So much for not being squeamish about cutting welfare benefits _____ Andy Burnham: I’ll keep the triple lock, and give pensioners a tax cut inews.co.uk/news/politics/an…

EXCL: Andy Burnham sparks excitement among WASPI women that he’ll obey longstanding pledge to pay out compensation that could cost £10b. dailymail.com/news/article-1…

Norway and the UK drilled the same North Sea. 🇳🇴Norway got $2 trillion. 🇬🇧The UK got tax cuts. Same basin,Same era.... Completely different outcomes. Norway captured $30 per barrel in government revenue. The UK captured $11. That gap, compounded over 50 years of production, is the entire difference. Norway's model was simple: tax heavily (78% marginal rate), take direct equity stakes in fields via the SDFI, own part of Equinor, and put everything surplus into a fund invested abroad. The Government Pension Fund Global now holds over $2 trillion in assets. That's $390,000 per Norwegian citizen about 1.5% of all listed equities on earth. The fiscal rule: only spend the 3% annual real return. Never touch the principal. The UK started producing earlier, at lower prices, with a lower tax rate (40%) and no saving mechanism. North Sea revenues flowed straight into the general budget. Economists estimate the UK missed out on roughly £400 billion compared to a Norwegian style regime. The windfall largely financed tax cuts in the 1980s rather than a fund. Where things stand in 2026? Norway's petroleum sector will generate $63 bn in net cash flow this year alone feeding a fund already large enough to cover 10-15% of the national budget from returns alone. The UK is a net energy importer. Since 2021 it has paid countries like Norway more than £100 billion for gas. One country treated oil as a finite resource to convert into permanent financial wealth. The other treated it as income. image source:eia

Almost 10,000 likes for straight-up lies by Annunziata Rees-Mogg, quote: "Asylum seekers make up 0.08% of Dorset's population and 44% of alleged sex offences. So unbelievable I had to check. It's true." It's not true, it's utter garbage. I'll go through facts and figures. /1

🚨 BREAKING: Labour MP Josh Simons will resign to trigger a by-election in Makerfield to give Andy Burnham a route back to Parliament

I’m campaigning for a Great British Railcard. Private firms fleeced us for years - just to get to work, appointments or see loved ones. Public ownership must end the rail rip-off. You can get a railcard like this 👇 (but smaller) if Ministers back my plan for cheaper fares.

Yes, in France you have to pay, whereas in the UK you can spend days being ignored in a corridor for free.

🚨 NEW: Green leader Zack Polanski will call for policies to end the "affordability crisis" tomorrow - The introduction of a 10:1 pay ratio, whereby the highest-paid employee earns no more than ten times the lowest-paid - Free school meals for all primary and secondary pupils - Universal energy bill support for households and stronger rent controls - A customs union with the EU to cut business costs

Attempts at explaining triple lock #87 You’re at the pub with friends Every hour the price of a round increases The first round costs less and not everyone has arrived yet. Result. That was current pensioners when they were working. As the night goes on the price keeps rising but not enough to worry about and everyone’s having a good time Towards the end of the night more people show up, expecting a drink despite them now being more expensive It’s the last round and the person who bought the first round is demanding drinks from everyone else because ‘they bought the first round’ and why not throw in shots too It’s now the end of the night the young person who’s been buying drinks all night is told the bar is closed.

If, like me, you were born in 1956, you’ll receive almost £300,000 more in benefits than you’ll pay in taxes in your lifetime State Pensions make up a huge chunk of that Long term, we simply can’t afford to sustain the Triple Lock’s generosity Blog: desmondswaynemp.com/ds-blog/…

Left unchecked, the Triple Lock will consume the entire known universe, it is an unsustainable transfer of wealth from people in work to the retired. It has to stop. thetimes.com/uk/politics/art…

Ben Leo clashes with Reem Ibrahim after the GB News guest called to scrap the pension triple lock to use the money to help young Brits She wants your Parents to sell their home to fund their own pension. I wonder if she’d still think the same if her parents had to sell theirs.

Vote Conservative for fewer potholes! Introducing our new National Pothole Patrol 🪏

Lots of people complain about high taxes in Britain, but those same people don't want to address what is driving up spending. Scrap the triple lock on pensions! Yesterday!