Thread (1/12)

In opposition, Rachel Reeves and Sir Keir Starmer spoke of the need for a decade of national renewal; and since they have taken office, the evidence of the need for that renewal has grown even stronger. (2/12)

And they have also spoken about a “financial black hole, the £22bn of unfunded spending commitments, concealed from our country by the Tories” and the Chancellor has talked about the need for “iron discipline.”

Thread (1/15)

The House of Lords Inquiry into Debt sustainability has just reported.

This thread explains our serious concerns about the methodology and findings of that report. (2/15)
The Chair of the HoL Economic Affairs Committee launched his Inquiry with the words,

“Our national debt stands at an incredible £2.6 trillion. A recent OBR report stated that the 2020s were turning out to be ‘a very risky era’ for the public finances. Our inquiry will explore if and how the UK can manage this level of indebtedness.”

Words which suggest that he had already decided the answer he was expecting.

Thread (1/21)
The media are making comparisons with 1997.
But 1945 may be a more apt comparison.
When we compare… (2/21)

… the state of the country now with 1997:
“In 1997, the incoming New Labour government … enjoyed the luxury of rapid economic growth…
Reeves, if she becomes chancellor, will not. Her task would be far harder. It would also be correspondingly more important. New Labour had to avoid messing things up. Today, a new government would have to effect a transformation.”

ft.com/content/887331…

Thread (1/14)
We will not know the final outcome of the election until the morning of 5 July.
On that morning, I do not want to wake up to more of this… (2/14)

I do not want to see more of a government which treats environmental issues as a barrier to profit and climate change as a myth peddled by “eco-zealots.”
ft.com/content/02ecb9…

Thread (1/19)
Yes, this election is about our future. And our children's future.

Based on the evidence of the last 14 years, we know what to expect from the Conservatives … and it is nothing like what Sunak says it is.
19.com/RishiSunak/sta… (2/19)
Based on our personal experience we know that, if the Conservatives retain power, we should expect to be poorer…

Thread (1/21)
This thread looks at why the Conservatives are so keen to focus the debate on the future, not the past.

Despite saying that they wanted to be judged on their record.

So, let’s take a look at that… (2/21)
After the Global Financial Crisis, the Tories told us that because of what they claimed were unprecedented levels of debt, there was no choice but to implement austerity…
99-percent.org/debt-hysteria/

Thread 1/29)

Fourteen long years of increasingly far-right policies have left the UK visibly broken: we have a cost-of-living crisis; our NHS is on its knees and our schools are crumbling; and we have rivers flowing with sewage and an unaddressed climate emergency. (2/29)
As a result, the Conservatives are now roughly 20 points behind in the polls and seem likely to lose the next election, possibly quite badly.
politico.eu/europe-poll-of…

Thread (1/9)

One of the most extraordinary things about Sunak’s speech … (2/9)
Is that he chose to make it at the Policy Exchange think tank.

As Braverman has done before him.
99-percent.org/who-is-behind-…

Thread (1/x)

When it was clear that Johnson was on the way out, the Conservatives launched "Operation Save Big Dog".
This thread explores "Operation Save Little Dog" – the equivalent for Sunak. (2/x)
In Johnson’s case, the plan was to sack his advisors and civil servants and blame them for everything that Johnson might otherwise be held responsible for.
independent.co.uk/news/uk/politi…

Thread (1/22)

This thread explores the crisis the NHS is facing, how the crisis came about, why it has not been fixed and what we should do to fix it. (2/22)
There is no question that the NHS is in crisis – the record waiting lists alone are enough to show that.

Now almost 8 million of us are waiting to see a consultant.

Thread (1/32)

This thread explores the link between Silver Blaze and last week’s Labour Party conference.

In Silver Blaze, Sherlock Holmes has both to solve a killing and find a missing race-horse – and of course he does both.

Colonel Ross is the owner of the Silver Blaze: ... (2/32)

Ross: “Is there any point to which you would wish to draw my attention?”
Holmes: “To the curious incident of the dog in the night-time.”
Ross: “The dog did nothing in the night-time.”
Holmes: “That was the curious incident.”

Thread (1/35)
Last week was the Conservative Party Conference, CPC23. Or perhaps there were two conferences:

· The official conference, to rally the party faithful
· The unofficial conference, to lay the ground for their others' bids for leadership. (2/35)
This thread covers both conferences and explores what that could mean for Britain.

Thread 1/32)
Thirteen years of increasingly far-right policies have left the UK visibly broken: we have a cost-of-living crisis; our NHS is on its knees and our schools are crumbling; and we have rivers flowing with sewage and an unaddressed climate emergency. (2/32)
As a result, the Conservatives are now roughly 20 points behind in the polls and seem likely to lose the next election, possibly quite badly.
politico.eu/europe-poll-of…

Thread (1/48)

The 99% Organisation (@99organisation) came into being four years ago when the book 99% was published.

This thread is a personal look back at why I decided to write the book, and what has happened since publication.

Please forgive the length! (2/48)

While I was a strategy consultant, for reasons explained in the Introduction to 99%, I began to analyse the Arab Spring and came up with the model of country stability set out below.
99-percent.org/doughnuts-for-…

Thread (1/18)

This thread looks at why (and how) we should expect the Conservative Party to fight dirty from now until (at least) the next General Election.

And at how we can best hope to avoid being manipulated. (2/18)
The Conservative Party today is not the traditional one-nation party: it has been taken over by extremists…
99-percent.org/what-is-the-ma…

Thread (1/23)

In the last 13 years, the Conservatives have done enormous damage to the UK.

We are now approaching a major opportunity for a return to sanity.

We must not blow it. (2/23)

Economically, Austerity, Brexit, mishandling of COVID and now declinism have caused enormous damage to the country…
99-percent.org/why-we-should-…

Thread (1/20)
Looking at this government’s track record, it is natural to assume they are incompetent.

This thread argues that, on the contrary, they have been focussed, effective and even innovative … in pushing forward an agenda which is bad for almost everyone in Britain. (2/20)
Economically, in terms of health and environmentally, they have failed (almost all of) the British people.

Thread( 1/20)
This thread explores the gradual dawning of awareness of the damage done by this Conservative Government, and what we can do now that we are aware. (2/20)
Cameron took power just as the Global Financial Crisis was ending. He and Osborne seized on the opportunity to claim (falsely) that there was no choice but to shrink the role of the state via Austerity.
99-percent.org/who-still-beli…

Thread (1/16)

The far right seized on the 75th Anniversary to claim that it is time to replace the NHS with a privatised, social insurance model.

This thread explains what they want, how they lie to us and what we can do about it. (2/16)
Here, for example, is Javid explaining what he wants to see:

“Javid called for a royal commission to 'break the current deadlock', examine what reforms are needed and what the UK should be learning from other nations.”
msn.com/en-gb/health/o…

Thread (1/22)
This thread looks at how far the Conservative Party has shifted to the extreme right, and at what we can do about it. (2/22)
When Theresa May warned that
“Let’s not kid ourselves. There’s a way to go before we can return to government. … You know what some people call us: ‘the nasty party’”
there were already signs that the party had drifted towards brutal amorality.

Thread (1/22)
After 13 years in power, the Conservatives want us to believe that the UK is safe in their hands.

This thread explains how, given a just a few more years, they can complete their transformation of the UK into a playground for their donors – at our expense. (2/22)
After WWII, the government of Clement Attlee implemented the recommendations of the Beveridge Report, which set the foundations of the post-war social contract.
99-percent.org/tackling-the-g…