Peter Holmes
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pholmes8.bsky.social
Peter Holmes
@pholmes8.bsky.social
4.6K followers 1.8K following 470 posts

Semi-retired trade economist, Emeritus @ UKTPO Sussex. Posts about Brexit, Freeports, WTO and anything else that catches my fancy. Migrating across from other place. Tweeted as @pholmes8. Blogs with others at https://blogs.sussex.ac.uk/uktpo/blog/ .. more

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Economics 44%
Political science 25%
Posts Replies Media Videos

Reposted by Peter Holmes

russellengland.bsky.social
Russell England @russellengland.bsky.social · 12h
+ as an MP, representing British interests, John Redwood knew Brexit would damage the economy, but promoted it anyway

While telling his clients to get their money out of the UK pronto

He should have been locked up for treason

Theresa May gave him a knighthood

@francescoppola.bsky.social in 2017
British Lawmaker Advises Investors To Take Their Money Out Of The UK
John Redwood, investment manager and British lawmaker, advises investors to remove their money from the UK and invest it in more successful economies, including the EU. But his advice doesn't end ther...
www.forbes.com

Reposted by Richard S.J. Tol, Dorothy Bishop, Peter Holmes , and 2 more

iandunt.bsky.social
Ian Dunt @iandunt.bsky.social · 13h
It is so embarrassing that it has taken nearly a decade for a British minister to say this, a statement of the absolute bloody obvious

Reposted by Richard McElreath, Mel Bartley, Peter Campbell , and 3 more

eddwilson.bsky.social
Ed Wilson @eddwilson.bsky.social · 13h
"Switzerland’s military has terminated its contract with Palantir… following a security audit… concluded that U.S. intelligence agencies could potentially access sensitive Swiss defense data… significant reputational warning for the data analytics firm"

www.newscase.com/palantirs-sw...

#R4Today
Palantir's Swiss Exit Highlights Global Data Sovereignty Challenge | NewsCase
Switzerland's military has terminated its contract with Palantir Technologies Inc. following a security audit. The review concluded that U.S. intelligence ag
www.newscase.com

Reposted by Peter Holmes

oldtrotter.bsky.social
David Higham @oldtrotter.bsky.social · 1d
Listening to the discussion of The North hosting the Olympics. Impossible to fly into the North directly? Manchester is the only airport in England outside Heathrow with two operating runways (although even the Chancellor didn’t know that) fullfact.org/news/rachel-...
Rachel Reeves wrong to claim Britain has not built a runway since the 1940s – Full Fact
A second runway at Manchester Airport was completed in 2001.
fullfact.org

Reposted by Dorothy Bishop, Will Jennings, Steve Peers , and 6 more

iandunt.bsky.social
Ian Dunt @iandunt.bsky.social · 1d
No-one seems to have noticed, but many of the core developments in the Mandelson/Epstein story these last few days have been broken on this website. @pickardje.bsky.social and @petergeoghegan.bsky.social are both posting each breaking development on BlueSky, not X.

Reposted by Jonathan Portes, Andrew Scott, Colin Murray , and 3 more

stevepeers.bsky.social
Steve Peers @stevepeers.bsky.social · 1d
The law on universities and free speech prevents speakers from being *disinvited after they have been invited*. It does not require universities to provide a platform to whoever demands one.

Let's not mince words: the threat to cut funding to every university who disagrees with them is fascist.
ottoenglish.bsky.social Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 1d
This is pretty menacing.

Sarah Pochin wrote to Bangor's university student run debating society requesting that she attend to "answer questions from students."

When they said "no" Reform rolled all it's tanks onto the lawns and said they'll cut funding to the entire university if they win.
Reform UK threatens to cut funding for Welsh university after debating society bans party from campus want to go to Bangor University' said nobody ever. Especially if Bangor University is stripped of government funding and student loan facilities by @reformparty_uk Is that "in line with your values,' poppets?

Reposted by Mike Brewer, Peter Holmes

resolutionfoundation.org
Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 1d
📢 Published today! 🚨

Unsung Britain represents an 18-month investigation into the lives of the 13 million working-age families across the poorest half of the country.

Read more 👉 buff.ly/7WcqrbQ
I’ve noticed a difference between when the 14-year-old was very little to when my 10-year-old was very little. Within four years, you could feel the slide.

Reposted by Peter Holmes

nickbwilson.bsky.social
Nick Wilson @nickbwilson.bsky.social · 2d
Gun Owners of America is lobbying Congress to pass the SAVE Act, which would require a majority of Americans to show a passport to register to vote.

But GOA opposes any law that requires showing a drivers license to buy a gun.

These are not serious people.

pholmes8.bsky.social
Peter Holmes @pholmes8.bsky.social · 2d
"Trust them, they'll do the right things when they won the election."
He did many good things as promised, but often had to be forced to, and stuck to some bad ideas, ('cos McS said Faragists would vote Lab???)
Cunning Plans haven't worked. No vision.

Hoping that finally Polly T will be right!

pholmes8.bsky.social
Peter Holmes @pholmes8.bsky.social · 2d
I agree with Kate and Sam. I'm a Brexit nerd & met Starmer a couple of times pre-2019 in small meetings. He was eager to listen and willing to share his thoughts. So I supported him keenly but was concerned by the '24 bizarre fiscal promises and the Brexit Red Lines. Polly Toynbee always said:

Reposted by Peter Holmes

bigsister.bsky.social
BigSister @bigsister.bsky.social · 2d
An utter hypocrite.

Reposted by Peter Holmes

mikegalsworthy.bsky.social
Mike Galsworthy @mikegalsworthy.bsky.social · 2d
😡 Four former defence insiders hired by Palantir in a single year.

A £240m MoD contract awarded without competition.

A “strategic partnership” announced soon after.

The revolving door between defence and big tech is spinning fast.
The great Ministry of Defence-to-Palantir pipeline
Senior defence officials are moving into Palantir roles as the company secures ever-deeper footholds across government
eastangliabylines.co.uk

Reposted by Ben H. Ansell, Peter Holmes

jessicaelgot.bsky.social
Jessica Elgot @jessicaelgot.bsky.social · 2d
Much the same as with Karen Pierce and the US ambo appointment, Starmer actually had someone who could have been director of comms, Steph Driver, who gave years of hard work and professionalism in opposition but then got a succession of people promoted over her for no apparent reason

Reposted by Peter Holmes

adamdrummond.bsky.social
Adam Drummond @adamdrummond.bsky.social · 3d
Labour's structural position is bad (terrible inheritance etc + unwillingness to grasp certain nettles) but has been hugely damaged by an obsession with winning over people who will never vote for them, based on a misread of the 2024 election

Reposted by Peter Holmes

alexhh.bsky.social
Alex Hall Hall @alexhh.bsky.social · 3d
McSweeney is gone. Time for Starmer to try to salvage his government by launching long overdue proper action to address all the flaws in our political system - peerages, patronage, cronyism, party finances, MPs revolving door, appointments, ministerial code, business interests, Leveson, etc etc.

Reposted by Steve Peers, Lesley A. Hall, Peter Holmes , and 1 more

mrrobertbob.bsky.social
Mr RobertBob @mrrobertbob.bsky.social · 3d
This is not a sane person.

fortune.com/2026/02/04/p...
Peter Thiel warns the Antichrist and apocalypse are linked to the ‘end of modernity’ currently happening—and cites Greta Thunberg as a driving example | Fortune
The Gen Z Swedish climate activist is a legionnaire of the Antichrist, Thiel claims, a “Luddite” who wants to halt technological progress in its tracks.
fortune.com

pholmes8.bsky.social
Peter Holmes @pholmes8.bsky.social · 3d
Has anyone looked up Johnson's name in the Epstein files?

Reposted by Peter Holmes

alanlester.bsky.social
Alan Lester @alanlester.bsky.social · 3d
I agree, but especially with this:

Reposted by Peter Holmes

groomb.bsky.social
Brian Groom @groomb.bsky.social · 3d
John Ruskin, art critic and reformer, was born on this day 1819. His communitarian Guild of St George created a museum of art and other treasures in Sheffield. He bought Brantwood, a house by Coniston in the Lake District.

Reposted by Peter Holmes

grahambs.bsky.social
Graham Simpson @grahambs.bsky.social · 3d
So, bosses of failing privatised water companies continue to pay themselves millions in bonuses despite illegally dumping toxic water and failing to provide reliable water supplies to residents. Also despite rules saying they shouldn’t! Privatisation has failed!
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Water bosses in England exploiting bonus loophole face crackdown
Exclusive: Ministers to act after last year’s legislation ‘outwitted’ by failing firms paying millions to executives
www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Patrick Dunleavy, Steve Peers, Andrew Scott , and 7 more

whoa-magic.lol
Áine ☽𖤐☾ @whoa-magic.lol · 3d
Peter Thiel warns the Antichrist and apocalypse are linked to the ‘end of modernity’ currently happening—and cites Greta Thunberg as a driving example

fortune.com/2026/02/04/p...

*Not satire.
Peter Thiel warns the Antichrist and apocalypse are linked to the ‘end of modernity’ currently happening—and cites Greta Thunberg as a driving example | Fortune
The Gen Z Swedish climate activist is a legionnaire of the Antichrist, Thiel claims, a “Luddite” who wants to halt technological progress in its tracks.
fortune.com

Reposted by Peter Holmes

roaringmeg.bsky.social
Meg @roaringmeg.bsky.social · 4d
#Photography Lee Miller exhibition at Tate Britain - I was full of admiration for her after seeing her photos of the aftermath of WW2. She even went inside two concentration camps to show the world what had been going on,

Reposted by Will Jennings, Peter Holmes

columnist.bsky.social
Dr Stylite @columnist.bsky.social · 4d
The current fashion for leading a party or being talked about leading a party while vocally backing policies that are anathema to your voter base is truly bizarre.

Reposted by Richard S.J. Tol, Peter Holmes

statuscoupnews.bsky.social
Status Coup News @statuscoupnews.bsky.social · 4d
🚨BREAKING: “Days after Renee Good's murder, FBI Director Kash Patel and other senior Trump officials STOPPED FBI agents from continuing to investigate." @JonFarinaPhoto LIVE on breaking news of Renee Good murder cover up.

LIVE NOW ⬇️

Reposted by Peter Holmes

laurenmeidasa.bsky.social
Lauren Ashley Davis @laurenmeidasa.bsky.social · 4d
NSA detected phone call between foreign intelligence and a person close to Trump

Whistleblower says that Tulsi Gabbard blocked agency from sharing report and delivered it to White House chief of staff

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
NSA detected phone call between foreign intelligence and a person close to Trump
Whistleblower says that Tulsi Gabbard blocked agency from sharing report and delivered it to White House chief of staff
www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Joe R. Feagin, Peter Holmes

maddow.bsky.social
Rachel Maddow @maddow.bsky.social · 4d
www.politico.com/news/2026/02...
The Epstein scandal is taking down Europe’s political class. In the US, they’re getting a pass.
As Europe moves to address its shame, it’s highlighting the comparative lack of accountability in the U.S.
www.politico.com

Reposted by Peter Holmes

patrickdunleavy.bsky.social
Patrick Dunleavy @patrickdunleavy.bsky.social · 4d
news.sky.com/story/i-neve...
Trump sharing racist image of Obamas shows something has changed
The dehumanisation of black people in this way is a trope dating back hundreds of years. It's something which had, for many years, been confined to the dustbin of history, while still very much a part...
news.sky.com

Reposted by Peter Holmes, Margot C. Finn, Michael H. Whitworth

pickardje.bsky.social
Jim Pickard @pickardje.bsky.social · 4d
the perils of being a commentator

Reposted by Peter Holmes

alexhh.bsky.social
Alex Hall Hall @alexhh.bsky.social · 4d
Options include more transparency on party financing, ending revolving door, putting political roles and ministerial codes on statutory footing with independent oversight, reform Hse of Lords, and many more - drawn from cross-party Commission on Political Power commissionpoliticalpower.uk

Reposted by Mel Bartley, Peter Holmes

peterjukes.bsky.social
Peter Jukes @peterjukes.bsky.social · 4d
The problem with so many of our top politicians - from Johnson, Mandelson, Farage - is that they all want to join the oligarch class. Whatever you think of Gordon Brown he is financially unbiddable www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
We owe it to Epstein’s victims and to British democracy to demand historic change | Gordon Brown
The abuse of women by figures such as Epstein, and of political power by the likes of Mandelson, must be confronted. As far as I am able, I will play my part, says former UK prime minister Gordon Brow...
www.theguardian.com