Roger Gough

“Reform argues that there are vast savings to be made by sacking diversity officers; the left argues that a wealth tax will raise multiple billions from a very small number of people.” Yes, this is the crux of it. Populism promotes the delusion that someone else will always pay.

Some reflections on #English #devolution following last Thursday’s Bill and an excellent (and perfectly-timed) seminar organised by @ConUnit_UCL open.substack.com/pub/goughr/p/e…

And so begins Reform UK finding things that don’t exist to suit their agenda… Reform’s £100 million KCC work-from-home claims branded ‘ridiculous nonsense’ kentonline.co.uk/kent/news/refo…

Great fun to record this with @IainDale I hope I conveyed the fascination of this most enigmatic of dictators - whose career had a theme of betrayal, most famously in regard to 1956, yet who later won a degree of respect and acceptance but came to an end you wouldn’t dare make up

It was very good to be there - the celebration of his life that Charlie deserved. His service to @Kent_cc was great, yet we were just one part of his very full life, at the centre of which was his wonderful family

EVENT | Keynote speech: Rt Hon Sir John Major KG CH 🗓️Thursday 19 June, 10.00-11.00 We are pleased to welcome the former prime minister The Rt Hon Sir John Major KG CH for a keynote speech at our one-day conference on standards in public life Register👇 instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/nolan-pr…

Correct. @CS_Kent does have a significant recruitment business, but this is a framework under the Procurement Services division. In any case, nothing to do with @Kent_cc spending council tax payers’ money.

How can politicians demonstrate ethical leadership? 🗓️Thursday 19 June, 11.15-12.15 Join us to hear from @PaulaBarkerMP @RogerGough2 @melissamcbel and Dave Penman on what role politicians play in leading by example. Register for the conference👇 instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/nolan-pr…

Here's the full Liz Truss mea culpa from Mel Stride, the Tory shadow chancellor, delivered in a speech just now. It's a tacit acceptance that the political damage to the party's credibility done by the mini-Budget is still there three years on. Also a clue to a wider truth…

Last week, Ben Rhodes and I did a @munkdebates against Kevin Roberts and Kellyanne Conway on whether Trump is leading America into a new golden age. We won. This is from my closing statement. There’s nothing golden about a movement that bathes in gratuitous cruelty.

THURSDAY LUNCHTIME at the Fleet Street Festival of Words Stationers Hall, Ave Maria Lane, London. 1pm THE DICTATORS WITH Prof Richard J Evans on Hitler, Cindy Yu on President Xi & Yasmin Alibai-Brown on Idi Amin Buy tickets eventbrite.com/e/dictators-wa…

Suspect a lot of people across #Kent #Invicta will think @TomTugendhat has a point here

Wise words in @TheEconomist from the excellent @RogerGough2 on the huge skew between where the UK public thinks local govt spending goes (universal services like bins and libraries) and the reality (social care to a fairly small minority of people, in real need)

A very good summary of the distorted reporting of an issue - sections 9-12 refer to the experience of @Kent_cc

Today at least two politicians I like and respect – @RogerGough2 and the Courier's own @NeilBakerTweets – have lost their seats through no fault of their own, after years of hard work and service to the people they represented.

"We haven't looked at the books yet." This does not bode well. The books are public documents and readily accessible. Reform are coming into office without having researched the basics.