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Iain McLaughlin

@iainmclaughlin.bsky.social
600 followers 2.2K following 281 posts

Politics, economics, trade, advocacy, AIO/SEO, the Curious things of life & Dartmoor stomper. Celtic FC & Plymouth Argyle, F1. 🛸 EFTA4UK's resident lefty. Perfection is the enemy of good.

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Iain McLaughlin @iainmclaughlin.bsky.social · 12/10/2025
I asked Manus AI to look into this. it went and built a webpage as well reviews & critiques welcome ukhousing-ljz9f7.manus.space
ukhousing-ljz9f7.manus.space
The Erosion of the Single-Wage Household Model in the UK
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Patrick Lohlein @patricklohlein.bsky.social · 29/08/2025
Glad that the ECHR debate in the UK is now starting to move to "it'll make no difference to the problem"
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Iain McLaughlin @iainmclaughlin.bsky.social · 26/06/2025
It's the timing of when they chose to tackle these policies, which is startling to me. Neither of which were high up in the electorate's mind, as being urgent & pressing. Political choices, poorly done, government is v different to opposition.
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Iain McLaughlin @iainmclaughlin.bsky.social · 24/06/2025
Bernie @sanders.senate.gov on Rogan right now 🔥🔥🔥
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Iain McLaughlin @iainmclaughlin.bsky.social · 24/06/2025
Many F1 teams also have on the ground 'spotters', located near the tracks.
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Iain McLaughlin @iainmclaughlin.bsky.social · 22/06/2025
youtu.be/JEmI_FT4YHU?...
youtu.be
Bob Dylan - Masters of War (Official Audio)
YouTube video by BobDylanVEVO
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Simon Wren-Lewis @sjwrenlewis.bsky.social · 21/06/2025
ICYMI: Is the decline of democracy inevitable? mainlymacro.blogspot.com/2025/06/is-d... Growing right wing populism is a key factor behind the decline in democracy in major economies. The factors leading to class based politics being replaced by more social issues are not going away soon.
mainlymacro.blogspot.com
Is the decline of democracy inevitable?
From 2025 V-DEM report In global terms autocracies are on the rise, and democracies are declining. According to the V-Dem Institute ...
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Tiny cat @tinycatvideos.bsky.social · 18/06/2025
Miso has his own elevator to get back in apartment 🐱
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Luke Pollard MP @lukepollard.bsky.social · 18/06/2025
Today I’m launching my latest Plymouth Buildings at Risk list of ten historic buildings in our city that need more love. My challenge to the owners is simple: invest in them or sell them to someone who will. www.lukepollard.org/news/2025/06...
lukepollard.org
Buildings at Risk 2025: Luke re-issues “invest or sell up” challenge - Luke Pollard MP
MP publishes fourth annual Buildings at Risk list for Plymouth. Three buildings leave the list after progress from owners. Palace Theatre remains Luke’s top concern. Luke Pollard MP has issued a fresh...
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Iain McLaughlin @iainmclaughlin.bsky.social · 18/06/2025
A neighbour's Agave or 'Century plant', has bloomed, its ruddy huge! I've never seen the likes before, has anyone else?
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Borderlex @borderlex.net · 17/06/2025
Canada agrees to resume FTA talks w/ the UK nearly 18 months after Ottawa halted negotiations. Canada also agrees to ratify the UK's #CPTPP accession during a bilateral meeting ahead of the #G7 summit @chrishorseman.bsky.social covers everything you need to know👇 🇨🇦🇬🇧🇨🇦🇬🇧 borderlex.net/2025/06/16/c...
borderlex.net
Canada to resume trade talks with UK, ratify CPTPP accession - Borderlex
Britain and Canada will resume negotiations on a bilateral free trade agreement, almost 18 months after talks on a trade deal initially broke down.Canada will also proceed with ratification of Britain...
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Antonia Bance MP @antoniabance.bsky.social · 15/06/2025
Now this is super - ahead of the industrial strategy, new pledges on public procurement using UK steel and UK jobs as well as clear restatement on tariffs and the priority of industry www.express.co.uk/news/politic...
express.co.uk
We will stop cheap steel from abroad being dumped on UK
'It matters where things are made and who builds them - British firms and people must benefit from the building boom,' says Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds
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Iain McLaughlin @iainmclaughlin.bsky.social · 11/06/2025
Blimey Google's Notebook LM is so impressive.. Here's the governments spending review 2025 document converted into a 27.minute podcast. notebooklm.google.com/notebook/093...
notebooklm.google.com
Sign in - Google Accounts
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Justin Ling @justinling.ca · 01/06/2025
Pretty dramatic day in Russia: Ukrainian drones have reportedly attacked four Russia air bases, destroying a significant number of strategic bombers and radar planes. (Tu-95s, Tu-22, A-50) Russian milbloggers are furious. One calls it a "black day," another says they need to nuke Kyiv.
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Iain McLaughlin @iainmclaughlin.bsky.social · 31/05/2025
The 'Christian Nationalist' movement, has been steadily gaining institutional level influence for decades, now peaking in this US administration. They're emboldened, reaching out, spending big internationally. Whilst explicitly nationalistic, they're cultural Christians, at best.
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Jakub Jaraczewski @jakubjaraczewski.bsky.social · 23/05/2025
🇵🇱⚖️🗳️As part of our ongoing coverage of Polish presidential election at @democracyreporting.bsky.social we have our expert @mariaskora.bsky.social with a tl;dr version of her research on the future fate of the rule of law reform hanging in balance at @verfassungsblog.de
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Iain McLaughlin @iainmclaughlin.bsky.social · 23/05/2025
Ah yes but 4 represents opportunity in years to come.
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Iain McLaughlin @iainmclaughlin.bsky.social · 21/05/2025
Great news 😁 www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
theguardian.com
Wild camping on Dartmoor is legal, supreme court rules
Case came to supreme court after court of appeal determined the term ‘open-air recreation’ included camping
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The Empty City @davidallengreen.bsky.social · 21/05/2025
dear, dear gods
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Bernd Parusel @bernd-parusel.bsky.social · 20/05/2025
New EU Commission proposal (as expected, I would say) to ”facilitate the application of the safe third country concept”. Asylum seekers to be sent elsewhere, under certain conditions. Useful summary by @stevepeers.bsky.social. 👇
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British Future @britishfuture.bsky.social · 20/05/2025
How do voters in the UK feel about closer cooperation with the EU? Pretty positive, it turns out. Focaldata polling for British Future: www.britishfuture.org/starmer-has-...
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Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 20/05/2025
This is utter gibberish from Harry Cole.
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Iain McLaughlin @iainmclaughlin.bsky.social · 20/05/2025
Absolutely correct on PEM - fingers crossed for positive movement in that direction sooner rather than later
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Iain McLaughlin @iainmclaughlin.bsky.social · 20/05/2025
Statement of the bleeding obvious
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The Kyiv Independent @kyivindependent.com · 16/05/2025
⚡️ Russia, Ukraine agree on 1,000-for-1,000 POW exchange in Istanbul, Umerov says. Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, who was leading Ukraine's delegation, made the announcement to reporters after the talks in Istanbul on May 16.
kyivindependent.com
BREAKING: Russia, Ukraine agree on 1,000-for-1,000 POW exchange in Istanbul, Umerov says
"We know the date, but we're not going to say it yet," Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said.
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Jacob Öberg @profjacob.bsky.social · 16/05/2025
🚨🚨 #EUsanctions: @ec.europa.eu President @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu said today that the #EuropeanUnion is working on a major package of new sanctions against the #Kremlin with talks between #Russia and #Ukraine looking unlikely to yield progress.🧵 www.politico.eu/article/eu-p...
politico.eu
EU eyeing sanctions targeting Nord Stream and banking sector to pressure Putin
The measures will be discussed during a meeting of the leaders of more than 40 countries in Albania.
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Iain McLaughlin @iainmclaughlin.bsky.social · 16/05/2025
ukdefencejournal.org.uk/britain-unve...
ukdefencejournal.org.uk
Britain unveils new large, uncrewed submarine
Excalibur will primarily focus on Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) and stealth operations, leveraging its capacity to carry bespoke payloads.
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Iain McLaughlin @iainmclaughlin.bsky.social · 14/05/2025
Oh I do like to hear sectoral wage minimums being raised in #Pmqs
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James Prentice @jamespren.bsky.social · 08/05/2025
Those who were more dissatisfied with UK democratic outcomes more often stopped voting in the 2024 UK general election. To read the full report into decreasing turnout click the link www.capturepolitics.co.uk/tuning-out #turnout #politics #election #voting #UK #England #BES #Labour #Conservative
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James Prentice @jamespren.bsky.social · 11/05/2025
People who voted in the 2019 UK general election who believed their personal finances would worsen in the near future more frequently decided to stop participating in 2024. #election #voting #economy #finances #costofliving #apathy #particiapte
A graph showing individuals who voted ion the 2019 UK general election who believed their personal finances would worsen in the near future more frequently decided to stop participating in 2024.
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Charlie Radclyffe @charlierad.bsky.social · 08/05/2025
Great @politico.com article by @ecasalicchio.bsky.social Former Veterans Minister, Johnny Mercer, states: “This is probably the fairest assessment l've seen since leaving office about how we as a Nation care for our Veterans. Well worth a read today of all days.” www.politico.eu/article/brit...
politico.eu
How Britain lost respect for its veterans
Former service personnel who have seen the treatment of veterans in America think the U.K. could learn something — and make up for successive broken promises.
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Sander Tordoir @sandertordoir.bsky.social · 08/05/2025
But for the time being, any such co-ordination faces dim prospects, given the rupture in the transatlantic alliance. The report can be accessed in the link here. 17/17 www.cer.eu/publications...
cer.eu
Ditchley conference report: A European path to higher economic growth
In November 2024, at its annual Ditchley economics conference, the CER gathered leading politicians, officials, academics, journalists and thinkers to discuss the causes of Europe’s slow economic grow...
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Ian Bond @cerianbond.bsky.social · 08/05/2025
I highly recommend this - even for non-economists. A lot of food for thought. Neither the US nor the European model seems to be delivering political stability at the moment.
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Iain McLaughlin @iainmclaughlin.bsky.social · 09/05/2025
Pretty much the same terms as the US EU deal Trump agreed in his last term. If, the outcome is the same where only 14 of the 10's of thousands beef producers in the US matched std's of production, then expect the delirium to shift to success in other sectors.
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Iain McLaughlin @iainmclaughlin.bsky.social · 09/05/2025
Which really is a stretch tbph.
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Iain McLaughlin @iainmclaughlin.bsky.social · 09/05/2025
Agreed, however, we are where we are. When we were quietly talking with EFTA it was made clear 2nd pillar would not be acceptable as short term 'stepping stone' to them. That may have changed (unlikely) so the straw to grasp soonest, is if their bloc loses members & EU concedes UK in benefits both
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Iain McLaughlin @iainmclaughlin.bsky.social · 09/05/2025
It was, ofc, Brexit voters who sought the middle ground of 2nd pillar access but it wasn't good enough for hard remain or hard brexiters. Either make the case for full federalism, honestly, or wait for other events to open a door of vague possibility (ICL Eu ref, Nor GE later this year).
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Sam Lowe @samuelmarclowe.bsky.social · 09/05/2025
From UK perspective it looks like this deal takes the edge of some existing tariffs (cars, steel) & provides a framework to get a better ride on future (pharma), and it doesn’t appear to have given up very much in return. Also doesn’t appear to cut across EU negotiations (as expected).
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Iain McLaughlin @iainmclaughlin.bsky.social · 08/05/2025
Some would say The Sun was dimmed all the way back in 1969. Work that out 😁
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Iain McLaughlin @iainmclaughlin.bsky.social · 08/05/2025
UK - US deal achieved. Trump pouring platitudes on UK, PM Starmer and each trade team. Let's see how the Trump adjacent wings of the UK's right wing parties handle this. Conflicted much?
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Iain McLaughlin @iainmclaughlin.bsky.social · 07/05/2025
Operative word being, had. It's 2025 you know 🤷
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Iain McLaughlin @iainmclaughlin.bsky.social · 07/05/2025
UK market size disadvantages us. If, the sensible route of getting back into the EEA via 2nd pillar was taken, it'd improve the situation.
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Iain McLaughlin @iainmclaughlin.bsky.social · 07/05/2025
Your expectations are far too high on what trade deals can achieve. Gvt agrees the deal, then hopefully, facilitates business to take advantage fully.
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Iain McLaughlin @iainmclaughlin.bsky.social · 06/05/2025
Really welcome news. The Department of Business & trade secure the biggest post Brexit trade deal for the UK. UK and India agree landmark trade deal ground.news/article/uk-i...
ground.news
UK and India agree landmark trade deal
India and the United Kingdom concluded on Tuesday a long-coveted free trade pact, in a landmark deal that represents London's most significant post-Brexit agreement that was finalised in the shadow of...
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Iain McLaughlin @iainmclaughlin.bsky.social · 06/05/2025
An absolute delight seeing a Grey Heron casually enjoying itself in the newly refurbished Central park #Plymouth
A Grey Heron, knee deep,walking through a pond.
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Iain McLaughlin @iainmclaughlin.bsky.social · 05/05/2025
Often accused of moving too slowly, the EU quickly takes the right approach regarding the looming American brain drain. I'd hope that universities here in the UK are having words around this with our gvt. Opportunities like this are few & far between.
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RTÉ News @news.rte.ie · 05/05/2025
Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu has resigned, after a far-right opposition leader won the first round of the presidential election re-run and his own candidate crashed out of the race
rte.ie
Romania PM resigns after first round of presidential vote
Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu has resigned, after a far-right opposition leader won the first round of the presidential election re-run and his own candidate crashed out of the race.
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