Patrick Lohlein
@patricklohlein.bsky.social
30 years in Campaigns & Comms, International Business & Public Affairs in Asia & Europe | 中国通 | ex- @ToriesVsBrexit @the3million +++ | occasionally ✍️ 📺 🎙 at various | not always serious
🌐 Global Trade Update – H1 2026 Goods trade +12.5% to US$13.7T, services +10.5%. East Asia leading growth, driven by AI, EVs, and green tech. ✅ Supply chains adapting, new trade hubs emerging. 🧭 Growth continues, but unevenly. 🔗 https://ow.ly/naC150Zrkn0
This is well worth reading: an interview with the new Chancellor, John Healey, from 2021, talking about regional development and economic growth. It's particularly interesting on what he thinks the Blair/Brown and Cameron/Osborne governments got right and wrong.
Ross Mudie@rmudie96.bsky.social · 2w agoAn interview with John Healey on regional economic policy that is very worth reading: sites.harvard.edu/uk-regional-...
So Farage has decided to "let the people of Claxton judge" whether he is the underdog fighting against the establishment or a shady grifter with a penchant for drama and wasting taxpayers money on a pointless election
The BBC shouldn't have opinion blogs, because the nature of the BBC charter means that you just get 'well, who is to say what way water flows?' stuff that I think just erodes support for the BBC on all sides.
A fantastic essay from @adamposen.bsky.social on the implications of Trump's corruption, and the failure of US political and judicial institutions, for the US, Europe and the world. Key excerpt below but read it all. www.piie.com/commentary/o...
If you ever wondered why the range of apprenticeships in England is so limited and skewed to being either a trainee at a dental or veterinary services chain or a coffeeshop barrista, this explains why. TLDR; apprenticeships are "tolerable for big employers with HR on call, dreadful for anyone else"
Stephen Bush@stephenkb.bsky.social · last mo.“None of them seem to understand that an apprentice needs an employer.” - fantastic piece on why the UK’s politicians keep calling for apprenticeships while providing fewer and fewer:
Less than a year later, there are lots of tiny turquoise damselflies around the top pond 👇
Patrick Lohlein@patricklohlein.bsky.social · 12mo agoDelighted that Ms Damselfly decided to choose the new pond for laying her eggs
Lisa Nandy says she will leave X - as will her department (DCMS)
Revealed preferences suggest this 37% drop in small boat nunbers (first two quarters) is treated as ×10-x50 times less newsworthy than a 37% increase has been. Given high salience of the issue, should broadcasters try to check/balance that instinct?
Can someone explain when "If you're explaining, you're winning" became a trueism? 🤔
Unlikely to happen, especially as the main drive to #RejoinEU stems from a nostalgia for a world that no longer exists, ironically mirroring sentiments behind the LEAVE vote in 2016...
Roland Smith@rolandmcs.bsky.social · last mo.So to be accepted as a member, we need to forget any idea of opt-outs.
10 years ago, the people of 🇬🇧 voted to BoatyMcBoatface the whole country by voting for Brexit. Long- and short-term residents from Commonwealth countries also had a vote, but this was denied to long-term residents from the EU. This skewed the results by a lot more than the 1% margin that saw OUT win
Spotted three different kinds of wild orchid this week, including the Bee Orchid (pic 1), which is quite rare, the Common Spotted Orchid (2) and lots of Pyramidical Orchids (3), which are much more commonly spotted than the Common Spotted Orchids around here in the North Downs #nature #orchids #kent
Great explainer on the duty to rescue anyone and everyone found in distress at sea 👇
Free Movement@freemovement.bsky.social · 2mo agoNew: Briefing: the duty of refugee sea rescue in international law — by Colin Yeo
This topic is taboo. Nobody in the UK wants to talk about the 10-20 pt gap in public opinion between "Brexit was a bad idea" and "Rejoining is a good idea" - especially when you get to the details
Matthew Holehouse@matthewholehouse.bsky.social · 2mo agoHard to think of a campaign as glass-jawed as Rejoin
"We have a mini-Shengen zone with Ireland" - Evan Davies just now on #R4PM
On World Oceans Day, new UNCTAD data show that services surpassed goods to account for over half of ocean trade ($2.5 trillion) in 2025. How can developing economies turn this shift into greater value creation and stronger ocean conservation? Explore: https://ow.ly/E90m50Z8N7u
As a society, we just don't know how to deal with what social media is doing to our brains and our public discourse. It's much easier to reach for the ban button for kids and pat ourselves on the back for "doing something" than it is to confront the fundamental issues. Cynical, pointless posturing
Luddites www.cnn.com/2026/06/03/c...
The oceans are in deep trouble. The Trump administration just ditched a vital deep-sea monitoring system | CNN
The Trump administration will dismantle a $368 million monitoring system that provides critical data on the world’s oceans, sparking alarm among scientists
cnn.com
Very glad to see people noticing that the renewable energy debate may be about more to than just the FOR or AGAINST simplism we are constantly fed with
New Soft Landing podcast. Featuring the doyen of Brexit commentators @chrisgrey.bsky.social, in which we discuss all things Brexit. Listen here now: rolandmcs.substack.com/p/podcast-br...
Podcast: Brexit and Brexitism with Professor Chris Grey
A wide-ranging discussion of Brexit, featuring Professor Chris Grey
rolandmcs.substack.com
I mean, technically Christianity is a foreign import and truly indigenous Brits would be pagans...
Katie Martin@katie0martin.ft.com · 2mo ago'A Restore spokesperson has said that people without “indigenous British ancestry and Christian faith” cannot be considered British.' I'm an atheist so LMK where to self-deport to I guess anyway, good piece here on the right-wing online aura harvesters - as.ft.com/r/7beb9e3c-f...
For 88% of countries, “invisible” trade barriers like regulations and administrative procedures cost exporters more than tariffs. @unctad.bsky.social estimates that aligning rules across countries can cut trade costs by 15-30%! #TradeFactOfTheMonth
British Steel and government special measures https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-10278/
