Simon Jeffrey @simonjeffrey.bsky.social · 1hSo much overlapping of competitions is unnecessary. League Cup would be so much sharper and distinct finishing by Christmas and holding ‘Winter Cup’ final at Old Trafford, then letting FA Cup rip and be the summer Wembley showpiece. 000
Simon Jeffrey @simonjeffrey.bsky.social · 2hShould just make this international break 6 games. Get Nations League or 4-team WC/Euros qualifying groups done in one. Would be great to be building straight up to an England-Spain decider next week. Sport so much better with discrete periods with a goal at the end of it, not chopping and changing 100
Simon Jeffrey @simonjeffrey.bsky.social · 3hWhy are we so good now?! Toon bias but not taking Lewis Hall to the World Criminal. Chalobah instead of Trent when Livramento got injured not as bad but close. 130
Simon Jeffrey @simonjeffrey.bsky.social · 11hYep. Universal benefits are good. Progressive taxation is good. Or means tests and flatter taxes. Piecemeal changes left us with both cliff-edge means-testing or vertiginous tapering plus very progressive taxation. Awful incentives and unfair outcomes at across income and life stages. 000
Simon Jeffrey @simonjeffrey.bsky.social · 05/10/2026‘Britannia Shield’ evokes many images, none of them inspire any faith in its ability to track and target a hostile ballistic missile at the boundary of space. Extremely 1970s coded. ‘In 1981 Britannia was outbid by the Milk Marketing Board to sponsor the League Cup’ 000
Simon Jeffrey @simonjeffrey.bsky.social · 05/10/2026A real pickle. And investing more with the hotel. Only wrinkle (but very large imo) would be if/when Hundred expands to 10 franchises. It’s meant to be a major city-based franchise league. But one look at the map and average 3-5k Blast attendances would spook any investor. 000
Simon Jeffrey @simonjeffrey.bsky.social · 05/10/2026Chinese EVs being dumped in UK was partly to provide quota space to sell more of the higher margin PHEVs/ICEVs iirc. Result of our own policy. Wonder if UK’s tariff response wouldn’t be better just raising it on those rather than just all Chinese vehicles. 010
Simon Jeffrey @simonjeffrey.bsky.social · 05/10/2026While we don’t have additional tariffs on Chinese EVs, we exclude them from the Electric Car Grant (ECG) subsidy - a £3,750 or £1,500 discount for European made EVs. If tariffs come in that probably goes, and so… how different is it at that point?find-government-grants.service.gov.ukElectric Car Grant<!-- --> - GOV-UK Find a grant 100
Simon Jeffrey @simonjeffrey.bsky.social · 05/10/2026Suppose one central question is are Chinese EVs cheaper in UK that the EU? Sticker prices look similar, but guess it’s all in the dealer discounts, interest free finance etc that make your monthly payment lower. Would be good to see granular comparisons beyond just sales figures/market share.reuters.comBritain set to levy tariffs on Chinese electric cars, The Times reportsBritain is considering imposing tariffs on Chinese electric vehicle imports amid concerns that Beijing is flooding the market with state-subsidised cars, the Times newspaper reported on Sunday. 100
Simon Jeffrey @simonjeffrey.bsky.social · 05/10/2026I was thinking exactly the same. Touch of luck of the flyover croaked when it did. Curious to see if, having gone for an MDZ rather than MDC, NECA/GMBC takes up the new MDO/LDO powers just consulted on for these site. Dangerously close to a ‘shovel ready’ proposition. 100
Simon Jeffrey @simonjeffrey.bsky.social · 05/10/2026Chester-le-Street lacking. Where in Sunderland - city centre-ish? Really hope the cricket dome project can be made to work. If so, stick one there or Gateshead. ECB part-fund by getting extra tests in at start and end of extended summer window+ new Hundred franchise owner + naming rights + concertsen.wikipedia.orgMacquarie Point Stadium - Wikipedia 100
Simon Jeffrey @simonjeffrey.bsky.social · 03/10/2026Imagine being Matt Ellis. Sell DIY Kitchens to Howdens for £360m in June, Wakefield Trinity win their first Super League Grand Final in October. Spooky that NRL will have similar Grand Final with two teams who haven’t won in decades tomorrow morning. All in for the Novocastrians down under! 000
Simon Jeffrey @simonjeffrey.bsky.social · 03/10/2026Penny for the thoughts of any 1970s Minister who struggled with incomes policy in an energy crisis. ‘So no trade union issues, you’ve got price controls in many areas, you can set wages and pensioner poverty now lower than working age population? What’s wrong?’ ‘We’re juicing wages and pensions’ 010
Simon Jeffrey @simonjeffrey.bsky.social · 03/10/2026Not sure Gilts can get to safe haven status soon but this Budget should be looking to at least ease the moron premium. Commit to reduce income tax and NI threshold by £250/yr for 6-7 years until it hits £10k when it’s £25bn/yr. Some impact on inflation too, maybe giving BoE room to hold. 000
Simon Jeffrey @simonjeffrey.bsky.social · 02/10/2026*Big old £150k allowance owner occupiers apparently, so mainly inheritors and investors pay. Not realise this before but CGT on housing (with owner-occupiers allowances) would neutralise a lot of the IHT issues in UK - not the dead paying taxes, just the asset. 010
Simon Jeffrey @simonjeffrey.bsky.social · 02/10/2026And obviously in some countries, homes are treated as wasting asset on top of the land they’re built on, the real permanent asset. Ironically, in Japan that’s just a fact rather than tax treatment, and the depreciation is calculated when you sell so CGT payable* even if you sell at price you paid!theguardian.comRaze, rebuild, repeat: why Japan knocks down its houses after 30 yearsUnlike in other countries, Japanese homes become valueless over time – but as the population shrinks, can its cities finally learn to slow down and refurb? 100
Simon Jeffrey @simonjeffrey.bsky.social · 02/10/2026Remarkable that HMRC treats cars as a wasting asset (so never CGT) when that’s only down to constant adequate supply of newer, better homes. COVID (and Cuba) showed it’s not inherent at all. Imagine a market where second hand goods get more expensive as they get older! 121
Simon Jeffrey @simonjeffrey.bsky.social · 02/10/2026Govt provides huge EV BiK tax discount (pay 4% vs 37% for ICEV) so fleets buy and generate the demand for newer better vehicles. After 3-4 years, get sold on cheaper into a bigger second hand market, helping more people switch to an EV. 131
Simon Jeffrey @simonjeffrey.bsky.social · 02/10/2026The NI increase led them to raise threshold from £10k to £12.5k to mitigate it. Remains despite undoing the NI increase. I dream of us becoming European by bringing income tax and NI down to £10k. Or even the £6k LQEL for auto-enrolment contribution. Cut NI and UC taper, raise pensions, still flush. 020
Simon Jeffrey @simonjeffrey.bsky.social · 01/10/2026When you have to become an EU associate member at 7 and prevent Alberta independence at 9: 001
Simon Jeffrey @simonjeffrey.bsky.social · 01/10/2026A points deduction that gets them relegated is fine. Should be narrowly for (continuing) non-cooperation/denial. But punishing investing in a team to win ahistoric guff. They weren't bribing refs. All this talk of taking away titles, £100s millions compensation is so self destructive. Step back. 000
Simon Jeffrey @simonjeffrey.bsky.social · 01/10/2026www.newcastleunited.com/en/news/intr...newcastleunited.comA new club crest for Newcastle United | NUFCWe are proud to introduce the new club crest chosen by our supporters to represent Newcastle United. 000
Simon Jeffrey @simonjeffrey.bsky.social · 01/10/2026The Mag’s new crest released. Not much change of that, but fully expect this (new) castle ‘logo’ to get everywhere on the merch and branding. And over time… 100
Simon Jeffrey @simonjeffrey.bsky.social · 01/10/2026Subsidising ‘greener’ UK-EU EVs rather than tariffing Chinese seems least worst option at this point of high energy prices. At the very least try to limit Chinese OEMs profits. And it’s every proud son of the North East’s duty to buy the new Nissan Leaf. 010
Simon Jeffrey @simonjeffrey.bsky.social · 01/10/2026Ignoring the politics, would there be greater benefit than usual for UK borrowing costs - given US and other major market deficits/debts - for Healey at the Budget to go faster on deficit reduction? 010
Simon Jeffrey @simonjeffrey.bsky.social · 30/09/2026Would need someone who doesn’t have the same priorities to view those things as important, to then be a coward and not tackle them. I’d imagine he genuinely thinks he is doing hard things to reach his goals - force people to eat some bitterness in daily life for the sweetness of national power. 101
Simon Jeffrey @simonjeffrey.bsky.social · 30/09/2026Isn’t the point that it’s not his goal? Not a ‘harmonious society’/GDP maxxer. He wants demand suppression and to rely on exports in order to consolidate global supply chains and dependence on China. Property taxes and social security get in the way that 15-20% youth unemployment don’t. 100
Simon Jeffrey @simonjeffrey.bsky.social · 29/09/2026Would probably avoid anyone forced to sell off their homes or empty their life savings at 4 or 5p. 000
Simon Jeffrey @simonjeffrey.bsky.social · 29/09/2026This triple-lock policy seems a lot of pain for not much gain. Does seem to hit poorer pensioners harder than rich ones. Remain convinced protecting the triple local but adding a ‘hypothecated 2p Health + Social Care levy’ for over-65s would be much easier. 100
Simon Jeffrey @simonjeffrey.bsky.social · 29/09/2026This really is a great discussion. A must-listen. So much fuzzy data and thinking on the transition. So many great business ideas (and earnings of bad ones) to make use of that rejected heat too - especially for a country facing punishing energy costs. 000
Reposted by Simon JeffreyJonny Marshall @jonnymarshall.bsky.social · 29/09/2026It's fairer too. Funding investment through the tax system would lead to a much flatter burden on households across the income distribution than using energy bill standing charges or unit rates 101
Reposted by Simon JeffreyJonny Marshall @jonnymarshall.bsky.social · 29/09/2026A good move. Within a decade, the cost of financing new assets – not fuel costs – will be the main driver of electricity prices: by 2035, capital is set to make up over half of power system costs, up from 8 per cent in 2025 21012
Simon Jeffrey @simonjeffrey.bsky.social · 28/09/2026British soft power: Channel 5 hires Michael Palin for a 3-part series on the Philippines. Takes in a tour of the presidential palace that ends up hosted by the current President, Bong Bong Marcos who does it on condition of asking one question: ‘what inspired the Python fish slapping dance??’ 031
Simon Jeffrey @simonjeffrey.bsky.social · 28/09/2026Yeah, theoretically reducing their cost of equity will make more (lower margin) projects viable for these builders. Planning reform aims to eventually make us less beholden to highly concentrated volume home builders, but while we are this helps. 000
Reposted by Simon JeffreyBorners @borners.bsky.social · 28/09/2026The UK isn't an especially homeownership oriented society. Its Germany and co who are weird. UK is also one less than 10 societies in the world where social housing exceeds 10% of total stock. 262
Reposted by Simon JeffreyGavin Jackson @gavinjackson.bsky.social · 28/09/2026British household wealth is probably more exposed to financial assets, through private pensions as well as directly, than to property nowadays. 142
Simon Jeffrey @simonjeffrey.bsky.social · 28/09/2026Such a huge red flag for wrong'uns. Traffic police and punishing offences should be a much higher priority. Cars with ghost plates and drivers with no-license/insurance on motorways are an important enabler of serious criminal enterprise using cars and motorways.bbc.co.ukThousands of illegal ghost plates on cars revealed by new camerasIllegal registration plates are far too easy to get hold of and are putting the public at risk, BBC is told. 174
Reposted by Simon JeffreyBanjon @beardybanjo.bsky.social · 27/09/2026"what if we continued the work of George Osborne to hollow out the broad tax base, but with lefist vibes?" 36211
Simon Jeffrey @simonjeffrey.bsky.social · 27/09/2026That was incredible. Incredibly embarrassing for World Rugby and Piardi too though. Letting Etzebeth delay the game for 5 mins trying to cheat a 9th sub. That yellow for Sua’ali’i ridiculous. Last 20 mins probably does more damage to union in Australia than the result helps. 120
Simon Jeffrey @simonjeffrey.bsky.social · 25/09/2026Stick covenants on the ground or whatever, ensure creditors aren't stiffed, but let foreign billionaires lose fortunes to overpaid players (and 50% to taxman). Mike Ashley was a careful steward of NUFC according to FFP/PSR/SCR fans. There are much worse things than administration in football. 011
Simon Jeffrey @simonjeffrey.bsky.social · 25/09/2026The beauty of football is the brutality - one man's fairytale is another man's nightmare. 'Doing a Leeds' means Brighton or Hull can dream in Premier League. Luton race up and down. 'Sunderland till I die' ain't wrong. They all come back up or down in the end, then start again. 200
Simon Jeffrey @simonjeffrey.bsky.social · 25/09/2026All the financial rules are just cartel moat-digging dressed up as 'ensuring fans don't lose their clubs'. Bollocks. Rangers went bust - fully liquidated. But what actually makes a club was untouched. It reformed, it's still Rangers. A club's history and support does not depend on spreadsheets. 120
Simon Jeffrey @simonjeffrey.bsky.social · 25/09/2026Never got why some people so wound up about this. Financial doping was Arsene Wenger cope. Rich owners buying football clubs to pump money in for prestige is football heritage, the genesis of the professionalism. 100
Reposted by Simon JeffreyJoel Budd @joelbudd.bsky.social · 23/09/2026Pricing environmental actions is really hard! If the payments regime is new, which this one is, demand will be extremely hard to forecast. And a bad growing season like the one we have just had will drive more farmers to the environmental schemes. Auctions might be better. 012
Simon Jeffrey @simonjeffrey.bsky.social · 23/09/2026Quite stunned to find Janos Kornai’s analysis of Soviet Union economic incentives and their failings pop up as theoretical underpinning for challenges facing effective club rugby administration. Soft budget constraints and input hoarding under uncertainty directly referenced.thetimes.comWe know what it’s like to run rugby clubs. This Soviet system doesn’t workFrom Ireland to Australia, clubs operate in a centrally planned economy where no one has the incentive to make the professional game a success 100
Simon Jeffrey @simonjeffrey.bsky.social · 22/09/2026Logic extends to richer pensioners, who should pay at least as much tax on their asset income as workers. Over a few years bringing NI down to 4p and a new 'Health and Social Care Levy' for anyone collecting state pension up to 4p would be good. 000
Simon Jeffrey @simonjeffrey.bsky.social · 21/09/2026Interesting piece. What chances do you think for any sort of deepened UK-Canada deal? UK and Canada are the two middles peers adrift here. (This is not a CANZUK question!) Mutual flexibility and need to go further or not worth the squeeze? 010