Jonathan Pie on the economy, posted yesterday.
I really should fisk this: he does need to know how it really works if he is going to be such an influential commentator. We might have to look at making a video on that because he does get the government spending cycle entirely wrong whilst making a lot of sense otherwise:
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I messaged him yesterday with links to Stephanie Kelton’s “Deficit Myth” and this blog. Let’s hope he takes a look.
Me too. His contacts are on his website and the usual social media for anyone wanting to add their encouragement!
This is something I will not forget.
Privatisation has failed in water, the whole issue is in the glasshouse and there is nowhere to hide.
Labour had a duty to make the private water companies pay and protect the consumer. It reminds me of 2008 all over again where the arrangements basically helped the rich gravy train.
Very sad. Yes, someone reach out to Pie and let’s see if we can get him on board.
Comments on Andrew Rawnsley’s article today in the Observer now decidely in favour of getting rid of Keir Starmer as prime-minister. This chimes with a 13th January YouGov poll showing the “get-rids” overtaking the “keeps”:-
https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/trackers/should-keir-starmer-remain-as-leader-of-the-labour-party
Is this the shortest political honeymoon ever? For those who bothered to pay attention prior to last July’s election it was entirely predictable!
On the water thing – we have a proposal for water companies that would strip out 7% of their running costs – at no cost to them. This is not a “maybe” or a “perhaps” – this is a certainty. Reduce OPEX by 7% within +/- 4 years – all water companies. For ever. (& the action would grow GDP btw) Business partner says that it is a waste of time (this is a family orientated blog so I won’t repeat what he said exactly). Water companies ..far too bureaucratic, slow moving, total waste of time. Apart from a layer that is good for stripping out profit – nothing has changed since privatisation.
& Pie is wrong about 14 years……….44 years since Thatcher came into power. 44 years of neo-con/libtard imbecility – that has pauperised the country.
And that proposal is? Making energy?
Given my background I think you can work out the main trajectory – but the devil, as always is in the detail (& there is quite a bit of detail) – I guess I could talk to Ofwat – but to what end? Sad & pathetic is not the half of it.
Agreed
And who would you put in Starmers place ? And why? And would Reeves stay?
That is a problem.
The answer would gave to be people from the left. Those 9nnthe right are the problem.
But many on the left are too.
That is the problem I think Bridget. They might get rid of Starmer thinking they can do better but they will be faced with the same household budget analogy, and the same Treasury and Bank of England doing the same stupid stuff, unless they have the knowledge to counteract it they will give the same responses. Boris Johnson hit the same problem with his levelling up policy he couldn’t do it and until there is more enlightened and widespread economic understanding no-one can. We’re into rinse and repeat.
I normally flinch at macro misunderstandings, but in Pie’s case his message is so compelling that I can turn the other cheek. Even if he understood tax/spend (and perhaps he does) he might feel there’s a risk of diluting his message by getting into technical details. It would give the evil empire a misdirection option (“he’s clearly confused about the way the world works”). Depressing perhaps, but let’s celebrate influential voices of good, no matter how imperfect. As I think Richard might say, let’s pursue what works rather than the ideal….. and as an idealist I shudder to say that!
Thanks