My take on today’s UK-US trade deal. The UK is a small weak country. It does what small weak countries do, which is to escape the bully, to pay the Dane-geld. Standing up for the multilateral rules-based trading system will have to be left for others. [Britain’s trade deal with Trum...](https://on.ft.com/4dimx5y )

It all seems so popeless. (Sorry.) https://amanita.us-east.host.bsky.network/xrpc/com.atproto.sync.getBlob?did=did:plc:mymiyz3x72kdfeb5nfmrk5my&cid=bafkreibrbwgtpa57a6ywlqlczgmwl4akh7ubbfwsbudibitc6qibw4vsne

Q: What happens when a pope dies? A: Another one just popes up. Not a very good joke, but it’s my only papal conclave gag and I first heard it I think during the papacy of John Paul II, so it’s venerable if not particularly funny.

This is exactly how to respond to Trump. He wants you to be running round frightened of him. A shrug is the best response. And delivering the shrug *from a cocktail party* is 💯. RE:

Bluesky Social

POLITICO Europe (@politico.eu)

French Culture Minister Rachida Dati said she has nothing to fear from US President Donald Trump's threat to impose tariffs on movies produced abro...

https://amanita.us-east.host.bsky.network/xrpc/com.atproto.sync.getBlob?did=did:plc:mymiyz3x72kdfeb5nfmrk5my&cid=bafkreifsonykch27fhzihwibc45vlkdac3izt2ibwqgeghi6srpkwghqqi

Superb progression here, vintage stuff. https://amanita.us-east.host.bsky.network/xrpc/com.atproto.sync.getBlob?did=did:plc:mymiyz3x72kdfeb5nfmrk5my&cid=bafkreid4eoe4qcmen5qmdbc4zb5hxb7rc5wysjbfb5j66dhnpqcidvnjyy

It's long been the case countries can sign a thin deal with India if they want, but they won't get a very substantive one. The UK now joins Australia, the UAE, Efta and probably someone else I've forgotten in doing so. Will the EU follow suit? Who can tell? Doesn't make much difference anyway. RE:

Bluesky Social

David Henig (@davidheniguk.bsky.social)

Here's the provisional economic modelling, maybe on the optimistic side as it assumes a reduction in non-tariff barriers on which I have yet to see...

Also the correct response, though not an original or necessarily super-credible one. RE:

Bluesky Social

FinTwitter (@fintwitter.bsky.social)

EU'S SEFCOVIC: WE ALSO NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT WE CAN DO BETTER INSIDE THE SINGLE MARKET

Bit of a pattern emerging here. RE:

Bluesky Social

FinTwitter (@fintwitter.bsky.social)

EU'S SEFCOVIC: EU DOES NOT FEEL WEAK OR UNDER UNDUE PRESSURE TO ACCEPT UNFAIR DEAL WITH U.S

Heather. RE:

Bluesky Social

Steve Peers (@stevepeers.bsky.social)

Small Trouble in Microscopic China [contains quote post or other embedded content]

Fun fact: the first agreement opening the French market to Hollywood films was the 1946 Blum/Byrnes deal, which for France was negotiated by one Jean Monnet. So the father of European unity honed his skills defending the great French tradition of forcing its people to sit through unwatchable movies. RE:

Bluesky Social

Bluesky