John Lappin
@johnlappin.bsky.social
Journalist, financial, mostly I have opinions on many things.
Again £6.10 in the busy pub, which is busy for that reason. It's getting very obviously price sensitive, I think. And I suspect at least three pubs are calling it wrong.
January 18, 2026 at 4:40 PM
Again £6.10 in the busy pub, which is busy for that reason. It's getting very obviously price sensitive, I think. And I suspect at least three pubs are calling it wrong.
Reposted by John Lappin
For the past year, Europeans have grudgingly endured the pains of Trump's foreign policy for the sake of guaranteeing America's engagement in Ukraine.
Now the White House presents Europeans with an impossible choice: give up Greenland or give up Ukraine.
Now the White House presents Europeans with an impossible choice: give up Greenland or give up Ukraine.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is now making an explicit link between the US desire to annex Greenland and the continuation of US support for Ukraine.
"What would happen in Ukraine if the US pulled its support out? The whole thing would collapse," Bessent told Meet The Press.
"What would happen in Ukraine if the US pulled its support out? The whole thing would collapse," Bessent told Meet The Press.
January 18, 2026 at 4:12 PM
For the past year, Europeans have grudgingly endured the pains of Trump's foreign policy for the sake of guaranteeing America's engagement in Ukraine.
Now the White House presents Europeans with an impossible choice: give up Greenland or give up Ukraine.
Now the White House presents Europeans with an impossible choice: give up Greenland or give up Ukraine.
Reposted by John Lappin
When are people going to be held accountable for the nonsense slop and puff they emit.
January 18, 2026 at 9:19 AM
When are people going to be held accountable for the nonsense slop and puff they emit.
Reposted by John Lappin
I wrote a thing a while ago about how UK economic policy might need to respond to the USA no longer being a reliable partner.
I think it still holds up ok, if you accompany it with a rapid deepening of ties with our friends in Europe
I think it still holds up ok, if you accompany it with a rapid deepening of ties with our friends in Europe
The case for a bit more autarky
Relying too much on other countries brings risks. We need to think more about self-sufficiency, of a very specific kind
acjsissons.medium.com
January 18, 2026 at 3:58 PM
I wrote a thing a while ago about how UK economic policy might need to respond to the USA no longer being a reliable partner.
I think it still holds up ok, if you accompany it with a rapid deepening of ties with our friends in Europe
I think it still holds up ok, if you accompany it with a rapid deepening of ties with our friends in Europe
Glad you said conspiration.
January 18, 2026 at 3:54 PM
Glad you said conspiration.
The issue seems to be that full membership has to stay dynamic in the face of economic and military threats. More and more pressure for areas of integration and pooled sovereignty. In that context how does a formal halfway status adapt accordingly?
January 16, 2026 at 2:36 PM
The issue seems to be that full membership has to stay dynamic in the face of economic and military threats. More and more pressure for areas of integration and pooled sovereignty. In that context how does a formal halfway status adapt accordingly?
There's much to debate but I fear it's getting a little too exciting.
January 16, 2026 at 12:51 PM
There's much to debate but I fear it's getting a little too exciting.
It has to be at least two? Or is it three? Maybe an unexciting late night debate about that?
January 16, 2026 at 12:46 PM
It has to be at least two? Or is it three? Maybe an unexciting late night debate about that?
Reposted by John Lappin
There should be an Underwhelming Channel that specialises in documentaries about things like Britain’s least haunted house, history’s greatest self-evident truths and exposing America’s least prolific serial killers
January 16, 2026 at 12:44 PM
There should be an Underwhelming Channel that specialises in documentaries about things like Britain’s least haunted house, history’s greatest self-evident truths and exposing America’s least prolific serial killers
Reposted by John Lappin
Letter in Times today
January 16, 2026 at 11:55 AM
Letter in Times today
Reposted by John Lappin
I also recommend my colleague's piece on what Dutch pension funds may have to do with that. www.economist.com/finance-and-...
Why Europe’s biggest pension funds are dumping government bonds
Dutch reforms will push up borrowing costs across the continent
www.economist.com
January 16, 2026 at 11:56 AM
I also recommend my colleague's piece on what Dutch pension funds may have to do with that. www.economist.com/finance-and-...
Reposted by John Lappin
Honestly, that’s too bad. 23% right and *mostly* clustered in the right region.
January 16, 2026 at 11:56 AM
Honestly, that’s too bad. 23% right and *mostly* clustered in the right region.
Reposted by John Lappin
Among other things - hell yes, please give William Shatner creative control on a Star Trek series. Shatner is a fantastic climate advocate and could actually inject some real, thoughtful consideration of this issue into the show
January 16, 2026 at 11:47 AM
Among other things - hell yes, please give William Shatner creative control on a Star Trek series. Shatner is a fantastic climate advocate and could actually inject some real, thoughtful consideration of this issue into the show
Was listening to a therapist discussing wounded healers. It feels that rather outdated notions are common practice or common in vocabulary.
Should Freud or Jung's ideas be near anyone's minds these days, given, respectively, abuse controversy and mysticism? Yet they or their concepts seem embedded.
Should Freud or Jung's ideas be near anyone's minds these days, given, respectively, abuse controversy and mysticism? Yet they or their concepts seem embedded.
January 16, 2026 at 10:51 AM
Was listening to a therapist discussing wounded healers. It feels that rather outdated notions are common practice or common in vocabulary.
Should Freud or Jung's ideas be near anyone's minds these days, given, respectively, abuse controversy and mysticism? Yet they or their concepts seem embedded.
Should Freud or Jung's ideas be near anyone's minds these days, given, respectively, abuse controversy and mysticism? Yet they or their concepts seem embedded.
Reposted by John Lappin
Meanwhile, in other news, I've just received an email asking me whether, as a leading influencer, I would like to try out a new clitoral stimulator with a view to promoting it on Instagram, in return for commission on sales. I admire the optimism.
January 16, 2026 at 10:10 AM
Meanwhile, in other news, I've just received an email asking me whether, as a leading influencer, I would like to try out a new clitoral stimulator with a view to promoting it on Instagram, in return for commission on sales. I admire the optimism.
Reposted by John Lappin
It’s even more embarrassing than I imagined.
January 16, 2026 at 2:33 AM
It’s even more embarrassing than I imagined.
Reposted by John Lappin
‘War for Greenland is boring, let’s talk about the Tories’ is genuinely the weirdest thing for a former ambassador *to Denmark* to say, apart from anything else
This intro to David Frost's Telegraph column sums up so much that is wrong with British politics.
January 16, 2026 at 9:37 AM
‘War for Greenland is boring, let’s talk about the Tories’ is genuinely the weirdest thing for a former ambassador *to Denmark* to say, apart from anything else
Reposted by John Lappin
I’ve just told my mum how they found out about Jenrick leaving (the speech on the printer) and all I can say is the last time she laughed so much was Bob Mortimer’s Chris Rea story on ‘Would I Lie To You?’
January 15, 2026 at 10:15 PM
I’ve just told my mum how they found out about Jenrick leaving (the speech on the printer) and all I can say is the last time she laughed so much was Bob Mortimer’s Chris Rea story on ‘Would I Lie To You?’
Reposted by John Lappin
