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patricklohlein.bsky.social
30 years in Campaigns & Comms, International Business & Public Affairs in Asia & Europe | 中国通 | builder of bridges across political & cultural divides | passionate about development & environment, liberty & the rule of law | occasionally ✍️ 📺 🎙 at various
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New from FM: Is it discriminatory to prevent non-EEA nationals with pre-settled status from being joined in the UK by their spouse? | Iain Halliday

submitted 22 hours ago • 1 comment

Good summary of the IMF World Economic Outlook here from @pgourinchas.bsky.social which doesn't pull its punches on the damage being done by Trump's trade war and the resulting uncertainty (read: chaos). www.imf.org/en/Blogs/Art...

submitted 16 hours ago • 0 comments

Looks like Trump's tariffs may breathe new life into ASEAN www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/gen...

submitted 3 days ago • 0 comments

This is really important. The link between what people pay their councils and what they (can see they) get for their money has been broken. Councils have to spend on huge invisible things like social care and have little money left for rubbish collection and keeping the parks nice

submitted 5 days ago • 6 comments

250 years ago people in America got so upset about having to pay tariffs on imports of tea that they started a war of independence. The idea that "tariffs are beautiful" must make them turn in their graves

submitted 7 days ago • 0 comments

Honestly, UK, do it or fuck off. The world’s in flames, and you’re pissing about over the name of the most basic and uncontroversial form of cooperation imaginable. If you can’t even manage this, go away and come back when you’ve grown the fuck up. www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...

submitted 9 days ago • 21 comments

Bluebells are out in bloom

submitted 10 days ago • 0 comments

EFTA and Ukraine sign a new free trade agreement, upgrading the previous FTA with new chapters on e-commerce and SMEs, plus revised provisions on trade in goods, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, etc 👇 www.efta.int/media-resour...

submitted 12 days ago • 0 comments

China has responded to President Trump's latest tariff by announcing an additional tariff on US goods. China will now impose an 84% import tax on all US goods, with the US imposing an 104% import tax on all Chinese goods. news.sky.com/story/china-...

submitted 13 days ago • 0 comments

Not helping our global trade policy illiteracy crisis.

submitted 13 days ago • 0 comments

I spoke to More or Less about Trump's tariff formula www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

submitted 13 days ago • 1 comment

Chinese exporters are ditching shipments mid-voyage to the US, surrendering containers to shipping companies to avoid tariff costs. Industry insiders dubbed the move “preparing for the Long March”, a grim metaphor for a prolonged downturn in cross-Pacific trade. www.scmp.com/economy/chin...

submitted 13 days ago • 1 comment

A Nobel Peace prize for Trump... 🤔?

submitted 14 days ago • 0 comments

Trump’s own voters are turning on him.

submitted 16 days ago • 2241 comments

This, from my colleague Brent Neiman says it all. Trump admin used the results from his paper to justify tariff rates. Except they used the completely wrong number. Staggering 🤯 www.nytimes.com/2025/04/07/o...

submitted 15 days ago • 12 comments

Speaking as an American who knows lots of other Americans, very few Americans want to do this kind of low-paid, physically draining work.

submitted 16 days ago • 2 comments

🚨New PolHome podcast🚨 Some weekend listening; I had a great chat for this episode with former MP and minister Mark Field about his book ‘The End of an Era’, which charts the decline of the modern Conservative Party, his own time in office, and the fallout from those Liz Truss revelations… 🎧 here:

submitted 18 days ago • 1 comment

The North Downs at Vigo

submitted 18 days ago • 0 comments

🤣

submitted 21 days ago • 0 comments

😂

submitted 21 days ago • 1 comment

I'm still not clear who is going to take up this €150bn in EU SAFE money announced today. It seems like a lot of work for a scheme that I don't see getting a lot of take-up. I would NOT assume it will result in much higher defence spending in Europe. My sceptical thread - do point out if I'm wrong 🧵

submitted 34 days ago • 5 comments

What perfect albums came out when you were 16?

submitted 34 days ago • 63 comments

Literally poked myself in the eye with a stick while gardening. Not recommended 😕

submitted 36 days ago • 0 comments

Easter 🐣 is very early in the US this year. Or at least, the egg hunting has begun www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

submitted 38 days ago • 0 comments

"Strategically, the transatlantic rift is a disaster. Culturally, it might not be the worst thing if America and Europe have a bit less to do with each other. Their educated elites in particular should start seeing other people" 😁 www.ft.com/content/616b...

submitted 38 days ago • 0 comments

My condolences to US based friends who won't even be able to get a decent price for a decent wine, scotch or cognac to drown their sorrows

submitted 40 days ago • 2 comments

"Handouts Aren’t the Answer to US Shipbuilding Woes Stifled by protectionism, the industry was atrophying long before competitors seized market share. It’ll take more than money to revive it."

submitted 42 days ago • 1 comment

As a brief reprieve from US tariffs, I'll be discussing the EU-UK trade relationship with @bruegel.bsky.social and others next Tuesday. Register here: www.bruegel.org/event/trade-...

submitted 42 days ago • 2 comments