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palserdavid.bsky.social

@palserdavid.bsky.social
116 followers 70 following 70 posts

Bit old, bit sad, always optimistic.

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Reposted by @palserdavid.bsky.social
David Henig @davidheniguk.bsky.social · 3h
Seeing news of various public spending cuts across Europe and it is all part of the story of a continent failing to come to terms with an interconnected world and ageing society in which competitiveness is declining and social demands rising.
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Extreme Temperatures Around the World @extremetemps.bsky.social · 4h
ABSOLUTE MADNESS 47C IN THE EMIRATES Mind blowing October heat continues 47.2C Swiehan HOTTEST OCTOBER DAY EVER IN THE EMIRATES Record High Minimums 31.9C Dubai OMAN 31.5 Buraimi 30.8 Sunaynah Records in INDIA 38.2 Yavatmal 37.0 Punalur 36.5 Buldhana HIGH MIN 24.7 Ahmednagar
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Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 4h
Could Asda or Morrisons vanish within a decade? It will be a blow to many. Both owned by private equity, loaded with debt, cut staffing/wages, low investment, strangled by asset-stripping, struggling to compete, losing market share. What future for others being devoured by private equity?
theguardian.com
Supermarket shake-up: why Asda or Morrisons could vanish within a decade
Talks between Sainsbury’s and Morrisons have set industry tongues wagging, with analysts saying the market is ripe for change
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Chris Grey @chrisgrey.bsky.social · 4h
Coming on top of the axing of The World Tonight it really seems as if #BBC are determined to wreck R4. Especially depressing that Thinking Allowed will go - SFAIK it's the only programme in UK media dedicated to (mainly academic) social science research. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
BBC to cut raft of Radio 4 programmes including You and Yours
The corporation said it would be investing in a new consumer programme, while announcing more cuts.
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Reposted by @palserdavid.bsky.social
Emma Monk @monkemma.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
🧵 Matt Goodwin demanded to be fact-checked live on air when he claimed the UK spent "£100 million PER YEAR on family planning and condoms in Pakistan". He then 'corrected' himself to £74.3 million, saying it was based on a "major news story from October 2025" He was, of course, still wrong... 1/30
Screenshot of LBC tweet:

How much has the UK actually spent on condoms in Pakistan? 

Henry Riley is sceptical about Matt Goodwin's numbers so the reform politician calls himself to be fact-checked live on air.
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Extreme Temperatures Around the World @extremetemps.bsky.social · 6h
More record heat in California and Mexico 93F Montague New October record Min 29.2C/85F Santa Rosalia MX Record hottest October night Next days exceptiomal summer heat will move to the Rockies and Central Plains
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Reposted by @palserdavid.bsky.social
Leonardo Carella @leonardocarella.bsky.social · 9h
In other words, a 10 percent contraction in one of Britain’s most successful exports. If it were steel or fish or other infinitely less profitable sectors, people would be having a meltdown.
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James Murray @james-bg.bsky.social · 7h
There's something really odd and worrying going on in the green quarters of the labour market. There's growing demand and good wages for key technical roles, yet numbers are static or even falling as people retire and are not being replaced. www.businessgreen.com/news-analysi...
businessgreen.com
Under water: Will a shortage of plumbers derail the clean energy transition?
New JTL analysis warns the number of plumbers in England’s workforce could fall by 30 per cent by 2039, despite growing demand for skilled workers to deliver the net zero transition
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Prof. Eliot Jacobson @climatecasino.net · 7h
As of October 7, the preliminary Niño 3.4 sea-surface temperature once again rose above 30.0°C. Below is a graph showing a timeline for the Niño 3.4 SST for every day from January 1, 1982 through yesterday. The Climate 8-Ball is busy calculating p(Doom).
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Extreme Temperatures Around the World @extremetemps.bsky.social · 8h
SOUTH AMERICA RECORD HEAT 8th day out of 8 of October record hot nights from Ecuador to Chile MINIMUMS 26.8C Salinas ECUADOR OCTOBER HOTTEST NIGHT EVER again ! PERU 25.8C Tumbes CHILE 19.9C Iquique
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Extreme Temperatures Around the World @extremetemps.bsky.social · 9h
Record heat never ends in South and Southeast Asia 36.3C Kuantan MALAYSIA Monthly record broken 8 days out of 8 (it already broke a dozen times that of September). Min 28.5C Hanimadhoo MALDIVES October Highest Minimum re-broken
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Reposted by @palserdavid.bsky.social
Dan Neidle @danneidle.bsky.social · 10h
Kemi Badenoch wants to exempt the family home from inheritance tax. But that creates a perverse incentive for elderly people to *upsize* to save IHT. That could double the cost of the policy, and push £100bn+ from savings into housing. A 🧵 on bad tax cuts.
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Inequality News @inequalitynews.bsky.social · 10h
🚨 Many good points raised here...🔽 www.theguardian.com/business/202...
theguardian.com
Beware rightwing economic myths such as ‘maxing out the nation’s credit card’ | Letters
Letters: Readers respond to an article in which Larry Elliott argues that Andy Burnham must challenge neoliberal nostrums
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Reposted by @palserdavid.bsky.social
David Henig @davidheniguk.bsky.social · 11h
Solar panels are always the giveaway that any accusations of "overcapacity" are basically "we resent China winning" since the price keeps coming down even though China dominates the market, and that is changing the world - for good. ourworldindata.org/grapher/sola... ustr.gov/sites/defaul...
ourworldindata.org
Solar photovoltaic panel prices
Average price of solar modules, expressed in US dollars per watt, adjusted for inflation.
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Reposted by @palserdavid.bsky.social
Prof. Eliot Jacobson @climatecasino.net · 10h
Your 'moment of doom' for Oct. 8, 2026 ~ Moloch! "A natural rainforest shouldn’t burn. It’s too wet. So even the fact that we create and see these fires that spread into the Amazon is already some kind of tipping point." insideclimatenews.org/news/0710202...
insideclimatenews.org
Compounding Climate Impacts Drive Tropical Forest Decline - Inside Climate News
Extreme heat, drought and ozone from fire emissions are devastating the Amazon and other rainforests, new research shows.
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Prof. Eliot Jacobson @climatecasino.net · 11h
The latest CFSv2 plume for El Niño as of October 7th shows that this El Niño has about a 90% chance to persist into May, 2027 And I don't understand how any model run could show less than 3.4°C for November, unless some magic unicorn comes along.
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Ian Dunt @iandunt.bsky.social · 11h
Very good and clear-sighted piece about what's going on with French bonds. It ain't great and the potential consequences would be ruinous for pro-Europeans paulkrugman.substack.com/p/whats-the-...
paulkrugman.substack.com
What’s the Matter With France?
Is Europe’s #2 economy too big to save?
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Inequality News @inequalitynews.bsky.social · 13h
🤮 Where the idiocy of 40+ years of Thatcherism and Thatcherism-lite has got us - the super-rich and their corporations are on the attack at the same time as the state is retreating and leaving us all defenceless... www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
theguardian.com
Stockpile food – and wash your hands: is that really how to prepare for environmental catastrophe? | George Monbiot
The UK state is dumping its responsibilities on our doorsteps, while green-lighting policies that lead us closer to crisis, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot
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Extreme Temperatures Around the World @extremetemps.bsky.social · 13h
Record heat again in GUYANA MINIMUM of 27.2C at Lethem in The Amazons, near the Brazilian border Hottest October night in history. Previous record:yesterday Lethem has broken records of all months of 2026,previously were from 2025,2024 and 2023. Insane.
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Wolfgang Blau @wblau.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
next time someone suggests ‘climate realism’ or ‘climate pragmatism’: sure thing, how about being ‘realistic’? Wouldn’t that be nice, your ‘pragmatism’?
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David Henig @davidheniguk.bsky.social · 14h
This time three years ago I was very confident there would be a workround on UK-EU electric vehicles, I'm less sure this time, the politics around China is less favourable and hence why the UK may have to put more on the table.
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Jan Rosenow @janrosenow.bsky.social · 14h
NEW RESEARCH: Energy bills nearly doubled in 2020–23. But England's official fuel poverty rate barely moved. We think it’s time for a better fuel poverty indicator. Our paper sets out an alternative that responds to price shocks. doi.org/10.1016/j.en...
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Ed Conway @edconway.bsky.social · 15h
📽️ WHAT IF THE GAS RUNS OUT? If the UK's gas supplies fail it turns out there's an emergency plan. A strict hierarchy about who is cut off first: Europe, then power stations, then industry, then homes. Our film on the scenario no one wants to talk about👇 youtu.be/sKDnZz4wypI?...
youtu.be
Storage worries and supply failures: Preparing for the next energy crisis | Ed Conway explains
YouTube video by Sky News
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David Henig @davidheniguk.bsky.social · 15h
Years ago I was a UK rep in a meeting with other EU Member States and a senior Commission official said "Our door is always open... that's our problem..." We need to understand that approach - and not read too much into it now the UK is a third country. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
'Come all the way' back to EU, French finance minister tells Britain
Roland Lescure tells the BBC that being in the bloc enables members to better address the challenges facing the world.
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Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 15h
Private equity owners of Boots sell it to another PE group from Canada for £6.74bn. Debt-laden PE has no long-term interest. Everything is a commodity. No UK tax levied on dividends paid to foreign owners, which sweetens cash extraction. PE dominates town centres, when it crashes ...
theguardian.com
Canada’s Weston family buys Boots for $8.9bn
Former Selfridges owners buy UK high street institution from long-term backer Stefano Pessina
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Richard Murphy @richardjmurphy.bsky.social · 15h
Neoliberalism is failing, but what is it? This is a new version of our infographic on neoliberalism. AI drew the image. I wrote the text.
An infographic on neoliberalism
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Semafor @semafor.com · 30/09/2026
Visitors to the US are on track to drop by almost two million year-on-year. “We’re the only major country in the world losing visitation,” the head of the US Travel Association said. “It’s mind-boggling.” www.semafor.com/article/09/2...
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The Bishop 🇬🇧🇪🇺 @fritzbischoff.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Oops… seems the 🇺🇸 US is rapidly becoming something of a no-go zone for foreign tourists.
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Extreme Temperatures Around the World @extremetemps.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
More exceptional heat in SOUTH AMERICA All time record at Jaen in PERU with the first 40C in its history:40.0C In COLOMBIA More Monthly records: 38.2 Arauca 22.0 San Luis
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Robert Saunders @robertsaunders.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Badenoch says that Labour "don’t get a clean slate just because they have changed leader". Yet whenever she's challenged on the Conservatives' record in government, she dismisses the question on the grounds that she wasn't leader then...
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Extreme Temperatures Around the World @extremetemps.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
INSANE MIDDLE EAST HEAT 46C DAY 33C NIGHT The most extreme event in world history gets worse 46.3 Sharjah Uni. EMIRATES HOTTEST OCTOBER DAY EVER 44.7 Abu Dhabi 44.2 Dubai 44.0 Al Ain 43.9 Sharjah 42.6 Bateen IRAN 46.3 Omidieh OMAN 45.1 Sunaynah 43.5 Buraimi RECORD HOT NIGHTS👎
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Dan Neidle @danneidle.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
We'll have a full analysis of the Conservatives' proposed inheritance tax cuts tomorrow. But, for now, three charts. 1. Who would benefit from the cuts?
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Torsten Bell @torstenbell.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
So what this week has taught us is that the Conservative offer is to: - prioritise the wealthiest - blow up the public finances
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Extreme Temperatures Around the World @extremetemps.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
HISTORIC HEAT IN ECUADOR 39.1C El Coca HOTTEST OCTOBER DAY EVER RECORDED IN ECUADOR Few days after breaking that of September. The records of Hottest September night was broken all 30 days and that of October all 7 days. ABSOLUTE INSANITY
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David Henig @davidheniguk.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
I'm still thinking there will be an EU-China deal, since both sides have reasons to reach one, from the EU point of view joint monitoring on imports would rather leave open the question of EU exports to China, and market access barriers to the larger market.
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Extreme Temperatures Around the World @extremetemps.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Exceptional heat intensifies in SOUTH AMERICA 41.2C Tingo de Ponaza, PERU close to the National Record 37.2C Catamayo ECUADOR Monthly record More records of October Hottest Night MINIMUMS 24.3 Piura 21.9 Lima ECUADOR 26.6 Salinas NATIONAL RECORD 26.5 Manta 26.3C Guayaquil
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Inequality News @inequalitynews.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
📢 The closer we get to people automatically equating billionaires with hoarding, the closer we will be to a fairer and better world where all can flourish... #TaxTheRich #EndBillionaires
Famous internet meme from Melissa McEwan that equates a billionaire to a human dragon sleeping on its loot while other people are starving.
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Inequality News @inequalitynews.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
📢 THIS ➡️ 'Multimillionaire Dale Vince said ultra-wealthy individuals need to “stop whingeing”. He confirmed he will be staying in the UK, and added: “The tax system is already skewed in favour of rich people. We have so many allowances, loopholes and exemptions.”' www.theguardian.com/news/2026/oc...
theguardian.com
Apparent exodus of super-rich suggests UK is no longer billionaires’ playground
If recent complaints are believed, London and the UK are no longer welcoming for ultra-high net worth individuals
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Jan Rosenow @janrosenow.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
BIG NEWS: Up to 75% of global energy demand could be electrified by 2050 with technologies we already have. Progress is slow and the barriers are mostly political and institutional. Today we launch the Oxford Martin Electrification Accelerator to change that. oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk/electrification
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Them Fatale, @mxthemfatale.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Badenoch claims £2,700 a month from the taxpayer to rent a grade II-listed farmhouse with six bedrooms. The property sits within the highest council tax bracket, costing over £4,000 in council tax a year, which the Essex MP also claims on expenses. "Best welfare" is being an MP.
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Met Office - weather and climate @metoffice.gov.uk · 07/10/2026
The Mediterranean remains under the influence of very warm, moist air this week, fuelling thunderstorms ⛈️ Some locations could see 50–100mm of rain in a day, with isolated totals above 150mm. Flash flooding, large hail, damaging winds and isolated tornadoes are possible
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Extreme Temperatures Around the World @extremetemps.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
HISTORIC HEAT IN OCEANIA AND SOUTH ASIA Records are falling in ever corner of the Tropics. Today more records of October: Min 28.5C Pohnpei HOTTEST OCTOBER NIGHT IN MICRONESIA HISTORY Min 25.9 Tawau MALAYSIA Min 29.4 Tondi INDIA Max. 36.3 Kuantan MALAYSIA
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Zack Labe @zacklabe.com · 07/10/2026
Well, actual sea surface temperatures have now passed 30°C (86°F) in the key Niño 3.4 monitoring region for the first time in this data record... 😱 Sign up for next week's state of the climate briefing: climatecentral-org.zoom.us/webinar/regi.... Bring your questions, like on this historic El Niño!
Line graph time series of daily Nino 3.4 sea surface temperatures from 1982 to 2026. This year is currently a record high for this time of year through October 5, 2026. Data is from NOAA OISSTv2.1, and the graphic is created by Climate Central at https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-briefings.
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Inequality News @inequalitynews.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
📢 Why we can no longer afford the rich: 1/3 Housing 🔽
Graphic explaining how excessively high incomes distort the housing market making it more expensive for those on average and lower incomes.
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Met Office - weather and climate @metoffice.gov.uk · 07/10/2026
You can find out more about the weather impacts and extremes experienced across the UK last month in our detailed assessment of the weather and climate statistics. Read the full summary here: bit.ly/49pRpig
Met Office UK Monthly Weather Summary September 2026 cover showing a pastel cloudy sky over a field and white marquee.
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Reposted by @palserdavid.bsky.social
Inequality News @inequalitynews.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
🙄 Maybe we could try higher taxes on the bloated profits of the energy companies to pay for relief on bills? Yet another pre-budget report that wilfully ignores where the money in this country really resides... #LookUp #TaxTheRich #TaxEnergyCompanies www.theguardian.com/money/2026/o...
theguardian.com
Chancellor plans major intervention to help poorer UK households with rising energy bills
Exclusive: Officials working on further radical changes that would change how much energy companies could charge customers
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Michael Grunwald @mikegrunwald.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
GREAT ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE NEWS!!! (Not a typo!) The Indonesian government has cancelled its insane Food and Energy Estates project, which would have deforested a land mass the size of Maryland. Amazing work by @mightyearth.org. A massive victory for the planet. mightyearth.org/article/indo...
mightyearth.org
Indonesia Announces End to “World’s Largest Deforestation Project” - Mighty Earth
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Ellie Mae O'Hagan @elliemaeohagan.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
I want to talk about this story and removing levies from bills. As always I'm going to explain it all in layman's terms so people who are not energy nerds can understand what these debates about how to lower their energy bills actually mean www.theguardian.com/money/2026/o...
theguardian.com
Chancellor plans major intervention to help poorer UK households with rising energy bills
Exclusive: Officials working on further radical changes that would change how much energy companies could charge customers
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Ian Dunt @iandunt.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Obviously laughable. But a reminder of how these people would behave in power: Financially benefiting the journalists and pollsters who do their bidding, legally pursuing those who do not.
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Inequality News @inequalitynews.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
🚨➡️ “In the 1987 UK general election, the turnout recorded for the poorest income group was 4% lower than for the wealthiest. By 2010, the gap had grown to a sobering 23 points” bylinetimes.com/2026/10/06/a...
bylinetimes.com
Andy Burnham Urged to Put Compulsory Voting at Heart of His Electoral Reform Plans
Democracy campaigners say changing how Britain votes will not be enough unless the Prime Minister also changes who votes as well
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