David Taylor

international political consultant, ex UK govt special adviser

[Luke Akehurst @lukeakehurst]

My latest article for @LabourList - let's make sure we don't learn the wrong lessons from defeat in Caerphilly https://t.co/4UZSYADwR3

[Dan Neidle @DanNeidle]

VAT on financial services = VAT on everyone’s mortgage payments.

Mr Polanski does know that. Doesn’t he?

[George Magnus @georgemagnus1]

Here are some take aways from the 4th Plenum communique, just released, as far as the economy and 15th FYP are concerned. This was a political meeting, and so econ detail junkies will have to wait for more to come out in due course 1/8

[Luke Tryl @LukeTryl]

Scale of Plaid win in Caerphilly is significant, not least because of what it says about the potential for progressive tactical voting in (relatively) high turnout elections to block Reform. Voters in this race knew it was a Plaid-Reform contest and voted accordingly.

[Nation.Cymru @NationCymru]

Lindsay Whittle has won the Caerphilly Senedd by-election for Plaid Cymru, defeating Labour in one of its strongholds https://t.co/v3D1Iod5PQ

[CBS Evening News with Tony Dokoupil @CBSEveningNews]

Soybean farmers in Iowa are feeling the sting of the U.S.-China trade war, as China halts all soybean imports from American producers. “It’s a small bandage on a big wound,” the Iowa Farmers Union president said after the Trump administration offered only a fraction of the promised aid as the government shutdown causes complications.

[The Economist @TheEconomist]

The world’s most important relationship is in a shocking state. China is on top—and changing the path of the global economy https://t.co/dG5WSyGaHi

[The Spectator @spectator]

Clever, confident and stricken with common sense.

✍️ Euan McColm
https://t.co/NafxYToLYg

[Spencer Hakimian @SpencerHakimian]

I’m clearly not a Mamdani nor a Trump guy (I think they’re actually a lot more similar in their appeal, than their opposing politics suggest).

But I think the attempts to take them down via character assassination (Mamdani as a wealthy Ugandan Muslim), (Trump as a womanizing trust funder) just completely fall on deaf ears.

The people drawn to Mamdani and Trump are desperate.

Mamdani fans are desperate to lower their cost of living. They’re desperate to not pay 70% of their income on rent. Mamdani is the only one talking about this. Even though his solutions are terrible.

Trump fans are desperate for job stability. They’re desperate to not have their town gutted as factories get offshored to China and Mexico. Trump is the only one talking about this. Even though his solutions are terrible.

The problem that Hillary Clinton and Andrew Cuomo faced/are facing is that they’re trying to disarm a politician with traditional methods. By character shaming him. This works very well in stable times.

But when people are desperate. (New Yorkers in 2025, midwesterners in 2016), they don’t care about character.

They’ll take a chance on anything. Anything. Whatever is different.

What do they have to lose?

The system doesn’t work for them.

Worst comes, Mamdani and Trump fail. And they’re right back where they were before. In the gutters.

This is the core problem the old guard (who are thriving) faces when disarming the challenges of the new guard (who have nothing left to lose).

I welcome your rebuttals.

[David Taylor @david_taylor]

@MichaelLCrick Mervyn Davies bought Salford City FC after serving as a government minister