
Will Thong
7.4K posts

Will Thong
@willthong
Self-taught software engineer, former fundraiser (ex @UKLabour, ex @magdalenealumni) and @MasterChefUK 2017 contestant. All opinions personal; RT ≠ endorsement





Times weekend read: * Labour has set sights on destroying the Tories - Starmer’s allies think they are there for the taking * Morgan McSweeney told political cabinet: ‘They have been reduced to a number so small that they could hold their annual conference around this table. Less One Nation, more one room’ * Ministers were told that many of those who backed Lib Dems and Greens did so for tactical reasons and would be open to voting Labour in future * One senior aide to Starmer said that a quarter of those who backed the Conservatives would be open to voting Labour in future too * The argument was that Blair’s landslide in 1997 was seen as a high watermark. If Labour delivers this time there should be no limit to ambitions * Labour will continue to build on claim that Tories have left ‘dire’ inheritance. More tax rises are coming on October 30 * YouGov suggests Labour strategy might work - six in 10 back cuts to public spending, 41% vs 34% back tax rises * But there is risk - 35% believe tax rises would be Labour’s choice against a quarter who blame Tories * Starmer due to go on holiday in a week’s time - but his response to riots next week could be far more significant than anything in first month of his premiership thetimes.com/article/7c93d0…

Morgan McSweeney’s extremely efficient vote targeting strategy was clearly successful – but it wasn’t *perfect*. Could the ruthless approach taken by the Labour campaign have cost it an even larger majority? A guest post by @dlandoncole (FREE TO READ!) takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/labours-targ…

What happens if you keep punching your own supporters? Ask the Tories economist.com/britain/2024/0…




I've never understood why French people describe a job's pay in "net" (after tax) terms. Everyone's tax rate is different, eg if they are married or have kids. Even if tax is withheld from your pay every month, the only figure that matters is gross pay, not net.



The 'empty quadrant' is one of the most replicated findings in housing research. There expensive cities that don't build. There are cheap cities that do build. And there are no cities that build lots of housing and still see very high housing costs.



The UK government condemns all forms of political violence in the strongest terms. As we monitor the shocking developments in Pennsylvania, our thoughts and best wishes are with President Trump - along with every victim and their families.

If true, outrageous - how is this consistent with the policy of respecting a rules-based international order we were promised?



This is good to see in a world of increasing polarisation…



