Twitter Eccentric & Community Leader. Non-tertiary but a joyful Catholic, also an English 'Gammon'. Thee and thine. #winning
Britain's Railways
Joined May 2008
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The Fact Compiler - Lord Spike of The Shire retweeted
My latest cartoon for tomorrow's @Telegraph
Buy a print of my cartoons at telegraph.co.uk/mattprints
Original artwork from chrisbeetles.com
The Fact Compiler - Lord Spike of The Shire retweeted
John Healey’s Budget spending plans strain credibility, economists warn ft.trib.al/9iKfvvM
The Fact Compiler - Lord Spike of The Shire retweeted
Excellent by @WalkerMarcus in @TheCriticMag
“We cannot leave the treasures of our civilisation in the sole possession of those who hate it.”
The Fact Compiler - Lord Spike of The Shire retweeted
No anonymous speech. No anonymous research. No anonymous worship. No anonymous assembly.
That is what online digital ID means.
And once the state knows who you are and what you read, freedom of speech becomes permission to speak.
Permissions can be revoked.
The Fact Compiler - Lord Spike of The Shire retweeted
It is wholly inappropriate for any Defence Secretary to talk about the Chairman of the Defence Select Committee in this way – totally disrespectful.
Just because @TanDhesi had the temerity to question where the money is going to come from to get to 3% - given John Healey still has no plan, despite resigning over that very matter – it’s no excuse for @wesstreeting to vent his frustration in this way.
The Fact Compiler - Lord Spike of The Shire retweeted
🛤️ Wow. Historical Railway Estate to transfer to GBR from National Highways…
Good news for cycle paths, repurposed tunnels and line reopenings…
The Fact Compiler - Lord Spike of The Shire retweeted
Us Labours MP Lucy Powell slams Kemi Badenoch after Budget speech #parody
The Fact Compiler - Lord Spike of The Shire retweeted
6am: Healey tells BBC he will bring down benefits bill before election
8:20: Treasury dispute the story
1pm: No10 disown it saying they have never set a target
2pm: PM says cuts as soon as possible
4pm: Healey says Labour won't bring bill down this Parliament
The Fact Compiler - Lord Spike of The Shire retweeted
It's a box-office lineup next Wednesday, as the Transport Select Committee are set to quiz ASLEF, RMT, Network Rail, DfT, EWR Co and Chiltern Railways on East West Rail.
Title of the session...Delivering East West Rail.
The Fact Compiler - Lord Spike of The Shire retweeted
Uh oh… after John Healey clearly promised on @BBCr4today that the benefits bill will be cut before the next election, @ChrisMasonBBC tells listeners the Treasury have since been on the phone disputing he said this and that he wasn’t putting a timeline on welfare reductions.
The Fact Compiler - Lord Spike of The Shire retweeted
The tough medicine our country desperately needs…
The Fact Compiler - Lord Spike of The Shire retweeted
Existence or impact of risk aversion looks to be missing from this list
The Fact Compiler - Lord Spike of The Shire retweeted
DfT has launched a review of rail infrastructure costs under the chairmanship of Rachel Skinner (a past president of the civil engineers’ institution). Review will “identify the key drivers of cost in the sector and recommend tangible solutions for government and industry”.
The Fact Compiler - Lord Spike of The Shire retweeted
The hidden tax measure in the Budget is huge for people paying tax under self-assessment - sole traders, partners, landlords, retired investors.
For 6th April 2028-29, you currently pay 50% of your income tax late in the tax year in question (in January 2029), 50% just after the year end (in July 2029) with any make-up payment in January 2030.
Under the new proposals you will pay your tax perhaps monthly or quarterly (TBC) from April 2029 onwards. A rough analysis suggests the impact is to draw about 50% of your tax bill forward, a huge cashflow boost to HMRC and a significant funding issue for the self-employed.
The Treasury recognises this, and expects to raise £1.3bn of additional tax in 29/30 as a result of this change.
The cashflow impact of the accelerated charge will send some businesses to the wall.
The Fact Compiler - Lord Spike of The Shire retweeted
A tell-tale sign of election Budgets are giveaways beforehand and tax hikes after e.g. April 1955 and then the "pots and pans" Budget of October 1955
-VAT cut on electricity bills will be extended to July 2027
- Fuel duty restraint extended to July 2027
Anyone might think No10/No11 are keeping open the possibility of something happening in May/June 2027.
#earlyelection
The Fact Compiler - Lord Spike of The Shire retweeted
Second referendum campaign is going to be like shooting fish
The Fact Compiler - Lord Spike of The Shire retweeted
Whether you are happy or not that the Prime Minister is opening up the Brexit debate again, there are two things we know for certain.
1. He lied about not opening up the Brexit debate again.
2. He wouldn't be the PM right now, if he hadn't lied about it.
