Benedict Townsend

Investor | passionate about history, politics, motorsport, rugby, cricket, space and sci-fi, travel and wine 🇬🇧

[Benedict Townsend @BRJTownsend]

@BitcoinArchive Source: https://t.co/R7oPuNqZBH

[Benedict Townsend @BRJTownsend]

@BitcoinMagazine Source: https://t.co/R7oPuNqZBH

[Alan Smith @AlanJLSmith]

Total government spending in the UK for the financial year 2019/20 was £889 billion.

Total government spending for 2025/26 is estimated to be £1,368 billion.

You simply can’t tax your way out of this level of spending growth.

[Benedict Townsend @BRJTownsend]

The UK Government’s response on the other hand: “Don't worry about the deficit and the rising national debt. We are going to tax our way out of it."

[Black Hole @konstructivizm]

What will Earth look like in 250 million years?

[Alex Deane @ajcdeane]

Fiscal year to March 2026 -

Government borrowing: £132 billion.

Government debt interest payments: £110 billion.

[Kemi Badenoch @KemiBadenoch]

After 18 months of “standing up to Putin” the Labour govt quietly issued a licence allowing imports of Russian oil refined in third countries.

Yesterday Labour MPs voted AGAINST UK oil and gas licences.

We are now importing from Russia instead of drilling in the North Sea.

Insane.

[Alex Deane @ajcdeane]

❎ UK oil and gas
✅ Russian oil and gas

[Alex Deane @ajcdeane]

In 1998, Abu Hamza sent a group of terrorists (including his son) to blow up the British consulate in Yemen.

They were caught. During their trial, others amongst Hamza’s thugs kidnapped foreigners in an attempt to bargain for their release.

Hamza was eventually convicted in the USA of, inter alia, ordering that kidnapping - during which four of the hostages (including three Brits) were killed.

Separately, amongst the gang convicted of the attempt to blow up the consulate alongside Hamza’s son was Shahid Butt.

Shahid Butt is now a candidate for council in Birmingham Sparkhill in May’s local elections.

This is where our suicidal empathy brings us. Someone convicted of explicitly targeting this country’s diplomatic mission for destruction is a political candidate in… this country, today.

[YouGov @YouGov]

Latest YouGov Westminster voting intention, 12-13 April 2026

Reform UK: 24% (no change from 6-7 April)
Conservatives: 19% (=)
Greens: 18% (+2)
Labour: 17% (+1)
Lib Dems: 13% (=)
Restore Britain: 4% (=)
SNP: 3% (=)
Plaid Cymru: 1% (=)
Your Party: 0% (-1)

[Benedict Townsend @BRJTownsend]

What the hell?!

[Benedict Townsend @BRJTownsend]

@david_eng_mba Let’s see how Morgan Stanley’s Bitcoin ETF performs once it’s launched. Hopefully in the next couple of weeks. It could be a game changer.

[Benedict Townsend @BRJTownsend]

@BitcoinMagazine

[Benedict Townsend @BRJTownsend]

@btcjvs

[Benedict Townsend @BRJTownsend]

@coinbureau

[Benedict Townsend @BRJTownsend]

@BitcoinArchive

[Matthew Elliott @matthew_elliott]

The Government will collect £331bn in income tax this year, and spend £333bn on welfare.

In other words, we now spend more on people not working than we raise from those who do.

And the cost?

Debt per person has risen from £11.5k in 2000 (inflation adjusted) to over £41k today.