1st prize goes to Financial Times

New #inflation data out today from Office for National Statistics (ONS). Food and energy still cost much more than a few years ago, despite muted movements in recent months. After three long years of lagging behind, benefit levels are only now catching up with prices.

Proud to have helped make this report happen - a deep dive into comparable childcare & early education systems abroad to learn from their inner workings & transformations.

Teaches us not only what works but why - & that there are no perfect systems.

Both the level of need & economic contribution can vary across a lifetime.

So it's arguable *some* inequality across age cohorts is justified.

It's inequality *within* cohorts we need to worry about, particularly when driven by inheritance.

This really is a great thread.

It's not possible to have a European level welfare state with US level taxes.

But in trying, the UK may yet achieve European level tax with a US level welfare state.

Thanks for having me on!

The UK is an interesting test case for inverted Keynes.

If you didn't invest in something, you can't afford it.

The annual poverty figures published today show 600,000 more people, half of them children, are living in Absolute poverty, the Government's preferred measure, rising for the 2nd year in a row.

The Government has failed to protect the most vulnerable 🔽 bit.ly/49YuaeM.

It is very odd that, in the UK, the basic rate of benefits has never been linked to real world costs of living. Great to see MPs across parties questioning this and recommending change.