Candida Jones

'Paddington: The Musical' review: Alf Dubs finally meets the bear from Peru I went to the theatre vaguely expecting a heartfelt tale of a lost bear, but what I found was something far more profound – and oddly personal

"There is a small part of me that will always be that person who arrived here by train knowing no one"

🎭 @alfdubs.bsky.social reviews 'Paddington: The Musical' 🐻🍊 at the Savoy Theatre, London #Paddington #PaddingtonTheMusical
bit.ly/3ZNhqV0

First time I've ever seen a dead heat in a vote in parliament. Speaker Nokes had the deciding vote and backed the lib dem 10 minute bill on rejoining the customs union which means it will now be fully debated in January (the 13th, I think)
#brexit
@labourlist.bsky.social
@politicshome.bsky.social

Reform Council in Chaos as It Prepares to Slash Scrutiny Committees Following Wave of Councillor Suspensions EXCLUSIVE: Reform's flagship Kent administration is planning to shut down multiple council committees as it struggles to fill posts after suspending nine of its own councillors

Nigel Farage said their flagship council in Kent would be a "shop window" for how they would run the country.

Just months after taking over they're now set to slash multiple council committees as they struggle to fill posts after sacking nine of their own councillors
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/12/r...

A powerful thread from a former child refugee and beloved elder statesman of the Labour movement. A huge moral test for the Labour Government. Surely it won't whip against @alfdubs.bsky.social on an issue of principle that it supported in opposition.....

Lord Dubs is 92 years old and this is his first rebellion. 👏👏👏

Purple olives in a bowl of water

Green olives, pitted, in a bowl of water

This year, for the first time since we planted the tree 15 yrs ago, we have an olive harvest.
Half the purple ones will be brined. The other half, just sea salt.
The green ones we've pitted, ready to sugar them for 'spoon sweets'.
Olives in London. It's a kind of happy sad...

They Helped Topple Roe v. Wade. Now Their Sights Are Set on Britain.

#Farage ally, the ADF, orchestrated Farage's appearance at Congress.
ADF opposes abortion and helped topple Roe v. Wade.
For the first time in his political "career" Farage has started mentioning abortion.
Are they coming for British abortion rights?
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/13/w...

I’m a British MP, a doctor and Jewish. This is what happened when I tried to enter Israel | Peter Prinsley Barred from entry on ‘public security’ grounds, I had a moment to reflect on how far the country has fallen, says British MP Peter Prinsley

I’m a British MP, a doctor and Jewish.

This is what happened when I tried to pass through Israel, on my way to the West Bank..

As parliamentarians, we have a responsibility to be as informed as possible.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

The BBC World Service is a vital asset in a volatile world, projecting UK soft power and combating disinformation as hostile states escalate the information war.

I brought cross-party figures together to discuss the World Service ahead of my Parliamentary debate this Thursday.

Desert Island Discs - Lord Alf Dubs, politician and campaigner - BBC Sounds Lord Alf Dubs, politician, shares the soundtrack of his life with Lauren Laverne.

#Farage should listen to today's Desert Island Discs. @alfdubs.bsky.social
speaking with warmth, wisdom, humour and compassion about refugees and #Europe and the grave dangers of populist right-wing politics.
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

#GaryLineker has always been kind and generous in his support for refugees.
Here he is with the legendary @alfdubs.bsky.social at a refugee football match, and with the players, (including the first "Dubs child" to come to the UK).
He lives the phrase #Refugeesarewelcome

#Shaminabegum made grave mistakes. But she's our responsibility and no one else's.
Stripping her UK citizenship, and that of others abandoned in #Syria, is an abdication of responsibility.
#jacobreesmogg and I, in the @financialtimes.com today
@tonyvaughanmp.bsky.social
@reprievehq.bsky.social

My (British) niece is spending her 2nd uni year studying in the US. Ahead of applying for her student visa she was discreetly advised to remove any social media posts mentioning Gaza, or anything that could be interpreted as any kind of criticism of the US administration.
Sounds a bit North Korea-y

Britain, a trading nation, now has a vital choice to make about its priority trading partners:

- the EU, where agreements are made, kept, reciprocal, based on international norms, & enforced by a court

- the USA, where agreements are made, broken, changed & broken again at a whim, with no recourse

Tweet Nigel Farage ® @Nigel_Farage If we vote to Remain on June 23rd it is the end of the steel industry in this country. Simple as that. We must Leave EU. 09:45 • 02/04/2016 • Twitter for iPhone 1,449 Retweets 1,278 Likes

Well. This didn't age well.

Which continent does @bbcnews.bsky.social think we live on??
🙄

It means "no thanks"

I know. But an amazing day for Abdul anyway

Wissam's brother Abdul yesterday got to fulfil his lifelong dream of watching The Gunners play. And he met the players afterwards!
Thanks to
@arsenalfc.bsky.social for making a little boy - who has been through so much - feel happy and welcome in the UK
@mrjamesob.bsky.social

Wissam's brother Abdul yesterday got to fulfil his lifelong dream of watching The Gunners play. And he met the players afterwards!
Thank you @arsenalfc.bsky.social for making a little boy - who has been through so much - feel happy and welcome in the UK

24photography opened its latest exhibition today in Soho Square. 24 great images from 24 artists from St Martins (including me!) celebrating the 24 hours of New Year's Day.
We've been going for 22 years. Only 2 more to go!
The exhibition is free. And the crocuses are out.
www.24photography.org

The latest exhibition of brilliant work from the artists at 24photography opens on Saturday in Soho Square. We've been capturing New Year's Day for 22 years.
Only 2 years to go.
It's free and there will be cake.

Protections afforded to refugees benefit us all Disregard for the rights of asylum seekers is the canary in the coal mine for international law

"My fear is that affording protections and safety to refugees is, tragically, becoming as unpopular today as offering protection to many of Europe's Jews was in 1938"
@alfdubs.bsky.social's
defence of the #Refugeeconvention in today's FT.
www.ft.com/content/78e1...

JD Vance attacks Europe over migration, free speech U.S. vice president stunned the audience with his broadside on the way Europe is run.

If there was still any lingering doubts about the new regime in Washington backing the far-right in Europe, Vance has now dispelled it.
Invoking free speech & democracy, he backs those who want to destroy them both

www.politico.eu/article/us-v...

But Labour backlash continues.

Lord Dubs says the move is "small-minded" and "belittles our own status as a country".

Stella Creasy says it will leave refugees paying taxes with no representation, as they will be barred from voting.

The UK should resettle at least 5,000 refugees each year, MPs urge Former child refugee Lord Dubs among those calling on government to improve safe and legal routes to come to the UK

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...

Cross-Party group of Parliamentarians Call for Urgent Action on Safe Routes for Refugees The APPG on Refugees is today launching a significant new report urging the UK Government to improve safe and legal routes for refugees, as part of a comprehensive response to the challenges of irregu...

Ahead of 2nd reading of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill next Monday 10th February, MPs and Peers from the APPG recommend improvements to safe and legal routes be included in the legislation:
www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/latest/news/...

'Targeting smuggling gangs alone won't reducee deaths in the Channel' Lord Alf Dubs, who fled the Nazis as a child, has warned that enforcement alone will not stop deaths in the Channel after 78 people died trying to reach the UK last year

Targeting smuggling gangs alone won't reduce deaths in the Channel.

www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

Stella Tsantekidou, "Brexiters saying how Brexit has been going for the last five years"

"Reminds me of being at uni and listening to communists say how communism has never been tried before, we just need one more opportunity, we didn't have the right leaders, we didn't go further enough"