Mark Braund

A true story about an idea I had more than a decade ago. And a new play by one of Britain’s leading playwrights, currently taking London’s West End by storm. markbraund.substack.com/p/a-writers-...

The UK becoming one big fossil fuel fired data centre for US hyperscalers with a few isolated housing developments with no local amenities scattered around them is certainly a vision. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Update: I'm running 19k tomorrow. Yikes. At least the weather's look good. Please support this wonderful cause if you can.

Last day at Lord's for me this season. So glad my dad, now 87, was able to come, 51 years since he first took me. I remember that day like it was yesterday, not least because John Edrich scored a sublime century off Lillee and Thompson in their pomp. #cricket #lords

The sky at London Bridge right now. The photo doesn't do it justice, alas.

That's my evening sorted. My copy of Tears in Time, the new album by Peter Hammill, has just been delivered, two days ahead of the release date! There's nothing like a first listen on vinyl. burningshed.com/peter-hammil...

If only more world leaders were as switched on to what's happening, and why, as António Guterres, then we might have a chance of getting out of the mess we're in. This sounds like a brilliant speech. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/s...

I'm running 10k next weekend, which is ridiculous for someone of my age. So please support this wonderful cause if you can. Every day, Anthony Nolan gives four people a second chance of life by facilitating a stem cell transplant. 2026vitalitylondon10000.enthuse.com/pf/mark-braund

New post from me looking at AI, the apparently unstoppable force that is overtaking all our lives, through the eyes of the great economist John Maynard Keynes. markbraund.substack.com/p/keynes-and...

There isn't a level of obscene wealth that is enough for these psychos. They spend their lives extracting wealth created by others from the economy and then move on to the next target to minimise their tax liability. www.theguardian.com/news/2026/se...

A new (old) piece from me to mark the demise of the BBC’s Sunday afternoon ski programme Ski Sunday. Although as you’ll read, that once great show rather lost its way years ago, an early victim of our ever-decreasing attention spans. markbraund.substack.com/p/farewell-s...

It's a great shame that the BBC has chosen to axe Ski Sunday after 50 years, but in truth Ski Sunday lost its way years ago, as I wrote for The Guardian back in 2008. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Fabulous obituary by Yvonne Roberts of the great Gloria Steinem - someone who did more to improve the world that I grew up in than possibly anyone else. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/s...

'In farcical scenes, play was eventually abandoned at 18:30 in the best weather of the day to boos from the remaining spectators. There was potential for another hour to be used.' BBC Yep, I was there. Once again, test cricket shoots itself in the foot. www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricke...

Very important piece by @annpettifor.bsky.social. It feels like we’re running out of time to avoid the most damaging collision of financial and political crises in a century. annpettifor.substack.com/p/trump-is-t...

Very sensible article by @michaelujacobs.bsky.social on the Jackdaw and Rosebank drilling license decision. I think he's right: yes to Jackdaw, no to Rosebank, unless Rosebank's developers commit to carbon capture and storage (which they won't). www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Brilliant piece of journalism from @zoesqwilliams.bsky.social. And great that she mentions Andrew Lobaczewski, whose crucial ideas are never discussed in the mainstream media, or anywhere else for that matter. www.theguardian.com/science/2026...

New post from me. Well, actually it’s an old piece, but it still holds up, so perhaps it'll find a new audience. I wrote it to to show how far politics had shifted to the right since Richard Nixon was president. 20 years on .... markbraund.substack.com/p/nixon-the-...

Beggars belief that Barnstaple Hospital (where three of my grandparents ended their days) is being described as remote. North Devon has several mid-sized towns that used to have their own maternity provision. Now women have to go to Exeter?! It's criminal. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

I'm with @bearlypolitics.co.uk. Pride is a celebration of the greatest human rights achievement in Britain in my lifetime. If people on the right choose to feel antagonised, then they need to explain why the rights they claim should be denied to many of my friends.

Sometimes you see a headline and you just think, Jesus, this is so f***ing obvious, was it really necessary to spend money researching it? www.theguardian.com/science/2026...

And we can now safely assume that he went home and took it out on his wife.

Anthropic shredding millions of rare books should be a crime. It’s also a perfect encapsulation of what utter shit generative AI is and how it fundamentally makes the world worse.

New post from me explaining why banks are a special case and should therefore be taxed more heavily than other businesses. markbraund.substack.com/p/jamie-dimo...

@rafaelbehr.bsky.social at his absolute best in @theguardian.com today, especially in his analysis of Trumpian far-right anti-free market capitalism. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Today experienced the 24th day of year hitting 30C in London. For perspective in whole of 1980s we had 21 days.

Fifty years ago, when I was laughing my head off at The Goodies, I never thought I'd one day be a member of the very institution they lampoon so hilariously here. RIP the great Bill Oddie www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRdf...

Proper leadership, and he's not even the leader. www.theguardian.com/business/202...

My standard FT subscription won't let me read this. But it's a clear indication of what happens as we move rapidly towards a two-tier economy in which wealth creation no longer depends on human labour. It will tear a massive hole in social fabric, and politicians are nowhere near acknowledging it.

For far too long, the United States has been ambivalent about its war dead, and wounded veterans. But this is beyond the pale. RIP Isabella Gonzalez, you immensely brave young woman. You will not be forgotten.

But it's the occasional exception that proves the rule. C'mon Andy!

What a fabulous picture! I was just 9 days old when Campbell broke the record, but grew up hearing all about his exploits, and those of his father from my dad, especially on holidays in the Lake District.

Great that Peter Hammill is getting the recognition he deserves. I've always thought that he'll be remembered in centuries to come long after the Ed Sheerans of this world have been forgotten. Not sure how he'd feel about such an accolade from Mr Clarkson, but hey. www.thetimes.com/article/c533...

The @economist.com unwittingly makes the case for a Land Value Tax #lvt

I knew of Guy Scott, but not how he came to be President. What a fascinating story, and a remarkable life. Great obituary by @stephenkb.bsky.social.

Well, he can tell the country what he’s up to, so that’s a start.

This is why the "B..but he stood for leader before and lost! Twice!" discourse was so dumb. Maybe people staying in politics when they lose or fail & sticking at it makes them...better? If we applied today's norms on when you're meant to leave politics, Churchill would've been gone after Gallipoli

And I wonder if @sofasound.bsky.social ever reads reviews?

Sending my latest substack post to @stuartmaconie.bsky.social, who put together a fantastic prom last weekend, which features large in this round-up of six excellent concerts I had the privilege if attending over the last fortnight. markbraund.substack.com/p/in-praise-...

A long read for the weekend, inspired by six wonderful concerts I’ve had the pleasure of attending over the last fortnight. Enjoy! markbraund.substack.com/p/in-praise-...

@wigmore-hall.org.uk Hello, I really enjoyed the Jean Rondeau concert last evening. Do you by any chance the know the name of the piece he played for the encore? Many thanks.

Andy Burnham is suggesting "honesty" in UK politics. OK, I'll start.... -Brexit has made us much weaker -Well-organised immigration is a boon and not a bane -big money in politics and our media is destroying the UK

She's dead right. And all of it is perfectly doable, and would already be happening in truly civilized society. C'Mon Andy.

'No such danger for Peter Hammill. At 77 he was in mighty voice singing the poignant Refugees.' Great review of Saturday's Prog prom in today's Times, including a photo of Peter in full flight. Copying in @sofasound.bsky.social just in case. www.thetimes.com/culture/musi...

One of the worst things about the revolving door of party leadership is that it affords Chris Mason an arena in which to deliver his tedious and banal commentary on it all

As Andy Burnham becomes Prime Minister, a new piece from me on Burnham's previous support for land value tax as part of a wider strategy to get the economy working again and enabling everyone to earn a decent living by effective participation in the economy. markbraund.substack.com/p/andy-burnh...