Martin Heneghan @martinheneghan.bsky.social · 23hThe political economy of Labour’s need to raise taxes is actually remarkably simple. The most under-taxed groups in society are the self-employed, wealthy pensioners and other wealthy asset owners, none of whom tend to vote Labour. 110
Martin Heneghan @martinheneghan.bsky.social · 04/10/2026Ok, I have no life, I’m quite aware. MP Chain 🏛️ I recognised 9️⃣0️⃣ MPs in a row. How long is your chain? toys.jamesomalley.co.uk/mpchain/toys.jamesomalley.co.ukMP Chain — How many MPs can you recognise?Pick the named MP from two portraits. One wrong answer ends your chain. 121
Martin Heneghan @martinheneghan.bsky.social · 03/10/2026Reindustrialisation is no solution for good jobs in the economic periphery. With recent advances in robotics the input from labour could approach zero. Conversely, retrofitting households & infrastructure for climate change will be heavily labour intensive. That should be the focus of politicians. 172
Martin Heneghan @martinheneghan.bsky.social · 30/09/2026Has assessment been redesigned? I must have missed that one. Also, would love to know if any learning takes places whatsoever in so-called AI-integrated assessments. www.timeshighereducation.com/opinion/asse...timeshighereducation.comAssessment has been redesigned for the AI era. Why hasn’t marking?We should mark a student’s distance travelled, rather than judging them solely on the absolute quality of a final output, says Emma Ransome 000
Martin Heneghan @martinheneghan.bsky.social · 29/09/2026Absolutely. And this relates to a discussion on here yesterday regarding the breakdown in social science research informing policy. Novel policy solutions much more likely to come from academia. 011
Martin Heneghan @martinheneghan.bsky.social · 29/09/2026Can't dismiss it having some impact in marginals, but only 20% of over 70s voted Lab in 2024. Maybe the electoral canon on older voters isn't valid in 2026. The narrative on what you are doing instead is very important. Something Starmer/Reeves simply ignored. www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...theguardian.comBurnham is told axing pension triple lock would be ‘electoral suicide’ as he prepares to address Labour conference – UK politics liveUnion leader says getting rid of triple lock not ‘the right thing’ as the PM prepares to lay out his ‘hope comes from honesty’ vision in Liverpool this afternoon 140
Martin Heneghan @martinheneghan.bsky.social · 28/09/2026Yes, it is very depressing! I had hoped a change in government would have led to a much deeper engagement with evidence and research, as I assumed the modern Labour Party was more inclined towards it. It has been deeply disappointing to witness such a wilful refusal to engage with research. 010
Martin Heneghan @martinheneghan.bsky.social · 26/09/2026An interesting social policy angle to this is how rights have been granted with an implicit assumption very few people will exercise them. AI democratises the excercising of rights but at the same time will overwhelm state capacity. 020
Martin Heneghan @martinheneghan.bsky.social · 24/09/2026Truly excellent long read here from @hettieobrien.bsky.social on the people, their ideological camps, and their ideas shaping Burnham's govt. A lot of work must have gone into this, talking to a broad range of insiders & experts. Hats off to some great journalism! www.theguardian.com/news/ng-inte...theguardian.comLabour’s last chance? The people shaping Andy Burnham’s grand plans for BritainThe long read: The new prime minister has declared he wants to end 40 years of neoliberalism. But is he really prepared to be that radical? 174
Reposted by Martin HeneghanStephen Bush @stephenkb.bsky.social · 21/09/2026Some people seem to think I'm referring to, I don't know, Coldplay's later works not hitting the same way, no, I mean this. This objectively sucks! 1522144
Martin Heneghan @martinheneghan.bsky.social · 18/09/2026If you had belief in your abilities you would relish a conference ahead of a by-election, if you're a smaller party. It's the only time the broadcast media will defo give you some airtime. I know the "ground war" (door knocking) is crucial but so is the "air war". www.theguardian.com/politics/202...theguardian.comPolanski request to postpone Greens’ conference to focus on byelection refused by partyExclusive: Leader understood to have wanted to concentrate on Holborn and St Pancras campaign in London but executive committee voted against plan 000
Martin Heneghan @martinheneghan.bsky.social · 15/09/2026Love this! And a timely reminder to read this book, which has been sat on my shelf for a few months… 030
Reposted by Martin HeneghanDuncan Weldon @duncanweldon.bsky.social · 14/09/2026The Bank of England has been operationally independent for almost 30 years. For almost two thirds of that time, QE has been a thing. 2189
Reposted by Martin HeneghanJessica Elgot @jessicaelgot.bsky.social · 12/09/2026“We’ve got a massive majority by mistake!” “Does anyone know any centre left crypto billionaires?” 854195
Martin Heneghan @martinheneghan.bsky.social · 11/09/2026Interesting intervention from Draghi charting a path for Europe to benefit from AI growth without falling into geopolitical and oligarchical traps. giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/... Europe’s difficult choices on AIgiftarticle.ft.comEurope’s difficult choices on AIData is the one area where it can still be sovereign and it has the greatest potential to generate growth 132
Martin Heneghan @martinheneghan.bsky.social · 09/09/2026So much of what is presented as differences by ethnicity, with the white working-class falling behind, is actually a case of place-based differences. In terms of social mobility there are significant advantages to living in London regardless of class or ethnicity. www.theguardian.com/inequality/2...theguardian.comMinisters to put white working-class people in UK at heart of new equalities unitBridget Phillipson to announce creation of unit which will make class a key part of its equalities agenda 122
Reposted by Martin HeneghanStanley Pignal @spignal.bsky.social · 04/09/202610 tips if you're moderating a panel. Trust me I have learned these the hard way by watching 1000 bad ones (including with me in the chair), and a few great ones. Panels need to be lively, engaging and enlightening. Here's a few pointers on how to make that happen (if you're lucky). 59417
Reposted by Martin HeneghanChris Cook @chriscook.news · 03/09/2026is there anything to be said for another by-election? 1396
Reposted by Martin HeneghanSam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · 02/09/2026We need to get "UK bond prices are affected by things other than UK government policy" posters in a big font for the press rooms in Parliament. 1835073
Martin Heneghan @martinheneghan.bsky.social · 29/08/2026Eyeing up a Burnham path to PM? Lots of parallels. 031
Martin Heneghan @martinheneghan.bsky.social · 29/08/2026“Britons will do anything to keep their high streets alive other than actually visit them” Acerbic as ever 😊 Britain needs better billionaires economist.com/britain/2026... from The Economisteconomist.comBritain needs better billionairesMike Ashley is not an aberration of British capitalism. He is the norm 000
Martin Heneghan @martinheneghan.bsky.social · 27/08/2026Genuine question (not a statement): Will we look back on it as a major mistake that higher education got so entangled with career prospects and preparing students for the labour market? 000
Martin Heneghan @martinheneghan.bsky.social · 24/08/2026If you had to read the AI-generated slop some students submit for their assessments you would never conclude it was constructed by a conscious entity. 130
Reposted by Martin HeneghanMatt Novak @paleofuture.bsky.social · 22/08/2026I don’t consider myself particularly adept at spotting AI-generated text but this statement from Paramount about Mark Ruffalo was so clearly written with AI. “…aren't just wrong — they're a bridge too far…” 2353076
Martin Heneghan @martinheneghan.bsky.social · 21/08/2026Brilliant thread here and very thought-provoking regarding early assumptions on the impact of AI on the jobs market. 000
Martin Heneghan @martinheneghan.bsky.social · 21/08/2026Excellent as always from @jburnmurdoch.ft.com. I do wonder though whether the economic tide is shifting away from the head towards the hand in the "head, hand, heart" job typology framework. Gen AI is outpacing robotics. Something the author knows a lot more about than me! www.ft.com/content/4b7b...ft.comFeminism didn’t kill the male breadwinner model, the economy didYoung non-graduate men face unique setbacks 120
Martin Heneghan @martinheneghan.bsky.social · 15/08/2026If you write “a shocking twist” for your blurb about a piece of fiction you basically ruin the book for anyone who reads your blurb. I guessed the shocking twist straight away. I never would have even thought about the twist if I hadn’t noticed that stupid blurb on the cover. 000
Reposted by Martin HeneghanStephen Bush @stephenkb.bsky.social · 15/08/2026Thoughtful piece by @davidsonofaaron.bsky.social:davidaaronovitch.substack.comIcarus fallingA further thought on the tragic Arday affair 2824950
Martin Heneghan @martinheneghan.bsky.social · 14/08/2026He’s been prime minister for five minutes and he’s already playing with the emergency alert. 13837230
Martin Heneghan @martinheneghan.bsky.social · 14/08/2026I hope the gimmickry from Burnham is short-lived. I can understand he wants to be seen to be 'doing something' but the disposable bbq ban being his only significant climate change policy thus far is starting to feel emblematic of his approach to politics in general. We need big change & new ideas. 041
Martin Heneghan @martinheneghan.bsky.social · 12/08/2026Amazing what a mismatch between supply and demand for eclipse glasses there has been given how long we’ve known the solar eclipse is due! 011
Martin Heneghan @martinheneghan.bsky.social · 11/08/2026He needs to put ‘American candy’ shops top of the list to crack down on. giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/... Andy Burnham to crack down on vape and betting shops in bid to boost British high streetsgiftarticle.ft.comAndy Burnham to crack down on vape and betting shops in bid to boost British high streetsCouncils will be given extra powers to curb unwanted retailers and ‘bring town centres back to life’ 010
Martin Heneghan @martinheneghan.bsky.social · 04/08/2026Some really good points here. Namely that Fifa is both the regulator of world football and its main commercial actor. giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/... Infantino is not the problem ogiftarticle.ft.comInfantino is not the problemFifa’s regulatory functions must be separated from its commercial activities 000
Martin Heneghan @martinheneghan.bsky.social · 02/08/2026Given a lot of focus this week is on global imbalances, I thought I’d give this book a plug because it excellently explains the source of current global tensions: wage suppression in China, Germany… and inequality in the US, which oddly makes it both victim and participant. 000
Martin Heneghan @martinheneghan.bsky.social · 01/08/2026As an economics graduate I will be forever grateful for the genius of the Big Mac index in helping to explain purchasing power parity and exchange rate values in such a fun and innovative way. Happy 40th Birthday. 140
Martin Heneghan @martinheneghan.bsky.social · 30/07/2026UEFA and CONMEBOL should threaten to create their own tournament and then FIFA is finished. 020
Martin Heneghan @martinheneghan.bsky.social · 29/07/2026Just finished this. An absolute must-read. A huge amount of work has gone into this book through an ambitious five-year project: The IFS Deaton Review of Inequalities. It is evident on every page, challenging conventional left and right thinking. 010
Martin Heneghan @martinheneghan.bsky.social · 29/07/2026Very well argued piece here on how essential foundational knowledge in philosophy and mathematics is, alongside prior discipline-specific knowledge, in the age of AI. www.timeshighereducation.com/opinion/ai-m...timeshighereducation.comAI makes foundational knowledge more important than everAmong the elements of the shared core grammar all students need, mathematics and philosophy deserve special mention, says Manu Kapur 000
Martin Heneghan @martinheneghan.bsky.social · 28/07/2026We must have the stupidest property taxes in the developed world. So it’s disappointing Burnham has indicated they won’t be revisited. Yes there are major obstacles to reform but they are nothing that some targeted opt outs and deferments (stamp duty) and regional carve outs (London) can’t solve. 020
Martin Heneghan @martinheneghan.bsky.social · 28/07/2026A lot of criticism on here of Burnham’s proposals for schools to adapt education to local business needs. I think some need to ask themselves whether the current system is really working? A system that provides general skills simply leads to a concentration of skills in a small number of places. 200
Martin Heneghan @martinheneghan.bsky.social · 27/07/2026You’d have to temporarily exempt those who had recently purchased a house from the tax to avoid uproar. 020
Martin Heneghan @martinheneghan.bsky.social · 27/07/2026In a functioning democracy one would expect the decoupling of economic growth from economic sentiment to lead to wholesale political change to bring prosperity to a decisive number of voters. 100
Martin Heneghan @martinheneghan.bsky.social · 26/07/2026Just watched The Insider interview with Elon Musk. Nothing to add that hasn’t already been said other than it was the most intense 90 minutes I’ve experienced for a very long time. 100
Martin Heneghan @martinheneghan.bsky.social · 24/07/2026Enjoyed @samfr.bsky.social's substack on Burnham's cabinet choices and what it indicates for how he plans to govern. Best analysis I've seen so far; I think there is cause for some cautious optimism that Burnham could get to grips with the UK's long-term problems. samf.substack.com/p/a-theory-o...samf.substack.comA theory of powerBurnham's cabinet choices and changes to No. 10 000