1/4
www.newstatesman.com/internationa...

In the future, you'll be replaced by an A.I. bot and will be as equally insincere!

Anyway!

What about British Steel that site won't, maybe never will be profitable, so it'll exists because of subsidy

Nothing for Liz Truss?

It's what I don't really understand. The US has favoured services over goods and no wonder it has made them so incredibly wealthy.

Sam, regardless of the circumstances, this is devastating for the people of Grangemouth, and it's unacceptable that Scotland will be left without any refining capacity. I personally hold no faith in the UK&SG joint intervention

Brilliant Podcast Alan, really interesting and terrifying

Yes, there are very few who have put in more than what they've taken out!

We need to teach this in school along with basics in economy and trade.

She's got to go and her fiscal rules! Germany have binned theirs it's a changed world!

For day to day spend tax needs to be increased!

Wow, straight for the Whisky says a lot about their friendship