Thomas Sampson
@thomsampson.bsky.social
International Trade. Brexit.
Associate Professor, LSE Economics.
Associate Professor, LSE Economics.
Reposted by Thomas Sampson
Fukuyama: “As an American, I say to my European friends: do not back down. Appeasing Trump with flattery has failed and must stop. Europeans think conceding Greenland will mollify Trump. It won’t. He will come back for more later.”
youtu.be/SS5Ep3LTqnE
youtu.be/SS5Ep3LTqnE
Europe: Don't Back Down
YouTube video by Frankly Fukuyama
youtu.be
January 19, 2026 at 8:21 PM
Fukuyama: “As an American, I say to my European friends: do not back down. Appeasing Trump with flattery has failed and must stop. Europeans think conceding Greenland will mollify Trump. It won’t. He will come back for more later.”
youtu.be/SS5Ep3LTqnE
youtu.be/SS5Ep3LTqnE
Reposted by Thomas Sampson
Donald Trump just falls back on this behaviour every time he doesn't get what he wants.
Greenland is not for sale and it is high time for the PM to stop pandering and work with our European friends to stand up the bully in the White House.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c1...
Greenland is not for sale and it is high time for the PM to stop pandering and work with our European friends to stand up the bully in the White House.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c1...
Trump tariffs: US president announces plan to hit UK, Denmark and other European countries with tariffs over Greenland
The US president says the countries will be charged a
www.bbc.co.uk
January 17, 2026 at 5:14 PM
Donald Trump just falls back on this behaviour every time he doesn't get what he wants.
Greenland is not for sale and it is high time for the PM to stop pandering and work with our European friends to stand up the bully in the White House.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c1...
Greenland is not for sale and it is high time for the PM to stop pandering and work with our European friends to stand up the bully in the White House.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c1...
Reposted by Thomas Sampson
Just how unhinged does Trump have to become before Congress or his Cabinet intervene to stop him? If he wants to impose more taxes on US consumers by raising tariffs, Europe (incl the UK) can't stop him, but it definitely can't compromise on principles of territorial integrity & self determination.
Trump says he'll impose a 10% tariff (rising to 25% in June) on Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and Finland, because they've sent people to Greenland, until the US can buy Greenland.
January 17, 2026 at 5:17 PM
Just how unhinged does Trump have to become before Congress or his Cabinet intervene to stop him? If he wants to impose more taxes on US consumers by raising tariffs, Europe (incl the UK) can't stop him, but it definitely can't compromise on principles of territorial integrity & self determination.
Reposted by Thomas Sampson
📢 Job vacancy: Research Assistant, Programme on Innovation and Diffusion at LSE
Work with John Van Reenen on cutting-edge research on innovation, diffusion & productivity, contributing to co-authored, top-journal-quality outputs 📈💡
Apply by 16 Feb
Work with John Van Reenen on cutting-edge research on innovation, diffusion & productivity, contributing to co-authored, top-journal-quality outputs 📈💡
Apply by 16 Feb
January 15, 2026 at 12:01 PM
📢 Job vacancy: Research Assistant, Programme on Innovation and Diffusion at LSE
Work with John Van Reenen on cutting-edge research on innovation, diffusion & productivity, contributing to co-authored, top-journal-quality outputs 📈💡
Apply by 16 Feb
Work with John Van Reenen on cutting-edge research on innovation, diffusion & productivity, contributing to co-authored, top-journal-quality outputs 📈💡
Apply by 16 Feb
Reposted by Thomas Sampson
This is a fairly miserable assessment of the economics of vegan restaurants in New York
www.grubstreet.com/article/vega...
To cheer me up - what are people's favourite vegan/ veggie/ veg-friendly places in the UK?
www.grubstreet.com/article/vega...
To cheer me up - what are people's favourite vegan/ veggie/ veg-friendly places in the UK?
How Veganism Got Cooked
Plant-based eating was supposed to be the future. Then meat came roaring back.
www.grubstreet.com
January 14, 2026 at 11:38 AM
This is a fairly miserable assessment of the economics of vegan restaurants in New York
www.grubstreet.com/article/vega...
To cheer me up - what are people's favourite vegan/ veggie/ veg-friendly places in the UK?
www.grubstreet.com/article/vega...
To cheer me up - what are people's favourite vegan/ veggie/ veg-friendly places in the UK?
Reposted by Thomas Sampson
It would be good to see UK HE withdrawing from X/twitter. There really is no need to be there - plenty of other platforms that many already use, and it would send a signal. Perhaps @lseblogs.bsky.social @lsegovernment.bsky.social and other sites could take a lead …
January 12, 2026 at 8:40 PM
It would be good to see UK HE withdrawing from X/twitter. There really is no need to be there - plenty of other platforms that many already use, and it would send a signal. Perhaps @lseblogs.bsky.social @lsegovernment.bsky.social and other sites could take a lead …
Reposted by Thomas Sampson
Not so sure @elpais.com is correct. I could think of software, internet companies, IP rights, movies from Hollywood and tv, energy as major areas where EU sanctions could really bite.
Europa tiene poco margen de maniobra ante las amenazas de Trump, que dice que necesita Groenlandia para proteger su "seguridad nacional". Los europeos pueden elevar la diplomacia e incluso imponer sanciones económicas. pero la respuesta militar es inviable
Europa tiene poco margen de maniobra para responder a las amenazas de Trump de tomar Groenlandia
Los europeos pueden incrementar su presencia en la isla ártica, elevar la diplomacia e incluso imponer sanciones económicas. La respuesta militar es inviable
social.elpais.com
January 8, 2026 at 7:44 AM
Not so sure @elpais.com is correct. I could think of software, internet companies, IP rights, movies from Hollywood and tv, energy as major areas where EU sanctions could really bite.
Reposted by Thomas Sampson
The real question is why sitting members of the UK Parliament are allowed to take on second jobs that run contrary to the stated national interest.
If this episode, with failings evident for all to see, doesn’t force reform of the system, nothing ever will.
If this episode, with failings evident for all to see, doesn’t force reform of the system, nothing ever will.
Kemi Badenoch’s spokesperson has said that the shadow attorney general Lord Wolfson has recused himself from any legal advice over Ukraine or Russia because he is representing Roman Abramovich - which would include anything about the deployment of UK troops. That’s a bit awkward.
January 7, 2026 at 6:36 PM
The real question is why sitting members of the UK Parliament are allowed to take on second jobs that run contrary to the stated national interest.
If this episode, with failings evident for all to see, doesn’t force reform of the system, nothing ever will.
If this episode, with failings evident for all to see, doesn’t force reform of the system, nothing ever will.
Reposted by Thomas Sampson
This online, PhD-level course in the economics of innovation is a huge opportunity.
Taught by some of the world's top scholars on this: @heidiwilliams.bsky.social, Chad Jones, Azoulay, van Reenen, many others! (Also: me.)
Cost=zero. Applications due January 9th! #EconSky @ifp.bsky.social
Taught by some of the world's top scholars on this: @heidiwilliams.bsky.social, Chad Jones, Azoulay, van Reenen, many others! (Also: me.)
Cost=zero. Applications due January 9th! #EconSky @ifp.bsky.social
Economics of Ideas, Science, and Innovation Online PhD Short Course | Institute for Progress
ifp.org
January 5, 2026 at 10:45 AM
This online, PhD-level course in the economics of innovation is a huge opportunity.
Taught by some of the world's top scholars on this: @heidiwilliams.bsky.social, Chad Jones, Azoulay, van Reenen, many others! (Also: me.)
Cost=zero. Applications due January 9th! #EconSky @ifp.bsky.social
Taught by some of the world's top scholars on this: @heidiwilliams.bsky.social, Chad Jones, Azoulay, van Reenen, many others! (Also: me.)
Cost=zero. Applications due January 9th! #EconSky @ifp.bsky.social
Reposted by Thomas Sampson
One of Starmer and his team's weaknesses is an ability to read many moves ahead. Everything is reactive. You only become at the mercy of events if you do not anticipate them. The UK needs to rethink its whole approach to relations with the US (and how the politics could benefit the government too).
The UK "was not involved in the action in Venezuela," says Prime Minister Keir Starmer. "I want to speak to President Trump."
January 3, 2026 at 12:52 PM
One of Starmer and his team's weaknesses is an ability to read many moves ahead. Everything is reactive. You only become at the mercy of events if you do not anticipate them. The UK needs to rethink its whole approach to relations with the US (and how the politics could benefit the government too).
Reposted by Thomas Sampson
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐭 𝐗/𝐓𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐨𝐰.
Musk’s platform is proving itself a vile cesspit: its AI generating sexually explicit images of children is horrifying.
Every day we tolerate this, we weaken our democracies and endanger our future.
www.newsweek.com/grok-apology...
Musk’s platform is proving itself a vile cesspit: its AI generating sexually explicit images of children is horrifying.
Every day we tolerate this, we weaken our democracies and endanger our future.
www.newsweek.com/grok-apology...
Elon Musk's Grok apologizes after generating sexual images of young girls
The incident has renewed concerns about sexualized images being made of women with their consent.
www.newsweek.com
January 2, 2026 at 1:47 PM
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐭 𝐗/𝐓𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐨𝐰.
Musk’s platform is proving itself a vile cesspit: its AI generating sexually explicit images of children is horrifying.
Every day we tolerate this, we weaken our democracies and endanger our future.
www.newsweek.com/grok-apology...
Musk’s platform is proving itself a vile cesspit: its AI generating sexually explicit images of children is horrifying.
Every day we tolerate this, we weaken our democracies and endanger our future.
www.newsweek.com/grok-apology...
Any statement from the UK government on Venezuela yet? Can someone get them on the record.
January 3, 2026 at 9:45 AM
Any statement from the UK government on Venezuela yet? Can someone get them on the record.
Reposted by Thomas Sampson
Every American should be ashamed of who we are and what we have become as a nation today. We have a long history of military misadventures and even crimes but the attacks we have been conducting on Venezuela are among the most wanton, egregious and least defensible acts we’ve ever conducted.
January 3, 2026 at 8:34 AM
Every American should be ashamed of who we are and what we have become as a nation today. We have a long history of military misadventures and even crimes but the attacks we have been conducting on Venezuela are among the most wanton, egregious and least defensible acts we’ve ever conducted.
Reposted by Thomas Sampson
It’s old-fashioned to defend mainstream journalism these days but some of the most reliable reporting from people actually on the ground will be the AP and Reuters the next 24 hours. Your Substack journalist writing takes will be using frontline reporting from them.
January 3, 2026 at 8:09 AM
It’s old-fashioned to defend mainstream journalism these days but some of the most reliable reporting from people actually on the ground will be the AP and Reuters the next 24 hours. Your Substack journalist writing takes will be using frontline reporting from them.
Reposted by Thomas Sampson
It's New Year, so time to look back and forward. These are 10 things I think we need to recognise in 2026. It’s a response to what I think are profoundly damaging mistaken assumptions I’ve heard and read from practitioners, journalists, and analysts in 2025. Warning: very long🧵
January 1, 2026 at 4:55 PM
It's New Year, so time to look back and forward. These are 10 things I think we need to recognise in 2026. It’s a response to what I think are profoundly damaging mistaken assumptions I’ve heard and read from practitioners, journalists, and analysts in 2025. Warning: very long🧵
Reposted by Thomas Sampson
We have so much good evidence for cash transfers but so many just refuse to accept that those in poverty can make good decisions.
Spoiler: They used the money just as wisely as anyone else would, and it's so frustrating that this still isn't a common sense assumption to make.
December 30, 2025 at 5:21 PM
We have so much good evidence for cash transfers but so many just refuse to accept that those in poverty can make good decisions.
Reposted by Thomas Sampson
Incidentally: that’s why the @financialtimes.com is a must-read these days. That global perspective is largely absent in US media, and invaluable to understand the current US moment.
December 26, 2025 at 8:04 PM
Incidentally: that’s why the @financialtimes.com is a must-read these days. That global perspective is largely absent in US media, and invaluable to understand the current US moment.
Reposted by Thomas Sampson
This is not even remotely acceptable, and it is time that EU leaders stop pretending that the US is an ally. Or that kow-towing to it on trade or other issues will produce results.
www.ft.com/content/8c0e...
www.ft.com/content/8c0e...
Trump’s new special envoy says Greenland should be part of US
Jeff Landry’s appointment underlines US president’s determination to control Arctic island, but outrages Denmark
www.ft.com
December 22, 2025 at 11:51 PM
This is not even remotely acceptable, and it is time that EU leaders stop pretending that the US is an ally. Or that kow-towing to it on trade or other issues will produce results.
www.ft.com/content/8c0e...
www.ft.com/content/8c0e...
Reposted by Thomas Sampson
Per NY Times’s Michael Grynbaum on X, this is Sharyn Alfonsi’s email to her “60 Minutes” colleagues in full:
December 22, 2025 at 3:37 AM
Per NY Times’s Michael Grynbaum on X, this is Sharyn Alfonsi’s email to her “60 Minutes” colleagues in full:
Reposted by Thomas Sampson
Macro at LSE is hiring predocs for September 2025!
Come and work in the best city in the world, on cutting edge macro with Ben Moll, Ricardo Reis, Joe Hazell, Ethan Ilzetzki, and me.
Past predocs have gone to places like Harvard, LSE and Northwestern.
t.co/2RrUaQl6Pk
#econ_ra #EconSky
Come and work in the best city in the world, on cutting edge macro with Ben Moll, Ricardo Reis, Joe Hazell, Ethan Ilzetzki, and me.
Past predocs have gone to places like Harvard, LSE and Northwestern.
t.co/2RrUaQl6Pk
#econ_ra #EconSky
https://jobs.lse.ac.uk/Vacancies/W/4174/0/460743/15539/research-assistant-in-macroeconomics-x2
t.co
December 16, 2025 at 10:39 AM
Macro at LSE is hiring predocs for September 2025!
Come and work in the best city in the world, on cutting edge macro with Ben Moll, Ricardo Reis, Joe Hazell, Ethan Ilzetzki, and me.
Past predocs have gone to places like Harvard, LSE and Northwestern.
t.co/2RrUaQl6Pk
#econ_ra #EconSky
Come and work in the best city in the world, on cutting edge macro with Ben Moll, Ricardo Reis, Joe Hazell, Ethan Ilzetzki, and me.
Past predocs have gone to places like Harvard, LSE and Northwestern.
t.co/2RrUaQl6Pk
#econ_ra #EconSky
Reposted by Thomas Sampson
It has become received wisdom in Brussels and Washington that there is a new “euro-sclerosis”: that the EU economy is lagging the US
This view is wrong
A little primer on the measurement of productivity – and why reports of the economic death of Europe are greatly exaggerated🧵
This view is wrong
A little primer on the measurement of productivity – and why reports of the economic death of Europe are greatly exaggerated🧵
December 12, 2025 at 12:32 PM
It has become received wisdom in Brussels and Washington that there is a new “euro-sclerosis”: that the EU economy is lagging the US
This view is wrong
A little primer on the measurement of productivity – and why reports of the economic death of Europe are greatly exaggerated🧵
This view is wrong
A little primer on the measurement of productivity – and why reports of the economic death of Europe are greatly exaggerated🧵
Reposted by Thomas Sampson
Economists judge Brexit Bill to be worse than ever just as politics is shifting
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Economists Judge Brexit Bill to Be Worse Than Ever Just as Politics Is Shifting
It’s true the most dismal predictions about Brexit didn’t come true — immediately.
www.bloomberg.com
December 8, 2025 at 8:26 AM
Economists judge Brexit Bill to be worse than ever just as politics is shifting
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Reposted by Thomas Sampson
Right - according to the Whitehall study, about 1ppt of the GDP costs of Brexit are down to customs, far more than gains from FTAs. Question is whether that could be recovered given the pre-existing impact on car industry and the consolidation as we shift to EVs. But there would be gains.
December 8, 2025 at 8:32 AM
Right - according to the Whitehall study, about 1ppt of the GDP costs of Brexit are down to customs, far more than gains from FTAs. Question is whether that could be recovered given the pre-existing impact on car industry and the consolidation as we shift to EVs. But there would be gains.
Reposted by Thomas Sampson
We're half a decade into studies finding that improving airflow in classrooms will reduce disease transmission enormously, and that bleaching surfaces etc. does very little. And yet nothing changes. Waves of flu and colds wash over schools, and the schools pretend it's an act of God.
The relative contribution of close-proximity contacts, shared classroom exposure and indoor air quality to respiratory virus transmission in schools - Nature Communications
The relative importance of close-proximity interactions, shared space and air quality to the transmission of respiratory viruses is not well understood. Here, the authors investigate this question by ...
www.nature.com
December 8, 2025 at 4:23 AM
We're half a decade into studies finding that improving airflow in classrooms will reduce disease transmission enormously, and that bleaching surfaces etc. does very little. And yet nothing changes. Waves of flu and colds wash over schools, and the schools pretend it's an act of God.