Trade union economist. Views my own, and not of some defunct economist.https://bsky.app/profile/dhochlaf.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/dhochlaf.bsky.social/post/3mx5nk6efyk2jWouldn't say the welfare system is more generous or less restrictive, but the combination of being quite relaxed about low paid employment, disinvestment in public health and the poverty trap worsened by the freeze/cap/two child limit, has exacerbated demand for welfare and raised its prominence [contains quote post or other embedded content]05 Oct 2026 19:27 +0000at://did:plc:apswmovpsxysbtsczexkevek/app.bsky.feed.post/3mx5nk6efyk2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/dhochlaf.bsky.social/post/3mx5gisdxhc2jSure, the tax trap will annoy a small proportion of middle class people, but many more will be annoyed by things like not getting a GP appointment or struggling to access childcare, consequences of an austerity programme which the current Conservative leadership don't think went far enough [contains quote post or other embedded content]05 Oct 2026 17:21 +0000at://did:plc:apswmovpsxysbtsczexkevek/app.bsky.feed.post/3mx5gisdxhc2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/dhochlaf.bsky.social/post/3mx5efxjq3k2vIf at first your spending cuts don't lead to reduced debt, try, try again05 Oct 2026 16:44 +0000at://did:plc:apswmovpsxysbtsczexkevek/app.bsky.feed.post/3mx5efxjq3k2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/dhochlaf.bsky.social/post/3mx2qthsiqc2eI think that investing in sport, music, and art, the cornerstones of British cultural soft power and industries worth billions to our economy is good value for money [contains quote post or other embedded content]04 Oct 2026 15:48 +0000at://did:plc:apswmovpsxysbtsczexkevek/app.bsky.feed.post/3mx2qthsiqc2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/dhochlaf.bsky.social/post/3mx2gjhqvjk2u [contains quote post or other embedded content]04 Oct 2026 12:44 +0000at://did:plc:apswmovpsxysbtsczexkevek/app.bsky.feed.post/3mx2gjhqvjk2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/dhochlaf.bsky.social/post/3mx2cxvhors23Wonder if the Tory Tapestry has a section on all the councillors they have lost since Badenoch became leader04 Oct 2026 11:40 +0000at://did:plc:apswmovpsxysbtsczexkevek/app.bsky.feed.post/3mx2cxvhors23https://bsky.app/profile/dhochlaf.bsky.social/post/3mx26phy6wc2tDon't have an issue with expanding access to subsidised childcare, it's a merit good and it's good for even high earners to benefit from publicly funded social infrastructure, however it is a fantasy to think a program of tax and spending cuts will allow for broadened access04 Oct 2026 10:24 +0000at://did:plc:apswmovpsxysbtsczexkevek/app.bsky.feed.post/3mx26phy6wc2thttps://bsky.app/profile/dhochlaf.bsky.social/post/3mwzudusfcs2tThe problem here is that arbitrary thresholds exist because the tax base has been hollowed The steadfast refusal to raise the main rates means we are looking at more inefficient measures to raise tax revenue, or severe spending cuts which will drag on growth https://www.ft.com/content/82ceae35-e3ef-4b68-8cfa-553b205a4bb0?syn-25a6b1a6=104 Oct 2026 07:18 +0000at://did:plc:apswmovpsxysbtsczexkevek/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwzudusfcs2thttps://bsky.app/profile/dhochlaf.bsky.social/post/3mwyumpxyes2aIf politicians are going to do dumb stuff I wish they'd have more fun with it, train your model on the scripts of the marvel movies, let's see what the Avengers have to say about marginal tax rates and NHS waiting lists [contains quote post or other embedded content]03 Oct 2026 21:51 +0000at://did:plc:apswmovpsxysbtsczexkevek/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwyumpxyes2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/dhochlaf.bsky.social/post/3mwyqeldo222nThe Times really doesn't need to pay so much for these sort of takes, every economics course in the UK will have at least 3 students per seminar willing to be edgy and make this argument [contains quote post or other embedded content]03 Oct 2026 20:34 +0000at://did:plc:apswmovpsxysbtsczexkevek/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwyqeldo222nhttps://bsky.app/profile/dhochlaf.bsky.social/post/3mwygzgu5gk22This would make a nice change from the previous austerity minded Conservative leadership of doing fewer things but worse [contains quote post or other embedded content]03 Oct 2026 17:47 +0000at://did:plc:apswmovpsxysbtsczexkevek/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwygzgu5gk22https://bsky.app/profile/dhochlaf.bsky.social/post/3mwyf2sc2ms2aThis is the LOTR movie that Peter Jackson and New Line Cinema didn't have the guts to make [contains quote post or other embedded content]03 Oct 2026 17:12 +0000at://did:plc:apswmovpsxysbtsczexkevek/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwyf2sc2ms2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/dhochlaf.bsky.social/post/3mwxm543ll22u03 Oct 2026 09:46 +0000at://did:plc:apswmovpsxysbtsczexkevek/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwxm543ll22uhttps://bsky.app/profile/dhochlaf.bsky.social/post/3mwxksf6dts2uWhat do we want - a robust state to spearhead investment, deliver better public services, support re-industrialisaton and reverse 40 years of neo-liberal malaise When do we want it - 2062 maybe [contains quote post or other embedded content]03 Oct 2026 09:22 +0000at://did:plc:apswmovpsxysbtsczexkevek/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwxksf6dts2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/dhochlaf.bsky.social/post/3mwxkd46djc2uYou do have to question your unwavering belief that the market is always the most effective way to allocate resources if you have handed money over to get an 87ft Tory version of the Bayeux Tapestry made [contains quote post or other embedded content]03 Oct 2026 09:14 +0000at://did:plc:apswmovpsxysbtsczexkevek/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwxkd46djc2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/dhochlaf.bsky.social/post/3mwxfbhywqc2uEvery single time she announces a policy, you can find its major flaw in less than a minute [contains quote post or other embedded content]03 Oct 2026 07:43 +0000at://did:plc:apswmovpsxysbtsczexkevek/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwxfbhywqc2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/dhochlaf.bsky.social/post/3mwxez6lokk2uFeel this is not the most optimal mindset for Parliamentary democracy [contains quote post or other embedded content]03 Oct 2026 07:39 +0000at://did:plc:apswmovpsxysbtsczexkevek/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwxez6lokk2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/dhochlaf.bsky.social/post/3mwwboq6msk2oHard to believe we are a decade on from a generation defining political event that was built around the message of restoring British sovereignty [contains quote post or other embedded content]02 Oct 2026 21:06 +0000at://did:plc:apswmovpsxysbtsczexkevek/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwwboq6msk2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/dhochlaf.bsky.social/post/3mww5223ays2oDefinitely a man that goes for the shirt, jacket and pyjama bottoms combo for online meetings [contains quote post or other embedded content]02 Oct 2026 19:43 +0000at://did:plc:apswmovpsxysbtsczexkevek/app.bsky.feed.post/3mww5223ays2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/dhochlaf.bsky.social/post/3mwvig5gyf22lIt was either get embroiled in a chaotic and ill-conceived conflict that continues to escalate, harming the region and international economy, or let the sectarian separatists of Gorton and Denton win [contains quote post or other embedded content]02 Oct 2026 13:34 +0000at://did:plc:apswmovpsxysbtsczexkevek/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwvig5gyf22lhttps://bsky.app/profile/dhochlaf.bsky.social/post/3mwuw5gjlw22xQuite funny how she has to apply an obviously inconsistent caveat to her claim Englishness is exclusively based on heritage, because otherwise it would imply her Party leader was actually French [contains quote post or other embedded content]02 Oct 2026 08:07 +0000at://did:plc:apswmovpsxysbtsczexkevek/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwuw5gjlw22xhttps://bsky.app/profile/dhochlaf.bsky.social/post/3mwtp7uza4k2sAlways enjoy the extremely tenuous links the players make between their career and why they would be good traitors01 Oct 2026 20:31 +0000at://did:plc:apswmovpsxysbtsczexkevek/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwtp7uza4k2shttps://bsky.app/profile/dhochlaf.bsky.social/post/3mwsot6d4dc23Double standards aside, this would create all sorts of bizarre incentives for people in their 50s to reduce their earnings and savings if they think it is going to harm their children [contains quote post or other embedded content]01 Oct 2026 10:51 +0000at://did:plc:apswmovpsxysbtsczexkevek/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwsot6d4dc23https://bsky.app/profile/dhochlaf.bsky.social/post/3mwsgf65zuk2gIf collapsing demand and pushing young people into a constant state of poverty and precarity doesn't sort out the challenges in the labour market then I don't know what will [contains quote post or other embedded content]01 Oct 2026 08:20 +0000at://did:plc:apswmovpsxysbtsczexkevek/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwsgf65zuk2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/dhochlaf.bsky.social/post/3mwqqk4lmw22mSighed when I realised we are less than a week away from a Kemi Badenoch conference speech where she will say something along the lines of "while they slash pensions, we will slash welfare"30 Sep 2026 16:16 +0000at://did:plc:apswmovpsxysbtsczexkevek/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwqqk4lmw22mhttps://bsky.app/profile/dhochlaf.bsky.social/post/3mwqjkhxgc22mI guess the challenge with triple lock reforms to fund a national care service is the additional spend will come from a potential reduction in future consumption, which raises questions over how the necessary resources are going to be made available for care today30 Sep 2026 14:11 +0000at://did:plc:apswmovpsxysbtsczexkevek/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwqjkhxgc22mhttps://bsky.app/profile/dhochlaf.bsky.social/post/3mwqe73zz3k2dNo, they should have kept Starmer, he won the 2024 election, they'd be 10 points ahead if they had the guts to slightly expand the Erasmus scheme...30 Sep 2026 12:35 +0000at://did:plc:apswmovpsxysbtsczexkevek/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwqe73zz3k2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/dhochlaf.bsky.social/post/3mwpujsnffc2hIt's just the Doctor taking his companion back to 1973 and going "we would get on our bikes and not come home until after dark and no one would worry" and "remember finishing school on a Friday and going to the chippy" [contains quote post or other embedded content]30 Sep 2026 07:55 +0000at://did:plc:apswmovpsxysbtsczexkevek/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwpujsnffc2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/dhochlaf.bsky.social/post/3mwptjh6c5k2hI know it's just how politics works and you have to be prepared, but it doesn't feel particularly good for public debate when a proposal that explicitly protects the real value of pensions is being portrayed as cutting pensions by the main opposition party [contains quote post or other embedded content]30 Sep 2026 07:37 +0000at://did:plc:apswmovpsxysbtsczexkevek/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwptjh6c5k2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/dhochlaf.bsky.social/post/3mwpszpba722hI imagine the flip side of the argument that the government were going to have much stronger growth if it were not for the Iran war is that the stronger economic performance in the first half of 2026 was partly driven by firms frontloading investment to avoid the anticipated increase in costs30 Sep 2026 07:28 +0000at://did:plc:apswmovpsxysbtsczexkevek/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwpszpba722h