Weekend reading: Thicker than The Thick of It

Warning: Brexit before the links. As ever, please feel free to skip if it’ll make you cross.

What happens when a farce turns into farce? Is there a negation, and then rationality reigns?

If so we’re not there yet with Brexit.

Government ministers voting and whipping against their own motions – and still losing. Brexiteers in Parliament voting down Brexit, while those outside deny the contradictions of their own marketing that make it impossible for MPs to “deliver what the people voted for”.

See this tweet for a taste of the antics.

Meanwhile we have Labour sitting on its hands for an (admittedly ill-timed) vote calling for a second referendum – a referendum that is supposedly Labour party policy.

As Theresa May’s undead deal returns for a third showing next week, the leader of the opposition – who has been screwing with us for two and a half years – is now doing the same to a corpse.

I visited College Green in Westminister this week to hang out with the hardcore Leavers and Remainers. It felt like history in the making. Thing is, when history is still being made you don’t know where it’s going.

Were all our national meltdowns – 1066, Henry VIII, Cromwell, Dunkirk, Suez – quite so lunatic? History repeats itself – first as farce, and later as Monty Python. Or perhaps the Tour De France.

I’m reminded of an addict who can’t quit. You watch through your fingers as they are confronted again and again by their terrible life choices. Everyone outside can see the thrill is gone, grim reality reigns, and that they’re just making themselves sick. But given a chance to make a new choice, they spurn it and stumble on.

Brexit. Just say no, kids.

The investing angle? See my previous table. Hard no-deal Brexit has become less likely, but so has a second referendum and no Brexit. We’re coalescing around a middle, which is probably where we should be given the result of the referendum.

Everyone’s not a winner!

From Monevator

Good books to help you stay the course to financial independence – Monevator

Tax efficient saving for children and grandchildren with JISAs and SIPPs – Monevator

From the archive-ator: 10 lessons learned from accidentally starting a business – Monevator

News

Note: Some links are Google search results – in PC/desktop view you can click to read the piece without being a paid subscriber. Try privacy/incognito mode to avoid cookies. Consider subscribing if you read them a lot!¹

FCA plans to ban or cap exit fees – Guardian

AJ Bell and Hargreaves hail wider reach of exit fee ban – Portfolio Advisor

Brexit shambles “damaging confidence in the housing market”, says RICS… – ThisIsMoney

…as the Chancellor offers £3bn fix for Britain’s “broken housing market” – Guardian

…while we’re at it, the fastest double-your-money years for UK property [Search result] – FT

Meet the billionaire behind Wish, the world’s most downloaded e-commerce app – Forbes

Philip Hammond’s Spring Statement at-a-glance – Guardian

Rates to stay ultra-low, and five other forecasts from the Spring Statement – ThisIsMoney

Products and services

Understanding and navigating ETFs’ premiums and discounts – Morningstar

The problem with wealth managers like St James’ Place – The Evidence-based Investor

Yorkshire offers 2.01% five-year fixed rate mortgage with a 15% deposit [Beware fees] – ThisIsMoney

Ratesetter will pay you £100 [and me a cash bonus] if you invest £1,000 for a year – Ratesetter

Are solar panels still a good investment? – ThisIsMoney

A review of the six leading technology investment trusts – IT Investor

Homes in areas of outstanding natural beauty [Gallery] – Guardian

Comment and opinion

Compounding boredom is simple, but not easy – Tony Isola

Brexit, Game of Thrones, and the Investment Platforms Market Study – the lang cat

Nothing happens, and then everything happens – Of Dollars and Data

Is it worth being a famous fund manager anymore? – A Wealth of Common Sense

Top tips for getting your partner on the journey to financial freedom – Mrs YFG

Why great expectations lead to small investment returns – The Value Perspective

Case study: An indie chick escapes – The Escape Artist

Put away the birthday candles. The US bull market began in 2013, not 2009 – Bloomberg

Untangling luck and skill in investing [Research] – Flirting with Models

GARP Investing: Golden or garbage? – Enterprising Investor

The case for selling Centrica shares – UK Value Investor

Inspiring video special

We all need a break. I’ve swapped this week’s Brexit links for this inspiring video from a man who earned a lot, saved most of it, then buggered off in his 30s to roam the world on a boat:

(3652 Days, this is especially for you. Get over that hump!)

Kindle book bargains

Narconomics: How To Run a Drug Cartel by Tom Wainwright – £1.99 on Kindle

The Complete Guide to Property Investment by Rob Dix – £0.99 on Kindle

Winners and How They Succeed by Alistair Campbell – £1.99 on Kindle

The $100 Startup by Chris Guillebeau – £0.99 on Kindle

Off our beat

How the modern office is killing our creativity [Search result] – FT

The mind behind Minority Report is giving PowerPoint an overhaul – WIRED

Low-cost 3D printed homes are coming – Fast Company

The surprising secret of web headlines – Seth’s Blog

What kind of person fakes their voice? – The Cut

Old money: The curse of the invisible women [Search result] – FT

California is blooming – Quartzy

And finally…

“I had been breastfed for the first six months of my life. Did my mother not realize I was a vegan? Did she even care? Either way, this was abuse.”
– Tatiana McGrath, Woke: A Guide to Social Justice

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1. Note some articles can only be accessed through the search results if you’re using PC/desktop view (from mobile/tablet view they bring up the firewall/subscription page). To circumvent, switch your mobile browser to use the desktop view. On Chrome for Android: press the menu button followed by “Request Desktop Site”.

from Monevator https://monevator.com/weekend-reading-thicker-than-the-thick-of-it/