The bleakness of this moment is that we are back in the grip of austerity and anti-democracy -- when we are in this mess because of austerity and failed democracy. Neither Boris Johnson and esp not Liz Truss were properly scrutinised by their MPs, their party members, the press. Truss took power precisely because of these failed democratic institutions. She blundered this country into chaos, but other institutions have failed, too -- notably the Bank of England.

This am @BBCr4today discussed the economy with a private equity investor, a coalition minister and the editor of the Economist. All in happy consensus. Why are people from the same political perspective presented as experts? Why are they the only people who talk on the economy? Last week’s big intv on inflation was with ftse chairman (and coalition supporter) Stuart Rose. Why not ask mick lynch or sharon Graham? Why not invite @DEHEdgerton or @AdamLeaver1?

At the launch rally for @eiecampaign. Queues around the block, rammed inside One 25 year old says “This is the most hopeful I’ve felt since the early days of Jeremy Corbyn” and this gathering has much the same vibe

Friends, lend me your brains. Doreen Massey used to bring up this reference to Raymond Williams, but the internet cannot easily find the passage in Williams. Can anyone direct me? Thanks to everyone who replied or sought assistance! The nearest we've got is Orwell, not Williams. Chapter 1 of Wigan Pier orwellfoundation.com/the-orwell-fou… That fits Massey's second observation attributed to RW but not the first. I wonder where that's from

A story of political hope, for today:
Seven years ago this month, I sat in a broom cupboard in the University of London student union and talked with three cleaners there. Marta was 64, worked three jobs a day, had suffered a fractured pelvis and was bullied by her supervisor. She and the others called themselves The Invisibles, because hardly anyone on campus acknowledged them.

theguardian.com/commentisfree/…

The government is employing 1,114 consultants from Deloitte to work on Test and Trace alone, @SkyNews reports.
@PrivateEyeNews reveals rates typically charged by Deloitte
£1,450 per day per partner
£290 per Deloitte intern (Wonder how much of that the interns see) The test and trace scheme has cost taxpayers £10 billion before the second wave really hits. A good chunk of our money appears to be going to senior managers at one firm.

James Cleverly: resisting nominative determinism since 1969.

https://twitter.com/JamesCleverly/status/1081599666360406023

Here's one story of a man living the reality of I, Daniel Blake theguardian.com/commentisfree/…