The Economist today saying that Britain needs to embrace air conditioning as the country is getting hotter:

Exclusive: Rachel Reeves has warned cabinet ­ministers that tax rises in the autumn budget are likely to prove even more challenging than the £40 billion ­package she imposed in November The chancellor told cabinet on Tuesday that the decision to abandon welfare reforms meant

“As chief whip… he has removed the party whip from himself”

What a story

The £5 billion fiscal hole giving Rachel Reeves headaches after the benefits u-turn is just 0.18% of GDP. Scottish independence (or full fiscal autonomy) would create a fiscal hole for Scot Gov of about 10% of GDP - a problem 57 times larger than the one Reeves is wrestling with.

Ashamed to say I've only just got round to reading this New Statesman piece by Pamela Dow of Civic Future on the explosion of HR in Britain. I wish I'd read it earlier - it's the Rosetta Stone of everything that's wrong with Britain today newstatesman.com/business/2024/…

How much trouble is the govt in? Slightly longer Not Another One this week and one ep: a lot to debate! 🎙steve richards Tim Montgomerie 🇬🇧 Iain Martin open.spotify.com/episode/2hGh7H…

Unaffordable. And 75% also favour the madness of a wealth tax (which will drive much needed wealth away.) Oblivious Britain is heading for trouble. Like that Hemingway quote about bankruptcy. How do countries go bust? “Two ways. Gradually, then suddenly.”

A growth destroying wealth tax is back in fashion. It can’t be long before an incomes and price controls policy is suggested.

Simply unsustainable. To say nothing of the epic human cost in terms of lives squandered. Oblivious Britain heading for a smash with reality.

🥊 Punchy

"This is my two-year old's bedroom and it's 30 degrees." Britain's got hotter, but only 5% of British households have AC. It's time to scrap Britain's anti-AC rules and Cool Britannia!

“Massive concern over boat migrants working illegally as Deliveroo riders.” Bit late for that.

Well, that’s just the point. You are in front and we are all waiting to find out what your plan is. So far it seems to be page leads about £55.10 crazy golf for unaccompanied child illegal migrants and a lot of “how hard can governing be?” saloon bar chuntering.

India makes 150, needs 43 more to win with only one wicket in hand. Must surely be England’s day …

The BBC 6pm TV news… finally got to the massive story that Trump will send more weapons to Ukraine, paid for by Europe, and is losing it with Putin. Only after a very long item on the BBC, Gregg Wallace formerly of the BBC, and the BBC’s Masterchef.