✍️ My piece in ConservativeHome calling for the Government to revisit plans to entitle employees to volunteering days.

conservativehome.com/2024/04/15/tho…

The Saudis say it:

Saudi official says Iran engineered war in Gaza to ruin normalization with Israel

timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry… via @timesofisrael

We condemn Iran's decision to subject Israelis to unacceptable attacks.

We support the defensive action taken alongside international allies.

And we thank our UK Armed Forces for their total professionalism in contributing to regional security in the Middle East.

Rather than weaken Israel, last night’s attack showed an unprecedented alliance behind it. We saw Arab pilots down Iranian drones, in defence of a Jewish state.

Iran, meanwhile, stands exposed as a pariah - its attack supported only by Hamas.
spectator.co.uk/article/iran-s…

Perceptive by Ian Leslie: “Why Does Being Left-Wing Make You Unhappy?”

ian-leslie.com/p/why-does-bei…

Saudi Arabia and Jordan rightly helping defend Israel with UK and USA demonstrates the depth of will for normalisation, for the long term security of Israel and peace in the region.

This must be the priority - a political solution that ensures long term stability in the region…

Approximately one in ten of Ganesh's pieces are a coded or not-so-coded attempt to diss those contemporaries that married and had kids/defend his path in not doing so, and it actually becomes funnier with time- on.ft.com/3JnWjQF Should be collected into one book.

Strong positive effects of SureStart on GCSE results for poorer children. More strong evidence that well designed early intervention can be very effective.

Also shows importance of high quality evaluation. Great work by my colleagues.

Policymakers take note.

Children living near Sure Start centres did better at GCSEs, study suggests bbc.in/49sz82n

📣Join us on Tuesday 23rd April for our next Ludgate Lecture with Sir Steve Webb (Steve Webb), discussing 'UK state pensions - what went wrong and what does the future hold?'

⏰ 14:00-15:00
📍YouTube: youtube.com/watch?v=Kdj4lO…
✉️ RSVP for a reminder: eventbrite.co.uk/e/ludgate-lect…

Fascinating by the brilliant Adam Grant

Adds to my view that more people should have second jobs, as I wrote in the The Spectator: spectator.co.uk/article/more-p…

Over the past few years, McKinsey & Company has released at least 4 studies claiming a positive relationship between DEI and firm performance.

A new paper published today in Econ Journal Watch finds these results can't be replicated.

''Our inability to [replicate] their results suggests that…

The Foreign Secretary David Cameron continues to articulate and action the most honest, logical and impactful role the UK can take on the conflict in Gaza

thetimes.co.uk/article/david-…

'The Prime Minister reiterated that Israel’s rightful aim of defeating Hamas would not be achieved by allowing a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.'

📝Bright Blue's William Prescott writes for ConservativeHome: 'Ministers must do more to prepare our homes for a hotter planet – and to bring voters with them'

Read here👇
conservativehome.com/2024/04/01/wil…

“The responsibility of a society is to reduce misery, not to increase happiness.”

RIP Danny Kahneman—a paragon of intellectual integrity, humility, and curiosity

tinyurl.com/nsaszumw

I'm surprised it's taken this long for this idea to hit the mainstream, given the sums involved. Since October 2022 the Treasury has transferred £50 billion (to banks) to cover losses incurred by the Bank of England's quantitative easing programme.

Thailand has taken one step closer to recognising equal marriage.

It's 10 years since the first same sex marriages took place in the UK this week, one of my proudest achievements as PM.

For Thailand to become to first country in South East Asia to pass this bill would be…

“You could probably raise over £1bn maybe up to £3bn… not paying what are quite high interest to the banks”

Former PM Gordon Brown proposes withholding interest payments paid to banks on their reserves at the Bank of England to raise money and combat poverty

#Peston

In my latest piece for CapX, I explain, using Bright Blue polling, how making homes more climate resilient can increase support for housebuilding

capx.co/want-to-build-…