iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Crude version. There were only ever two possible UK-EU relations. "We'll take the economic / policy hit in exchange for preserving greater freedom" or "Being in gives us the greatest chance to shape our future even with some frustrations". Neither acceptable to national pride.

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Jeegar Kakkad @jeegarkakkad.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

£2.75? Proper crisis. Didn't hear anything about this in the PMs speech...

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Reposted by David Henig

Not sure about that speech. The sugar rush of vibes will wear off, exposing the promise of tough-ish decisions in four years as meaningless today. In the meantime, its rinse & repeat on technical education, EU resets, state control, british jobs for british workers, forgotten towns and vibes.

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Dr Stylite @columnist.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

A good speech and the right focus on personal control but at its heart the vacuum that the modern world can't really be defined if the starting point is that everything went wrong because of privatisation in the 1980s.

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Reposted by David Henig

To expand on this, the inviolable specialness of the special relationship is the most durable and widely held establishment view in the UK — on a par with the royal family.

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Reposted by David Henig

Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 29/09/2026

Interesting details on how the Iowa steel deal got done. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/28/u...

Mesabi executives have leaned on a Trump-world insider as the company has sought to expand its footprint in the United States. The company hired Jason Miller, a longtime Trump adviser, as its lobbyist, paying him at least $240,000 through his company SHW Partners, according to lobbying disclosure records. The government of India also hired Mr. Miller’s company, paying $150,000 per month for “strategic counsel, tactical planning and government relations assistance on policy matters before the U.S. government,” according to federal filings under the Foreign Agent Registration Act.

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A serious point often missed, part of the argument that the bommer generation got it all then pulled up the drawbridge. But then I refer to earlier comments - what is the vision for the coming years? Right now - for the state to try and deliver everything and inevitably fail.

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Just noticing some of by book piles getting bit close to the ceiling, so, er, how easy is it to raise a ceiling...?

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Have been for a pint with one of these and the public isn't always wrong...

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Seems to be a cross-Europe view that bringing back manufacturing jobs will defeat the populists. Pity there's no evidence that you can or that it would work.

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Basically demands for a full-scale retreat into Smoot Hawley style protectionism from German industry, with the potential to do serious damage to an EU economy in the service of incumbent manufacturing jobs. Such is the political panic of the moment.

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Alex Andreou @sturdyalex.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Reluctant agree. The lobbying against any change and in favour of presents for everyone needs to be taken on, and while you'd prefer grown-up politics of serious debate, if that's not on offer then best take unpopular actions now.

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Reposted by David Henig

If I never hear from Sharon Graham, ever again, it will be several months too soon. She is typical of the intellectual dishonesty plaguing this country, which demands radical change, but objects to anything actually changing.

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These are of course reasons to support genuine markets and actions against corporate concentration. One massive political weakness across countries is considering the private sector as a single entity represented by the largest firms, thus discriminating against challengers.

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Hetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Those who actually study the numbers are deeply sceptical of the China Shock 2.0 narrative taking over the EU. But heck, why let the facts or indeed the absence of any actual strategy get in the way of a really good panic?

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Reposted by David Henig

Those who think AI is going to largely automate white collar jobs in the next couple of years don’t understand the nature of work - @sarahoconnorft.ft.com nails it www.ft.com/content/4aad...

It is not obvious that AI agents could eliminate the need for this type of work, since it involves persuasion, contestation and the exchange of tacit knowledge and experience that is spread across different departments, and often exists inside people's heads rather than in a neatly codified handbook on the intranet.

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Burnham edges Labour closer to rejoining EU

Hard to tell if there's really anything new to this reporting on UK-EU relations, wait for tomorrow but quite possible the conversation is at most inching forwards while claiming boldness. www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...

independent.co.uk

Exclusive: After Ed Miliband told the Labour conference in Liverpool that Britain’s future is at the heart of Europe, ministers say it is ‘not if but how’ the prime minister puts rejoin in the next el...

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I have been reliving my youth. And as far as I can remember, this is a pretty good account of the football fanzine heyday, though perhaps a little heavy on the campaigns and light on the haircuts.

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Single announcements don't make a new age of industrialisation, but might just increase discontent when people don't see factories popping up everywhere.

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A tough agenda but without a clear sense of what the EU is trying to achieve beyond turning the clock back to a former age of factory glory. Akin to the US failing to bring back manufacturing for ten years not least given some of the same advisors.

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Have to say I've been sceptical of figures claiming great benefits from restoring tax free shopping to tourists, seemingly with good reason.

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Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Define a "stronger, deeper partnership"

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Reposted by David Henig

Call my cynical, but if main trail has been Social Care, then I'm doubtful that the EU stuff will be much more than the warm words we've seen to date

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David Henig @davidheniguk.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Since I'm not going to Liverpool this year to discuss, a short state of play on UK EU relations and the Labour Party. The very short version - they're terrified. And trying to find ways to avoid the question none of which will work.

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David Henig @davidheniguk.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

End times doomster-ism exerts a strange pull throughout history. Still no basis for serious decisions.

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David Henig @davidheniguk.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Might be the jetlag but I'm confused somewhere between "what if the world ends because of AI / trade wars / whatever" and long erudite articles on the Labour Party that leave me little clue as to what they think the point of politics or parties actually is...

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David Henig @davidheniguk.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Trying to think through the learning of a week in Beijing it is to be less worried about the economics and far more about the politics globally and domestically. That I suppose is always the likely outcome of a massive productivity shock.

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David Henig @davidheniguk.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Predictable that the EU would say only a closer relationship including action on China will avoid Made in Europe barriers, but there is a wider debate in the EU on how to treat partners which makes this slightly premature. www.ft.com/content/5453...

ft.com

EU urges UK to raise tariffs on Chinese cars to avoid ‘made in Europe’ barriers

London has lobbied intensely to secure equal treatment for British products but continues to rule out a customs union

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Sean Jones KC @seanjones.org · 24/09/2026

Learn from Brexit negotiations. National politicians with warm words do not equal the consensus view of the Brussels bubble. Officials across the EU are right now far more sceptical regarding rejoin chatter, because they do not believe the UK is anything like ready.

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Reposted by David Henig

Brexit, the Sitcom Mr Brexit no longer enjoys life as Europe’s most divorced man. Rooting for his phone amongst the discarded cans he texts his ex wife to tell her he’s willing to move back in with her but there will have to be changes. She will have to change. He stares at the phone waiting.

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As an aside, "Canada's associate membership of the EU means x for the UK" takes suffer rather from the fact that few in Brussels know what this will actually entail but most are pretty sure it won't in any way resemble associate membership.

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Oh, we're still on the "significantly reformed EU" nonsense are we? Like the UK has the power to dictate terms as a returning hero or some such? Same EU as per the last 40 years at least. Be part of it or not. Full stop. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

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