Harry Paterson's Blog

UK Slashes Stamp Duty Threshold to £125,000 as April 2025 Tax Reform Hits Homebuyers
UK Slashes Stamp Duty Threshold to £125,000 as April 2025 Tax Reform Hits Homebuyers
Nov, 26 2025 Society & Politics Kieran Blackwood
The UK government cut the Stamp Duty Land Tax threshold to £125,000 from April 1, 2025, forcing buyers to pay tax on far more homes. First-time buyers now face a £300,000 cap, and investors face steeper surcharges — a £1.2bn revenue move with deep housing consequences.
Springboks Break Dublin Hoodoo With 24-13 Win Over Ireland Amid Five-Card Chaos
Springboks Break Dublin Hoodoo With 24-13 Win Over Ireland Amid Five-Card Chaos
Nov, 23 2025 Sports Kieran Blackwood
South Africa beat Ireland 24-13 in Dublin on November 22, 2025, ending a 13-year winless streak amid a record five disciplinary cards to Ireland. Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus called it 'the monkey off our backs.'
Google Launches Gemini 3 Pro with 1M Token Context Window, Boosting Developer Tools Across GitHub and Workspace
Google Launches Gemini 3 Pro with 1M Token Context Window, Boosting Developer Tools Across GitHub and Workspace
Nov, 21 2025 Technology Kieran Blackwood
Google launched Gemini 3 Pro on November 18, 2025, with a 1M token context window and multimodal AI for GitHub Copilot and Workspace, boosting developer accuracy by 35% and enabling 4K image generation with live data grounding.
Dick Advocaat’s Absence Fuels Curaçao’s Fire as World Cup Dream Hangs in Balance
Dick Advocaat’s Absence Fuels Curaçao’s Fire as World Cup Dream Hangs in Balance
Nov, 20 2025 Sports Kieran Blackwood
Dick Advocaat’s sudden departure from Curaçao’s camp before their World Cup qualifier against Jamaica has galvanized the team, with players vowing to secure history in his absence—potentially making him the oldest coach ever at the 2026 World Cup.
Greece 3-2 Scotland: Late Comeback Falls Short as Scotland’s World Cup Hope Hinges on Final Match
Greece 3-2 Scotland: Late Comeback Falls Short as Scotland’s World Cup Hope Hinges on Final Match
Nov, 16 2025 Sports Kieran Blackwood
Scotland fought back from 3-0 down to lose 3-2 to Greece in Athens, but their World Cup hopes live on after Belarus drew with Norway. A win against their final opponent at Hampden on November 18, 2025, will send them to the 2026 World Cup.
UK Clocks Fall Back on Oct 26, 2025 – End of British Summer Time
UK Clocks Fall Back on Oct 26, 2025 – End of British Summer Time
Oct, 25 2025 Society & Politics Kieran Blackwood
On 26 Oct 2025 the UK will turn clocks back one hour, ending British Summer Time and shifting to GMT. Learn why it matters and what to expect.
Ladbrokes odds: Jenrick leads, Farage & Corbyn long shots for UK PM
Ladbrokes odds: Jenrick leads, Farage & Corbyn long shots for UK PM
Oct, 18 2025 Politics Kieran Blackwood
Ladbrokes puts Robert Jenrick at the top of Conservative leadership odds, while Nigel Farage and Jeremy Corbyn linger as long‑shots for the next UK Prime Minister.
Jaguars Name Anthony Campanile Defensive Coordinator; Perkins Raves
Jaguars Name Anthony Campanile Defensive Coordinator; Perkins Raves
Oct, 4 2025 Sports Kieran Blackwood
Jacksonville Jaguars appointed Anthony Campanile as defensive coordinator on Jan. 30, 2025. Coach Perkins hails his grit, while head coach Liam Coen touts an aggressive new scheme.
Pokemon Legends Z-A Mega Dimension DLC brings Mega Raichu X and Y and a post-game trip to Hyperspace Lumiose
Pokemon Legends Z-A Mega Dimension DLC brings Mega Raichu X and Y and a post-game trip to Hyperspace Lumiose
Sep, 13 2025 Gaming Kieran Blackwood
Nintendo revealed the Mega Dimension DLC for Pokemon Legends: Z-A, adding two Mega Raichu forms and a post-game story set in Hyperspace Lumiose with Hoopa. Cosmetic items arrive with the base game on Oct. 16, 2025, while the story lands by Feb. 28, 2026. The DLC is playable on Switch and Switch 2 and requires finishing the main story. Pre-orders are open now.
Shrewsbury refugee says national flags don’t intimidate him as flag rows grow
Shrewsbury refugee says national flags don’t intimidate him as flag rows grow
Sep, 6 2025 Society & Politics Kieran Blackwood
Refugee Andrew Kueth, who settled in Shrewsbury, says he isn’t intimidated by British flags on streets, urging calm as debates flare over flag displays near asylum hotels. Shropshire Council says it won’t “police” flags unless needed but raised concerns about lamppost installations. The discussion highlights tensions between free expression, public safety, and how symbols are used.