Professor of Industrial Economics, Nottingham University Business School. (views expressed are my own and do not reflect those of the University of Nottingham)
Joined August 2009
- Tweets25.2K
- Following1.2K
- Followers43.4K
- Likes19.2K
David Paton retweeted
If you are in the EU, at least there is a case for the single market but even then there is a trade-off: benefit from easier trade with the EU; cost from the vast majority of firms who do not export to the EU still being subject to EU regulations.
I think the costs outweigh the benefits. Others may disagree which is fine.
However, re-joining the single market whilst not in the EU would mean giving power to our trading rivals unilaterally to decide what regulations they face when exporting to the UK.
It would be quite insane! I'm sure that won't stop some politicians pushing for it though.
David Paton retweeted
Brexit
Mario Draghi set out that in key areas of the future in particular as examples (AI/ Digital) the effective barriers within the EU’s Single Market were 45% for manufactured goods & 110% for Services! The UK is much better off outside the EU as a key country in the world for Services expertise!
If you are in the EU, at least there is a case for the single market but even then there is a trade-off: benefit from easier trade with the EU; cost from the vast majority of firms who do not export to the EU still being subject to EU regulations.
I think the costs outweigh the benefits. Others may disagree which is fine.
However, re-joining the single market whilst not in the EU would mean giving power to our trading rivals unilaterally to decide what regulations they face when exporting to the UK.
It would be quite insane! I'm sure that won't stop some politicians pushing for it though.
David Paton retweeted
Shortlist for #BJA2026 Specialist Journalism category. Delighted to be recognised alongside @DanNeidle @zoetidman @ShaymaBakht @Steve_Farrell_ @Lees_Martina @zoetidman @AaronWala @DalmeetS
David Paton retweeted
Five reasons why reopening the Brexit debate is a bad idea
1. It will reopen societal divisions that were largely settled*
Prior to Burnham's speech, ~ 12% of voters cited Brexit as a top 3 issue.
*Settled for most of the country, not for political elites & journalists!
...
David Paton retweeted
Is Burnham’s undo Brexit talk a dead cat - and if so, to distract us from what?
It makes no sense, economically, societally or politically….
David Paton retweeted
🎯👇
(I've been banging on about this for a while! Business investment has rebounded as Brexit uncertainty has eased, and few businesses think 'rejoin' should be a priority)
David Paton retweeted
Rejoining the EU might help Labour squeeze the Lib Dems - but it would also mean gutting Andy Burnham’s own policy agenda, from devolution to reindustrialisation to trade to regulation. My latest for @theipaper inews.co.uk/opinion/burnham-…
David Paton retweeted
The opposite of an "honest discussion" by @MayorofLondon
Reasonable to argue Brexit had a small net economic cost or benefit.
Suggesting it's been an unparalleled economic disaster like he does here, is not only wrong but grossly irresponsible.
nitter.cf/cricketwyvern/status/2…
David Paton retweeted
13/ Gross economic Value Added (GVA) from City of London: up £25bn 2019 to 2024, from £32bn to £57bn! So much for a Brexit impact. How ironic that this is exactly the bullshit number Oliver Wyman predicted would be lost. LOL!!
No archive available but screenshots included
David Paton retweeted
The irony of Hilary Cass complaining about this trans-related safeguarding disaster when she pushed for experimenting on children just as young with puberty blocker drugs.
Both are safeguarding failures but the latter is actually being promoted by Government Minsters and Cass.
🚨Hilary Cass has called for an independent inquiry into how Brighton GPs were allowed to prescribe cross-sex hormones to children as young as 12.“There urgently needs to be an investigation of why every system that should have protected children, young people, and indeed young adults has failed,” she told me.
The employment tribunal between Dr Sarah Redvers and NHS Sussex has highlighted how regulators and the NHS collectively failed to stop prescribing of puberty blockers and hormones against national guidelines - for years - and how instead the person raising concerns was accused of transphobia and herself investigated.
Dr Redvers sat down with me for her only newspaper interview about her treatment in a scandal which, Cass now says, “dwarfs” that of the Tavistock’s GIDS.
Me for the Sunday Times…
thetimes.com/article/cfde7b4…
David Paton retweeted
“An academic who criticised universities’ marketing efforts as ‘bad’ is under investigation by his institution after fellow staff members raised complaints.”
As reported in Times Higher Education, CAF is currently supporting the academic in question, Dr Mike Ryder, following Lancaster University's decision to investigate him over criticism of its marketing practices.
We have secured specialist external legal counsel to advise on the case, and a formal letter challenging the basis for the investigation will be sent to the University on Dr Ryder’s behalf early next week.
Full story in @timeshigher:
timeshighereducation.com/new…
If you’re an academic facing an investigation or disciplinary action over your lawful speech, please get in touch: [email protected]
David Paton retweeted
When it came to Covid, policymakers ignored ethics on the basis that “the end justifies the means”. They did not even manage to achieve positive “ends”. Me for
@unherd
on the latest Covid Inquiry report.
David Paton retweeted
The UK government imposed strict lockdown rules on care homes during Covid.
The prevention measures did more harm than good, writes @cricketwyvern 👇
buff.ly/3s2P2EY
David Paton retweeted
The Covid Inquiry has released its latest report on the government's pandemic response.
It ignores the detrimental impact of lockdowns, argues @cricketwyvern 👇
buff.ly/3s2P2EY
David Paton retweeted
This isn't going to go away @afneil. You really need to respond.
I see that @afneil has not removed his post, despite at least 12 hours passing since I noted it was inaccurate and defamatory.
I have quickly compiled more of the statistics on church attacks to verify my statement: heathertomlinson.substack.co…
David Paton retweeted
This does no credit to @afneil.
@HeatherTomli is a balanced, sensible commentator, referring here to well-sourced evidence including from an official French Government report.
Please remove this comment, Andrew, and apologise to Heather.
David Paton retweeted
This is not about his original post on the French riots but his disgraceful and unjustified response to Heather's comment, calling her a "far-right conspiracy nutter" who was spreading "racist lies".
@afneil must withdraw the comment and apologise to @HeatherTomli
David Paton retweeted
The Free Speech Union is proud to be backing Fraser.
In what self-respecting democracy would the police arrest a 15-year-old boy for saying that a Conservative councillor was dressed like a “rent boy”?
Politicians must not use the police as their personal force to silence those who criticise or mock them.
This is Britain, not North Korea.
I was sent this clip from the Battle of Ideas Festival, where @_ConnieShaw from the @SpeechUnion spoke about my case. I’m grateful to them for raising it as part of the discussion on free speech.
David Paton retweeted
I'm not sure what this website's purpose is except to gaslight people. #assistedsuicide #euthanasia
1 One of the claims it 'demolishes' is that since introduced MAiD (in reality medical homicide) has undergone a rapid expansion.
Let's look at numbers. In 2016 1018 people died by MAiD. It more than doubled the next year and in 2024 had skyrocketed to 16499. More than 1 in 20 Canadians was killed by their doctor in 2024.
Let's look at legislation. In 2021 those qualifying for MAiD hugely expanded when the requirement of a 'reasonably foreseeable' death was removed. 27% of Canadians have a disability. Though not all would qualify (particularly as mental health has yet to be included as a criteria) a wide swathe of Canadians now potentially qualify for MAiD - far more than in 2016.
2 Another 'demolition' is of Pollock's claim that 2024 legislation 'would have' expanded euthanasia to those suffering from mental illness. The retort 'ah, but it didn't yet' is no refutation, particularly when the Liberals have not done anything other than kick that can down the road.
3 To Pollock's warning that Liberals have announced that advance requests could be used to euthanise people with dementia, this website replies, 'hahaha, fool! That's already happening'. To my claim (included in Pollock's article) that the so-called coffee euthanasia could be happening in Quebec, this scurrilous website replies: 'A refusal can prevent MAiD from being administered and result in the advance request being removed from the register.' But it doesn't have to. And how would we ever know know, given that there is no duty to record these details of the case? The doctor is judge, jury, and executioner once an advance request for MAiD is made.
However, I do wish to thank Canadian MAiD proponents for making the Canadian lunatic asylum the worst example possible for countries - like those in the UK - considering #assistedsuicide. You were essential to our victory against death culture.
