Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 3hHe could retaliate and block access to Warrington, a town (Nandy loyalists would not want to visit a city) 010
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 6hI wondered which was the sponsoring department of the BL and thus which is the responsible SoS. No surprise it’s the somnolent DCMS 010
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 6hThe only time I’ve handled a £50 note was to pay election deposit(s) for a RO who wouldn’t accept bank transfers 110
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 18hI was surprised to stumble across his grave in Gargrave. No one I was with at the time had any idea why this was interesting 001
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 21hDoesn’t that make it mince day, rather than no mince day? Mince early or miss out 100
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 07/10/2026Presumably only if they don’t need to sell it to pay for social care. 260
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 06/10/2026“I'm an engineer. I analyse systems. I like to know how things work, and I love to fix things that are broken”* * ‘systems and things’ here excludes what she’s talking about, what it costs, how quickly it could be done, and why this is the right policy. Obvs. 000
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 06/10/2026Society on Wednesday, Environment/Science Thursday (fewer jobs, easier to deliver!) 010
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 06/10/2026Media on Monday and Education on Tues. How many job ads dictated how easy it was for the delivery boy (me!) to get the round done quickly. 100
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 06/10/2026Or didn’t vote but has forgotten that - election came and went with little impact on him 020
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 06/10/2026Conservatives in 2029: ‘only now have we had the opportunity to look at the books and now know we can’t fulfill that promise because……’ 030
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 05/10/2026I think we learnt from Griffiths’ media round that house building targets were bad, councillors will be able to vote against new houses so leafy villages will not have their fields built on. And presumably, the ‘house building crisis’ (his words) will be solved through magic 100
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 04/10/2026Trying to understand this Tory parties motivations is a mugs game, but I wonder if it’s similar to the IHT card they like playing - not many affected but many think or aspire to be affected 100
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 04/10/2026I wonder about the reporter’s definition of ‘teenage’ when it includes ‘12 years old’ 060
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 03/10/2026assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67e51a... suggests average cost per place of £35k, so total revenue cost of their scheme would be £1.75Bn leaving not a lot for capexassets.publishing.service.gov.uk 010
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 03/10/2026If we pretend to take it seriously, Prisons had a budget of c£8Bn, they say £2Bn a year increase to cover the capital and revenue costs of a 60% increase in places. Doesn’t come close, does it? 152
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 02/10/2026His imprint says he’s from Bristol. Thames may be innocent of the brain poisoning here 140
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 02/10/2026I think the fundamental strategy is right, and it’s a more coherent electorate than ever before. But it’s so low profile, even more at risk of buffeting from external factors than most LD strategies, and unimaginative in policy. 000
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 02/10/2026It rained this morning too, not far from Manchester either. Disappointing this is still going on. 240
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 01/10/2026Even if you 100% knew the identity of every traitor, you’d still pick Rajan first 040
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 30/09/2026Politicians prepared to make a case, have an argument, try to persuade. And then decide and accept the consequences. Nice to see that basic part of the job again 010
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 30/09/2026The weaponisation from Farage/Tories seems to be they’re taking something away from pensioners. A battle line of a few extra £ on your pension or better care when you get old seems winnable for anyone who can communicate 000
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 30/09/2026Fuel thieves obviously a greater threat than gangs of masked thugs closing national infrastructure 000
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 30/09/2026Notable that Caroline Lucas criticised the Burnham speech on environmental grounds. Polanski? Not so much 110
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 30/09/2026St Kemi wasn’t in charge then. They’ve seen the light and are a different party (I mock, obv, but they reject their past more than any other just defeated party I can remember) 000
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 29/09/2026Elected as MP at 30, so unless he practiced whilst an MP, obv possible, can’t be that long 100
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 29/09/2026The reverse-May. Pitch roll until the manifesto is an anti-climax 010
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 29/09/2026They’re not inconsistent! Feels there’s quite a bit of detail across the speech to understand (need a red book for leader’s speeches!) 010
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 29/09/2026Maybe that’s a significant announcement - perhaps I’m overly sceptical that unless it’s spelt out its perm, I’ll assume it’s temp. 110
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 29/09/2026Third time it’s been announced! www.gov.uk/government/p...gov.ukTemporary zero rate of VAT in Great Britain for domestic electricity 110
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 29/09/2026The Fall of the West, 10 Years to Save the West. The common concerns of Truss and Jones 011
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 29/09/2026We need someone who can explain things well, and is believed by the left, to explain using simple numbers why the wealth tax isn’t the solution to everything. The magical thinking over wealth tax & benefits cuts (it’s sibling on the right) kills debate over how to make the country better 100
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 29/09/2026You too, can destroy the world if you give me more money. The Arms Dealers of the 70s reincarnated as techbro in the 20s 021
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 28/09/2026‘Slow moving slosh of water’. Wish they wouldn’t use such technical language 020
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 28/09/2026I always feel a whole day is insufficient. Other, lesser, counties have days. We should at least pitch for Yorkshire Week 130
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 28/09/2026When it says ‘under-performing’ that implies rising house prices are a good thing. ‘London housing suffers less inflation than rUK’? 170
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 28/09/2026‘As part of the BBC Charter negotiations, we propose closing the BBC Politics Dept. That will enhance the reputation of BBC News and pay for lots of public services’ 030
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 27/09/2026My paint goo needed scraping off. Book proposal: Don’t Do It My Way - DIY mistakes I’ve made 010
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 27/09/2026Good Leaders tell us what we should hear and persuade us it’s for the best. mmm, been a while 010
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 27/09/2026Tbf to politicians, we voters are even more delusional 110
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 27/09/2026I see he’s a Prof of accountancy at Sheffield, the same institution Mr Murphy hail(ed)s from. Wonder if graduates from there get into big 4 accounting to undermine from within 020
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 27/09/2026The answer will be the ethereal benefits cuts and efficiencies, that the last Tory government didn’t implement because they weren’t run by St Kemi. The journalist test will be how good the follow-up Q is 110
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 27/09/2026Anyone surprised by this apparently random set of views should spend some time canvassing (pick a normal street, pick a mainstream party, discover people have odd views) 1150
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 27/09/2026Doesn’t have to be either/or, does it. Have the big vision for after the election, improve small things - which make some lives better and saves NHS a bit of money, now 000
Stephen Smith @gsds3.bsky.social · 27/09/2026It’s those most fervent about their Britishness who are least British. 020
