Relentlessly political social researcher. Currently exploring how AI can enhance research methods.
Joined March 2014
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Give pensioners a tax cut…
In an exclusive interview with The i Paper, Burnham says ripping up Labour's manifesto commitment would be 'very damaging' - despite calls for it to be ditched
Read more: trib.al/DierEiO
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Scotland’s wind farms will pay £1 billion to connect to the UK grid.
Meanwhile, projects elsewhere in the UK will be paid to connect.
Scotland generates the energy. Scots should see the benefit.
ALT Graphic showing a wind turbine against a blue sky. Large text reads: “Scotland’s wind farms will pay £1 billion to use the UK grid.” Additional text reads: “While projects in the rest of the UK will be paid to connect.” The graphic highlights concerns about how electricity grid connection charges are applied, contrasting costs faced by Scottish renewable energy projects with incentives available elsewhere in the UK. SNP “It’s Scotland’s Energy” branding appears at the bottom.
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Matthew Ball retweeted
Jun 10
Anas Sarwar to the SNP this afternoon: If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear
Every Labour MSP then voted against the Green proposal for a review covering the finances of ALL political parties (it passed anyway).
Do Team🥀 have something to hide/fear?
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Matthew Ball retweeted
Jun 10
Amazon UK entities' pre-tax profits up from £455m to £555m.
It pays corporation tax at an effective rate of 7.1%, headline rate is 25%. Profits shifted through intragroup transactions.
UK retailers can't compete with hard-wired systematic tax avoidance.
theguardian.com/technology/2…
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Matthew Ball retweeted
Jun 10
Looks like the SNP will back the Green amendment today in to “an independent review into party political finances…independently led rather than conducted by a parliamentary committee and that its remit must apply to the funding of all political parties”
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Jun 9
RT @heraldscotland: 'The idea of political rivals scrutinising the internal business of other political parties is an interesting precedent…
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42% of Britons would make generative AI disappear if they could - rising to 55% of 18-24 year olds
yougov.com/en-gb/daily-resul…
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Matthew Ball retweeted
A decade after the Brexit referendum, half (52%) of Brits think the UK should apply to join the European Union. 🇪🇺
ALT Should the UK rejoin the European Union? 52% The UK should apply to join the European Union. 33% The UK should stay out of the European Union. 14% Don't know/Would not vote/Prefer not to say.
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Matthew Ball retweeted
Jun 7
The SNP have said Westminster is presiding over a 'great renewables robbery' as it can be revealed Scottish renewables projects will be hit with a £1bn bill to use the UK grid thenational.scot/news/261729…
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Matthew Ball retweeted
Jun 6
Because it has higher taxes to start with, having raised them in the 80s while Thatcher cut them, and used those higher taxes and lower debt to invest heavily in the foundations of growth such as transport and R&D giving it an economy that today is over 30% stronger than Britain.
If cheery Denmark can cut taxes, why can’t the UK? thetimes.com/business/econom…
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Jun 5
Now is not the time for an independent Scottish Labour party. Voters want the party to focus on the real issues they are facing.
Leaked document from Scottish Labour election defeat shows plans to review links with UK party
dailyrecord.co.uk/news/polit…
dailyrecord.co.uk/news/polit…
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Matthew Ball retweeted
First Minister @JohnSwinney says 'some' SNP donors have asked for their money back. He says he can't say how many, but all 'requests have been fulfilled'
It's after we reported @theSNP will pursue its former chief executive Peter Murrell for cash he stole from the party.
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Matthew Ball retweeted
Jun 4
The SNP has begun a civil action against Peter Murrell and is applying for compensation under the Proceeds of Crime Act. The party’s NEC agreed last night to “begin court action to recover the money that has been stolen” John Swinney says in an email to SNP members
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Matthew Ball retweeted
Jun 4
A strong economy is key to everything I want to achieve as First Minister.
We will make our planning system work better, expand apprenticeships and devolve powers to Regional Partnerships, helping to create more jobs.
Good to address the @ProsperScot Annual Forum today.
ALT Photo of John Swinney speaking at a lectern at the Prosper Annual Forum event, with audience silhouettes in the foreground
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Matthew Ball retweeted
Exclusive: The SNP candidate for Aberdeen South has backed the Rosebank and Jackdaw oil and gas fields.
Richard Thomson said "it makes no sense" to import oil and gas "when we could produce it at a lower environmental cost" from the North Sea.
scotsman.com/news/politics/s…
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Matthew Ball retweeted
EXC: SNP will pursue Peter Murrell for money he stole from the party
National Executive Committee last night agreed to a proposal by First Minister John Swinney to launch compensation order to try and recoup cash from Crown Office, which has proceeds of crime seizure underway
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Matthew Ball retweeted
“You probably don’t realise quite how influential you’ve been in this whole improbable journey”
Douglas Alexander to Peter Mandelson, days after returning to Westminster & government bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czr2…
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Matthew Ball retweeted
Former Scottish Secretary Ian Murray told Peter Mandelson when he was made US ambassador: "Congratulations your excellency. What a wonderful appointment"
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Matthew Ball retweeted
May 30
This chart is bonkers.
I think there's two possible explanations for why the UK runs so far ahead of other European countries – neither of them good. And the annual April jump speaks to a wider issue. For more detail, see my column in this weekend's Observer (link below).
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