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Nicholas

@itsnrmc.bsky.social
305 followers 296 following 28 posts

EU law, public law & procurement geek. He/him. 🏳️‍🌈

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Reposted by Nicholas
Julian Sanchez @normative.bsky.social · 19h
I really don't think anyone is prepared for the level of sheer insanity he's going to unleash when it's clear they're going to lose the White House.
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Nicholas @itsnrmc.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Early 40s rosacea sufferer here. It’s such a nuisance.
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Nicholas @itsnrmc.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
This is your gentle reminder to buy it.
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Nicholas @itsnrmc.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
I haven’t read it yet, but it’s a few books down on my to-read list. 😁
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Nicholas @itsnrmc.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
About to start reading @historyned.bsky.social's The German Democratic Republic: The Rise and Fall of a Cold War State, with biscuits at the ready. 📚 🍪
A copy of The German Democratic Republic: The Rise and Fall of a Cold
 War State by Ned Richardson-Little and a packet of Leibniz biscuits sitting on top of a sage-green woollen throw..
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James Austin @jamesdaustin.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
I'll be honest, I'd take those assurances with a pinch of salt given G4P rejected the below amendment which would have given it force - and have been actively undercutting amendments claim to want a state with equal rights for all
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Anton Gerashchenko @antongerashchenko.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Chancellor Merz in Kyiv: "This morning, on a peaceful Sunday, there was an air raid alert in Kyiv. I can only repeat once again from this place: Mr. Putin, stop this senseless war. We are ready to negotiate. We are ready to talk to each other about ending this war.
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Chaminda Jayanetti @cjayanetti.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
re "Zionism is racism" - it's a cornerstone of British equality law that discrimination need not be intentional for it to be discriminatory I'm not making *legal* claims about the Green Party motion - but a policy that would render the vast majority of Jews as personae non gratae is flatly racist
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Helene von Bismarck @helenebismarck.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Rather difficult not to feel a bit gloomy about the state of the country atm, so I wasn’t going to make much of a thing of this anniversary this year. And then I saw this and started to cry. Because a free and united Germany in a free and united Europe was worth it. And is worth fighting for now.
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António Costa @eucopresident.consilium.europa.eu · 03/10/2026
🇩🇪 On German Unity Day, we remember a defining moment in Germany’s history: the end of decades of division and the reunification of the country. German reunification marked a milestone in Europe’s journey towards greater unity and integration. Einen schönen Tag der Deutschen Einheit!
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Nicholas @itsnrmc.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
Five contracts awarded and handover over to internal customers, bringing my total down to a much more manageable eight. And ... breathe.
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Carole Cadwalladr @carolecadwalla.bsky.social · 15/03/2026
NEW: Two senior MOD whistleblowers with inside knowledge of Palantir's systems have come forward to @thenerve.news to say government ministers are ignorant of the grave national security risks the technology poses. Hugely important by @charlienotold.bsky.social www.thenerve.news/p/palantir-t...
thenerve.news
‘It beggars belief’: MoD sources warn Palantir’s role at heart of government is a threat to UK’s security
Experts say that claims UK data remains under government ownership miss the point that the company has the capability to build its own detailed picture of the British population, and even infer state ...
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Jay in Kyiv @jayinkyiv.bsky.social · 08/03/2026
Scene from Hungary tonight as crowds rally against the Russian-backed Orban regime.
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Manuel Müller @manuelmueller.foederalist.eu · 06/03/2026
Ein paar Gedanken zu den europäischen Reaktionen auf den US-Angriffskrieg gegen #Iran.
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Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.wsocial.eu · 05/03/2026
From FT comments
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Nicolai von Ondarza @nvondarza.bsky.social · 06/03/2026
The Iceland referendum on EU accession is now slated for 29 August this year. Note: The referendum will first only be on restarting the negotiations, but clearly a sign of shifting geopolitical thinking.
euractiv.com
Iceland locks in on date for EU referendum | Euractiv
As a member of the European Economic Area, Iceland is already aligned with much of the bloc's legislation
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David Rennie @dsorennie.bsky.social · 04/03/2026
A giant gamble is underway in Iran. The result may take years to be known. An early winner, though, is Israel. Fearing a fight with Donald Trump, allies from Germany to Australia are endorsing Israeli rules of war, notably the killing of enemy govt leaders. My column economist.com/internationa...
economist.com
Binyamin Netanyahu is the big winner from the Iran war, for now
To avoid a row with Donald Trump, Western allies are endorsing Israeli theories of war
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Nicholas @itsnrmc.bsky.social · 03/03/2026
When he said that I nearly spat out my coffee.
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Nicholas @itsnrmc.bsky.social · 02/03/2026
Summary of the UK Government legal position: The legality of defensive action in respect of Iranian regional attacks: www.gov.uk/government/n...
gov.uk
Summary of the UK Government legal position: The legality of defensive action in respect of Iranian regional attacks
Summary of the UK Government legal position: The legality of defensive action in respect of Iranian regional attacks
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Reposted by Nicholas
Jim Pickard @pickardje.bsky.social · 01/03/2026
Lord Peter Ricketts, former head of the Foreign Office: “If you’re going to attack a country you have to show it is in self-defence and that there is some kind of imminent threat. You can’t make that case here…An indifference to international law is dangerous.” www.ft.com/content/b988...
ft.com
Keir Starmer criticised over stance on US-Israel strikes on Iran
UK prime minister has adopted a much more ambivalent approach than other western allies
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Finbarr Bermingham @fbermingham.bsky.social · 01/03/2026
Wow - Merz openly now saying forget about international law "Legal assessments under international law will achieve relatively little in this regard, and this applies all the more if they largely remain without consequences... " www.tagesspiegel.de/politik/krie...
tagesspiegel.de
Krieg: Merz weist auf Risiken der Angriffe auf den Iran hin
Nach den Angriffen der USA und Israels auf den Iran sucht Deutschland nach einer Haltung dazu. Der Kanzler kann seine Skepsis nicht verbergen, will die USA und Israel aber auch nicht belehren.
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Nicholas @itsnrmc.bsky.social · 01/03/2026
Mastercard hires Whitehall veteran to bolster push for key UK contract. Sir Jon Thompson to chair UK subsidiary Vocalink as it prepares to compete to build a new payments platform. www.ft.com/content/aee1...
ft.com
Mastercard hires Whitehall veteran to bolster push for key UK contract
Sir Jon Thompson to chair UK subsidiary Vocalink as it prepares to compete to build a new payments platform
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Peter Ricketts @lordrickettsp.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
In short, the US and Israel have started this war with vague and unachievable objectives, with no int law base, and little or no support from Gulf states or other US allies. If Iran succeeds in hitting US/Israeli targets or disrupts oil exports, Trump will find using mil force is not risk free. End
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Nicholas @itsnrmc.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
The world's third-largest economy is downplaying its role: In Beijing, the Chancellor reduced the war in the heart of Europe to the "Ukraine question." Friedrich Merz also chose overly lenient words when speaking to Xi Jinping. www.spiegel.de/ausland/mein...
spiegel.de
(S+) Meinung: Meinung: Friedrich Merz in Peking – so wird es nichts mit dem Weg aus der China-Illusion
Die drittgrößte Volkswirtschaft der Welt macht sich klein: In Peking schrumpft der Kanzler den Krieg mitten in Europa zur »Ukraine-Frage«. Auch sonst wählte Friedrich Merz bei Xi Jinping zu weiche Wor...
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Tarik Abou-Chadi @tabouchadi.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
Insulting his constituents, Matt Goodwin does the most Matt Goodwin thing. Blaming others for failing to see his brilliance. Academics first, now voters. This sentiment is driving his radicalisation. Maybe even people at Reform will realise that it‘s a very bad quality for a politician to have.
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James Ball @jamesrball.com · 27/02/2026
Green majority of more than 4500, Labour in third place. Absolute calamity for Keir Starmer. And a complete failure of McSweeney’s electoral philosophy. The idea of relying on an anti-Reform vote coalescing behind Labour just collapsed entirely.
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Jim Pickard @pickardje.bsky.social · 26/02/2026
Exclusive The European Commission has requested that the EU’s anti-fraud agency investigate Lord Peter Mandelson’s actions while he was serving in Brussels as the British commissioner for trade between 2004 and 2008.  www.ft.com/content/85b9...
ft.com
EU’s anti-fraud agency set to investigate Peter Mandelson
Probe into former commissioner for trade is expected to be wide-ranging
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Nicholas @itsnrmc.bsky.social · 26/02/2026
Péter Magyar’s Tisza party is running almost 8 percentage points ahead of ruling Fidesz according to an average of all available polls, but one poll this week showed Magyar 20 points ahead. www.ft.com/content/8521...
ft.com
Hungarian opposition groups quit to make way for Orbán challenger
Péter Magyar is calling on remaining parties not to ruin chance for regime change
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Reposted by Nicholas
Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.wsocial.eu · 25/02/2026
Viktor Orban is now 20 points behind in the polls - and so he has ordered the military to guard “key energy facilities” against a possible Ukrainian “attack.” Hungarians fear he plans a fake national security emergency or false-flag incident before the April 12 election apnews.com/article/hung...
apnews.com
Hungary's leader orders extra security at energy sites, claiming Ukraine plots disruptions
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán ordered extra security at critical energy infrastructure sites after claiming Ukraine was attempting to disrupt Hungary’s energy system.
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Nicholas @itsnrmc.bsky.social · 25/02/2026
Tactical voting ‘to hand SNP stunning Holyrood majority’ www.thetimes.com/article/fc72...
thetimes.com
Tactical voting ‘to hand SNP stunning Holyrood majority’
An MRP poll suggests collapse in support for Labour could result in a landslide for the Nationalists and a mandate for a second independence referendum
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Nicholas @itsnrmc.bsky.social · 25/02/2026
Commons Speaker told police Mandelson was a flight risk www.ft.com/content/65ee...
ft.com
Commons Speaker told police Mandelson was a flight risk
Lindsay Hoyle admits his tip to police prompted arrest of Peter Mandelson
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Nicholas @itsnrmc.bsky.social · 24/02/2026
Such great news — congratulations! 🎉
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Finbarr Bermingham @fbermingham.bsky.social · 24/02/2026
After four years of urging China to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the EU has now signed a G7 statement that omits any criticism of Russia itself. Remarkable stuff
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Nicholas @itsnrmc.bsky.social · 24/02/2026
Singapore's Changi is next level: butterfly garden, movie theatres, swimming pools, and amazing dining options. 👌
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Nicholas @itsnrmc.bsky.social · 24/02/2026
Merz's trip to China may re-shape the narrative on Beijing's role in global stability — and signal a tougher European stance on trade and strategic dependencies. ecfr.eu/article/merz...
ecfr.eu
Merz in Beijing: A chance to flip China’s “stability” narrative – European Council on Foreign Relations
Merz’s trip is less a bilateral tour than a signal setting moment: his words and stance will influence whether Europe pivots to a more assertive China strategy
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Nicholas @itsnrmc.bsky.social · 24/02/2026
FedEx customers could be next in line for a class action over price gouging if the company receives federal funds.
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Reposted by Nicholas
Reuters @reuters.com · 23/02/2026
US ambassador to France banned from meeting French government reut.rs/4kPem4t
reut.rs
US ambassador to France banned from meeting French government
The U.S. ambassador to France, Charles Kushner, has been banned from meeting members of the French government after not showing up at the Foreign Affairs ministry earlier in the day, where he had been summoned over comments on the killing of a French far-right activist last week, diplomatic sources said on Monday.
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Nicholas @itsnrmc.bsky.social · 23/02/2026
In President Donald Trump’s second term, Americans have seen an assault on press freedoms of a vehemence that legal scholars say has few precedents in the country’s history. www.ft.com/content/8cc9...
ft.com
Donald Trump’s new cancel culture
Journalists, political opponents and Fed officials are being targeted in assault on First Amendment rights
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Kyle Griffin @kylegriffin1.bsky.social · 23/02/2026
Breaking Sky News: Peter Mandelson has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He was led out of his London home by police officers this afternoon. Mandelson has faced allegations that he leaked market-sensitive information from Downing Street to Jeffrey Epstein.
news.sky.com
Mandelson arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office
The first set of files related to Peter Mandelson's appointment as the UK's ambassador to the US will be published in early March, it has been announced in the House of Commons.
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Nicholas @itsnrmc.bsky.social · 23/02/2026
I'm a stickler for well-prepared documents, and so is my team. For me, it's about producing good work; for others it's probably knowing that senior management won't sign off anything that isn't robust. Having handled hundreds of FOIs, I suspect you’re right, they’d likely find a way not to respond.
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Nicholas @itsnrmc.bsky.social · 23/02/2026
I wonder what an FOI would reveal. One of my contracts last year received press interest and FOI requests. My strategy, approved by multiple people in procurement and the customer side, detailed market analysis, proposed route to market, risks, etc was used as context for the response.
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Nicholas @itsnrmc.bsky.social · 23/02/2026
Really interesting analysis. Thanks for sharing, @davidallengreen.bsky.social.
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Ben Yong @bymyong.bsky.social · 23/02/2026
I predict this will go swimmingly
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The Empty City @davidallengreen.bsky.social · 23/02/2026
The detailed and informative replies to the quoted post show how this site can be very good for discussing news events. No site is perfect, but Bluesky has many merits. And this sort of engagement is better than I had with 1/4 million followers on Twitter.
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Nicholas @itsnrmc.bsky.social · 22/02/2026
Excellent thread. 👇
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Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.wsocial.eu · 21/02/2026
Here's the documentary that 1.1 million Hungarians have watched over the past week, documenting the damage that Viktor Orban's regime has done to health, education and public transportation in Hungary with English subtitles: youtu.be/9NQEcLIiOpM?...
youtu.be
A CSAPDA (THE TRAP) - Az Orbán-korszak elvesztett lehetőségeinek története
YouTube video by Direkt36
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Aileen McHarg @aileenmcharg.bsky.social · 21/02/2026
This is a good piece, but the attacks on Dorothy Bain are not the only recent example of attempts to undermine trust in the legal system for political gain, and the press and others who have been insinuating wrongdoing on the flimsiest of evidence are also complicit.
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The National @scotnational.bsky.social · 21/02/2026
BREAKING: Members of the Alba Party's board have voted not to contest the upcoming Holyrood election, it is understood More to follow
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Nicholas @itsnrmc.bsky.social · 21/02/2026
I just won £30 on the lottery, that's the biggest I've ever won! 🥳
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