Hari Ramanathan
@hpram.bsky.social
Cheeky rascal. Radical Butskellite (pragmatic evolutionist). TCK. News junkie. History buff. Podcast fanatic. Amateur etymologist. #JFT97 #F1 #WhistlePodu #MenInBlue Legacy #FedFan. 🌹🇺🇦🎗️
Lived: 🇬🇧🇮🇳🇴🇲🇨🇦🇺🇸
Lived: 🇬🇧🇮🇳🇴🇲🇨🇦🇺🇸
I went swimming in Highgate Pond for the first time today.
My immediate reaction upon entering the water was to get straight back out, but my pal talked me into staying & I’m so glad I did. It’s actually lovely once you overcome the initial freezing shock.
That said, not going again till Spring! 😅
My immediate reaction upon entering the water was to get straight back out, but my pal talked me into staying & I’m so glad I did. It’s actually lovely once you overcome the initial freezing shock.
That said, not going again till Spring! 😅
September 18, 2025 at 4:03 PM
I went swimming in Highgate Pond for the first time today.
My immediate reaction upon entering the water was to get straight back out, but my pal talked me into staying & I’m so glad I did. It’s actually lovely once you overcome the initial freezing shock.
That said, not going again till Spring! 😅
My immediate reaction upon entering the water was to get straight back out, but my pal talked me into staying & I’m so glad I did. It’s actually lovely once you overcome the initial freezing shock.
That said, not going again till Spring! 😅
Reposted by Hari Ramanathan
There were only seven proper Blairites (committed to public sector reform + economic liberalism) in Tony Blair's final Cabinet. The number of actual Blairites in Brown's Cabinet in 2007 was higher, for this reason.
As I noted on here the other day, Tony Blair had Clare Short (!) in his government for 6 years (!), doing a job she genuinely liked (!)
September 7, 2025 at 5:07 PM
There were only seven proper Blairites (committed to public sector reform + economic liberalism) in Tony Blair's final Cabinet. The number of actual Blairites in Brown's Cabinet in 2007 was higher, for this reason.
Reposted by Hari Ramanathan
Reposted by Hari Ramanathan
If Liz Truss were more stable and shrewd, she could make a fortune from a public affairs protection racket.
"Nice campaign you've got there, would be a real shame if Britain's most disastrous PM endorsed it".
"Nice campaign you've got there, would be a real shame if Britain's most disastrous PM endorsed it".
Cognitive dissonance is one hell of a drug. Truss is entirely unable to accept that she screwed up her time as PM in such spectacular fashion that she’ll be a historical footnote.
So to preserve her self-image she’s had to create this conspiracy narrative, which is now self-reinforcing.
So to preserve her self-image she’s had to create this conspiracy narrative, which is now self-reinforcing.
In case you missed it in The Other Place, Liz Truss has gone properly fucking nuts.
June 1, 2025 at 10:29 AM
If Liz Truss were more stable and shrewd, she could make a fortune from a public affairs protection racket.
"Nice campaign you've got there, would be a real shame if Britain's most disastrous PM endorsed it".
"Nice campaign you've got there, would be a real shame if Britain's most disastrous PM endorsed it".
Reposted by Hari Ramanathan
Reposted by Hari Ramanathan
The Art of the Dickhead
April 9, 2025 at 6:34 PM
The Art of the Dickhead
Reposted by Hari Ramanathan
I know "I wonder what James Delingpole is tweeting these days" is a horrible, stove-touching impulse, but I was genuinely not expecting "Lily Philips and Bonnie Blue are government psy-ops".
April 9, 2025 at 2:27 PM
I know "I wonder what James Delingpole is tweeting these days" is a horrible, stove-touching impulse, but I was genuinely not expecting "Lily Philips and Bonnie Blue are government psy-ops".
Reposted by Hari Ramanathan
Big day for corrupt insiders.
April 9, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Big day for corrupt insiders.
Reposted by Hari Ramanathan
the one good thing about trade policy being run like a game of poker with a drunk chimp is that 'only 10% tariffs on the whole world plus whatever number enters Trump's head for China!' now feels like a great deal, phew, rather than the nailed-on crisis it would have seemed only last year
April 9, 2025 at 5:45 PM
the one good thing about trade policy being run like a game of poker with a drunk chimp is that 'only 10% tariffs on the whole world plus whatever number enters Trump's head for China!' now feels like a great deal, phew, rather than the nailed-on crisis it would have seemed only last year
Reposted by Hari Ramanathan
The penguins had a 10% tariff before and they have a 10% tariff now. They kind of lost. Now they don't have a competitive edge over Vietnam.
April 9, 2025 at 5:48 PM
The penguins had a 10% tariff before and they have a 10% tariff now. They kind of lost. Now they don't have a competitive edge over Vietnam.
Reposted by Hari Ramanathan
So what remains?
1. US-China trade blockade. Mutual damage with potential collateral damage to EU if China diverts exports there.
2. Mexico, Canada and steel/aluminum tariffs. Again, mutual damage.
3. 10% tax on US imports, global damage.
4. US credibility and leverage wrecked.
1. US-China trade blockade. Mutual damage with potential collateral damage to EU if China diverts exports there.
2. Mexico, Canada and steel/aluminum tariffs. Again, mutual damage.
3. 10% tax on US imports, global damage.
4. US credibility and leverage wrecked.
April 9, 2025 at 6:01 PM
So what remains?
1. US-China trade blockade. Mutual damage with potential collateral damage to EU if China diverts exports there.
2. Mexico, Canada and steel/aluminum tariffs. Again, mutual damage.
3. 10% tax on US imports, global damage.
4. US credibility and leverage wrecked.
1. US-China trade blockade. Mutual damage with potential collateral damage to EU if China diverts exports there.
2. Mexico, Canada and steel/aluminum tariffs. Again, mutual damage.
3. 10% tax on US imports, global damage.
4. US credibility and leverage wrecked.
Reposted by Hari Ramanathan
Biggest commitment to a 3 second joke I've ever seen
April 9, 2025 at 6:33 AM
Biggest commitment to a 3 second joke I've ever seen
Reposted by Hari Ramanathan
Well i hope everyone enjoyed the peace.
The Americans are about to log on again.
The Americans are about to log on again.
April 8, 2025 at 11:18 AM
Well i hope everyone enjoyed the peace.
The Americans are about to log on again.
The Americans are about to log on again.
Reposted by Hari Ramanathan
It's really important that the new American owners don't abandon the culture of W H Smith, like charging £7 for a packet of crisps in the airport or trying to aggressively sell you chocolate bars that you don't want at the checkout
March 28, 2025 at 11:58 AM
It's really important that the new American owners don't abandon the culture of W H Smith, like charging £7 for a packet of crisps in the airport or trying to aggressively sell you chocolate bars that you don't want at the checkout
Reposted by Hari Ramanathan
it's now clear to me that the key demographic for Bluesky is 'people who had a Saturday job at WH Smith'
March 28, 2025 at 11:26 AM
it's now clear to me that the key demographic for Bluesky is 'people who had a Saturday job at WH Smith'
Reposted by Hari Ramanathan
"Next year, the World Cup is going to be held in a country where people who have political opinions that displease the government are disappeared by the secret police"
March 27, 2025 at 4:03 PM
"Next year, the World Cup is going to be held in a country where people who have political opinions that displease the government are disappeared by the secret police"
Reposted by Hari Ramanathan
The two places Trump wants - Greenland and Canada - share a land border. They fought the so-called Whisky War over it for almost half a century, and it was basically adorable.
![In 1984, Canadian soldiers visited the island and planted a Canadian flag, also leaving a bottle of Canadian whisky.[10] The Danish Minister of Greenland Affairs came to the island himself later the same year with the Danish flag, a bottle of snaps, and a letter stating "Welcome to the Danish Island" (Velkommen til den danske ø).[11][12][13] The two countries proceeded to take turns planting their flags on the island and exchanging alcoholic beverages.[14] In 2005 a Canadian man and an unknown source on the Danish side also posted advertisements on Google to "promote their claims".[14][15][16]
The minor border dispute was often considered humorous between the two nations, with diplomats displaying good humour. Despite the serious official nature of the matter, the manner in which the conflict was prosecuted was light-hearted, demonstrated by the length of time taken to settle the dispute, if nothing else. The two nations are on friendly terms, and are also founding members of NATO.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:abgvvtq35ocdxplvcpi7yjce/bafkreig7t5xgy5njclpmuf6pb5qf2mnnfyotwc2totd2mnxj2ulm3vqate@jpeg)
March 28, 2025 at 7:38 AM
The two places Trump wants - Greenland and Canada - share a land border. They fought the so-called Whisky War over it for almost half a century, and it was basically adorable.
Reposted by Hari Ramanathan
The demise of WHSmith reminds me of when my friend queued for ages to buy a protractor, only to get to the front and discover that it was Jeffrey Archer doing a signing
March 28, 2025 at 10:18 AM
The demise of WHSmith reminds me of when my friend queued for ages to buy a protractor, only to get to the front and discover that it was Jeffrey Archer doing a signing
Reposted by Hari Ramanathan
“You’re entitled to your opinion”
Translation: You’re entitled to be wrong.
Translation: You’re entitled to be wrong.
March 28, 2025 at 10:23 AM
“You’re entitled to your opinion”
Translation: You’re entitled to be wrong.
Translation: You’re entitled to be wrong.
Same.
I'm still momentarily confused whenever TV or radio news refer to 'The Queen'.*
* They mean Camilla.
* They mean Camilla.
March 28, 2025 at 10:47 AM
Same.
Reposted by Hari Ramanathan
Running tally of Labour MPs opposing the disability benefit cuts: labourlist.org/2025/03/spri...
Welfare reform: List of Labour MPs prepared to rebel against benefit changes - LabourList
More than a dozen Labour MPs have said publicly that they will not back the government when proposed…
labourlist.org
March 28, 2025 at 10:22 AM
Running tally of Labour MPs opposing the disability benefit cuts: labourlist.org/2025/03/spri...
This is pretty much the point @frasernelson.bsky.social was making on yesterday’s Spectator’s Coffee House Shots podcast. Trump’s isolationism potentially includes 3 spheres of influence: USA, Russia & China. They can act as they wish within it (ie vis-a-vis Greenland/Panama/Canada/Ukraine/Taiwan).
Putin escalating the carving up of the old world order, signaling a sort of sphere-of-influence quid pro quo: the US can have what it wants in Greenland and, the implicit corollary is, I can have what I want with Ukraine
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Putin says Greenland 'nothing to do with Russia' in nod to US
Speaking in the Arctic, Russia's president said Trump's plans were "serious" but nothing to do with Moscow.
www.bbc.com
March 28, 2025 at 10:39 AM
This is pretty much the point @frasernelson.bsky.social was making on yesterday’s Spectator’s Coffee House Shots podcast. Trump’s isolationism potentially includes 3 spheres of influence: USA, Russia & China. They can act as they wish within it (ie vis-a-vis Greenland/Panama/Canada/Ukraine/Taiwan).