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David Costa

@drc1649.bsky.social
122 followers 105 following 153 posts

Retired Labour Party political operative, now WEC member and Branch Secretary - all views here entirely my own.

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Reposted by David Costa
Torsten Bell @torstenbell.bsky.social · 10h
Tories totally unfunded tax cut for the wealthiest latest: they’ve hugely underestimated the cost of their policy and therefore the borrowing splurge their plans would cause. This is absolutely mad approach to economic policy making - totally giving up on fiscal credibility
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David Costa @drc1649.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
But it survived Diane Morgan’s flatulent rendition on Last One Laughing. Perhaps that’s the ultimate test of a poem’s core strength.
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David Costa @drc1649.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
I can read Plaid Cymru like a book!
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David Costa @drc1649.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
They would say that, wouldn’t they.But the voters who switched from Labour to Plaid were promised independence was not on the agenda and that they needed to vote Plaid to stop Reform. Now Plaid are claiming a mandate for separatism. That’s the real insult to voters.
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Tim Bale @timbale.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Seconded - by any of us who've had to deal with this stuff!
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Welsh Labour @welsh-labour.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Devolution has been backed by two referendums, and continues to have majority support in opinion polls. The message is clear: people want Wales to have a stronger voice while remaining part of the UK.
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Bridget Phillipson MP @bphillipsonmp.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Reform UK has promised cuts of £100 billion, but provided no detail on where they'll be made. Now, Reform UK's favourite think tank has set out a blueprint – including getting rid of the state pension. Reform UK would take us in a dangerous direction. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
theguardian.com
Thinktank linked to Reform UK calls for abolition of state pension
‘Radical’ report likely to influence party’s platform also proposes abolishing inheritance and capital gains taxes
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Dr Chris Smith @spyhistorian.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
"The British historians wrote almost as if Britain had introduced Negro slavery solely for the satisfaction of abolishing it." Eric Williams, still on point all these decades on. All is changed while everything has stayed the same.
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Tim Bale @timbale.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
That wouldn't happen to be tax paid on profits made, in no small part, from the delusions and often outright misery of thousands upon thousands of his fellow countrymen, would it?
ft.com
UK’s top taxpayer says he would ‘not wish to be reborn’ in Britain
Betfred founder Fred Done threatens 500 shop closures over tax rises that have left him fearful for the UK’s prospects
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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
A Brexit-supporting billionaire who fled abroad so he didn’t have to pay any tax to help the people of his country says he’s lost confidence in the UK.
bbc.co.uk
Billionaire Manchester United owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe says he has lost confidence in UK
Ineos founder Sir Jim Ratcliffe tells the BBC he thinks the country is "on the slide" and calls for more investment in the North Sea.
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Dan Neidle @danneidle.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
The hospitality industry are back lobbying for a VAT cut They don't mention the cost: £12bn They don't mention who gets the £: ❌ The smallest most vulnerable businesses? Get nothing ❌ Consumers? Prices won't fall ✅ McDonald's gets £400m. Big chains are big winners 🧵:
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David Costa @drc1649.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
They’ll take anyone - see Neil McEvoy after Labour members in Riverside deselected him - and never seem to learn from their mistakes.
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The Empty City @davidallengreen.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Party that wants to retrospectively change rules so as to remove migrants also says retrospective rules on party funding are "dictatorship tactics".
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Jo Stevens MP @jostevenslabour.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
The minority Plaid Government doesn't care about the priorities of the people of Wales, like the cost of living and decent jobs. Today’s “summit” shows they can never be trusted. All they’ve ever been interested in, is pursuing independence at all cost. End of.
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John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
I do find odd that we all apparently enjoy the right to enter a hotel uninvited, go to the guest floors, knock on the doors of complete strangers on the grounds that they are not white - and yet not commit any offence.
bbc.co.uk
Group entered hotel of Pakistan cricketers mistaken for migrants
Protesters congregated at a Portsmouth hotel after false rumours that a coach of migrants had arrived.
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John O’Farrell @johnofarrell.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
In response to Oswald Mosley's Blackshirts, the Public Safety Act 1936 made it an offence under to march in uniform. The Crime and Policing Bill 2026 gave the police the power to order the removal of face coverings at a protest. We cannot stand by and allow the normalisation of fascist intimidation.
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David Costa @drc1649.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Anyone looking at the pictures can see that the thugs were wearing a uniform. Could you tell us whether the police could have acted under the Public Order Act 1936?
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David Costa @drc1649.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
Especially as he was only 3 in 1974 when we had the 3-day week and power cuts. Even in 1978/9 he would still have been at primary school and unlikely to have had any substantial homework.
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beaubodor.bsky.social @beaubodor.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
Spontaneous departure of spontaneous protestors from Dover Priory Train Station, marching to catch a spontaneous train arrival. Kent Online www.kentonline.co.uk/dover/news/l...
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John O’Farrell @johnofarrell.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
I don't think that Redwood realises that he's spent his entire political life representing the Norman governing class.
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Nathan Kalman-Lamb @nkalamb.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
this is so incredible I can’t stop laughing because he forgot to include Reagan
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James Hawes @jameshawes.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
No, Elon: it was because the conquest of Egypt (in particular) suddenly made a few Romans so unprecedentedly rich and powerful that they destroyed the Roman Republic.
Elon Musk gets it wrong.
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Dr Adrian McMenamin @adrianmcmenamin.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Women say society doesn’t take violence against women seriously and the BBC interview a man about this and allow him to turn it into a story about *his* agenda. Massive editorial failure in plain sight.
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David Costa @drc1649.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
I’ve voted for Ann Jones to continue as Welsh Labour rep on the NEC. She was a rank and file FBU rep and grassroots Labour activist when I first met her and she’s never stopped campaigning for Welsh Labour. Her values, commitment and experience make her a brilliant rep for Wales on the NEC.
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Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
Quite impressive to completely undermine your own defence and insult most of your party's elected officials in the same sentence.
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David Costa @drc1649.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
“If I was teaching your children in my Levi’s and trainers and a t-shirt, would you think that was befitting? People who we hold in high esteem should wear a certain sort of dress code to fit the part.” His use of “befitting” and idea that you wear a dress code is more worrying than his clothing.
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Max B 💙 🔶 🇺🇦 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 @maxbrockbank.com · 01/08/2026
After being eliminated in the first round of the Manchester Mayoral Election, Green candidate Geraldine Coggins said she had “no preference” on a Labour or Reform mayor. How the hell can you call yourself a progressive candidate and say you have no preference between Labour and Reform?
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David Costa @drc1649.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
Is there any data on the number of civil penalties for failure to register as electors actually imposed? And would those who fail to register be subject to the proposed fines for not voting.
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David Costa @drc1649.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
www.bbc.com/news/uk-wale... When Plaid accuse Welsh Labour of being factional for standing up for proper ALN funding, some of us recall when they sank an important public health bill in a fit of pique to “teach Labour a lesson” over a foolish remark by a minister unconnected with that bill.
bbc.com
E-cigarette law fails after 'cheap date' jibe at Plaid Cymru
A public health bill which included a ban on e-cigarette use in some public places is rejected after a Labour minister called Plaid Cymru "a cheap date".
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Welsh Labour @welsh-labour.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Congratulations to James Caruana, Splott's new Welsh Labour Councillor 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🌹
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Russell England @russellengland.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
So, there is a precedent for vetoing an MP's resignation Viscount Chelsea (Henry Cadogan) applied for the Chiltern Hundreds in 1842 The Chancellor (Goulburn) refused because, get this, Cadogan wanted to resign to obstruct an investigation for bribery h/t @fascinatorfun.bsky.social and @gazhay.com
Screenshot from the linked article, with the following text highlighted

"The noble Lord had stated, that it was unusual to refuse the Chiltern Hundreds, except on account of mental incapacity, or where proceedings were pending for the expulsion of the applicants from their seats. In this case, however, the House had decided that compromises had been entered into, which had the effect of obstructing the investigation of bribery; "
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Brent Toderian @brenttoderian.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
“After it ended, the Belgian team’s social media account had a message to the U.S. on Twitter: “Overturn this.” Perfect. #WellPlayed #Belgium
nbcsports.com
Belgium beats, then trolls, U.S. team on Monday night
Even though it was tied, 1-1, after Malik Tillman scored another goal on a free kick just outside the penalty area, it never felt close.
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Hattifattener @hattifattener.bsky.social · 06/07/2026
As in 1066 England will prevail against the Norwegians before tragically losing to the French a couple of weeks later.
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Adam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
So it turns out the massive scandal here is that Bridget Phillipson's mum bought a council house for £9k in 1990 and then sold it *33 years* later for £99k. That's the entire story
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David Costa @drc1649.bsky.social · 27/06/2026
“As the battle-scared republic reaches its milestone anniversary, however, the spirit of those ideals has rarely felt under graver threat”The Observer Weekend. While US republic is battle *scarred* it is *battle-scared* only when confronted by powerful dictators as opposed to weaker countries.
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David Costa @drc1649.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
There was explicitly continuity in her interim cabinet, but looking at the political weight in the final cabinet, you have to recognise the disproportionate importance of Health, Finance and Deputy FM compared with other roles. It wasn’t a government of mainly Gething supporters which lost in May
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David Costa @drc1649.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
Lots to reflect on here but it is absolutely untrue to say Eluned’s cabinet was “dominated by Vaughan’s supporters” - with Jeremy as a powerful Health Sec, Julie James who chaired his campaign, Deputy FM Huw I-D who nominated him and a Chief SpAd who ran his campaign + Mark who didn’t back VG.
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David Costa @drc1649.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
That’s the one - the name escaped me!
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Bridget Phillipson MP @bphillipsonmp.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
The constant chatter about private schools reminds me exactly why I do this job. We’re raising more money than expected, school offer days passed smoothly, and we’re injecting money into state schools. My focus remains on the schools attended by the majority of kids in this country.
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David Costa @drc1649.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
No. The share a bath advice came from a Tory minister concerned to minimise energy use during the 1974 miners’ strike. This may have been inspired by similar government advice during the 1926 General Strike.
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David Costa @drc1649.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
For those who joined later, don’t let anyone tell you you can’t move the value of your contributions into a private pension pot - I’m glad I checked when I stopped being a Welsh Government SpAd.
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Lizzi Collinge MP @lizzicollinge.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
And now every government dept should, belatedly, follow.
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James O’Brien @mrjamesob.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
He wouldn’t beat the 41 dead ones if they did the tests tomorrow.
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Torsten Bell @torstenbell.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
Second month in a row with inflation coming in lower than expected - with the fall last month sustained. The war in the Middle East has pushed up some prices but overall inflation in the UK has fallen this year while it has risen in other advanced economies www.ons.gov.uk/economy/infl...
ons.gov.uk
Consumer price inflation, UK - Office for National Statistics
Price indices, percentage changes, and weights for the different measures of consumer price inflation.
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Bridget Phillipson MP @bphillipsonmp.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
The Gestapo marched hundreds of thousands of innocent people to their deaths. I've ended private schools' tax breaks to invest in state schools. No responsible leader makes vile comparisons like this. Kemi Badenoch is not fit to be Prime Minister.
A quote from a Kemi Badenoch interview in the Spectator, comparing Bridget Phillipson to a Gestapo officer.
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Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
Everyone on X and elsewhere who called for a violent response should be charged with incitement. Everyone involved in the pogrom should be locked up with exemplary sentences. Govt should make it clear that will be the response in future anywhere else. Enough.
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Colm Murphy @colmpm.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
I have to say, listening to the Today programme dedicate an entire (context free) section about whether migrants are more likely to be convicted criminals *the morning after* hundreds of non-migrants of my own ethnicity committed a pogrom is blood boiling.
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David Costa @drc1649.bsky.social · 07/06/2026
If as in the rest of the article facts aren’t important to you.
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