Mark English

Not many of those giving Reform huge sums seem to be renowned for their interest in the well-being of the people of Clacton or similarly run-down Reform hotbeds....

Linked In has recently suggested I apply for jobs as advisor in the French Foreign Ministry (ineligible on nationality), German translator (fine if all they need is "Could I have the schnitzel and a large beer?") and Daily Mail deputy political editor (ethically incompatible). Choices, choices...

What do Reform mean by first language, other than people they don't like because they think they look foreign and their parents may have been born somewhere else ? My kids have two first languages, one they spoke at home and one they spoke at childcare and throughout schooling. Same for many..

Spotify wrapped is out, but the music industry is still wrapped in Brexit bureaucracy. We must rejoin the Single Market and Creative Europe.

I think pro-Europeans in UK should welcome the major progress made in relations with the EU and argue forcefully, cogently and courteously for more. Not scream at broadly pro-European politicians, in a way that alienates our potential allies.

'Betraying Brexit' is kinda like 'betraying' the poll tax or the invasion of Suez ...what it actually means is re-evaluating a catastrophic policy error...

Essential from @davidheniguk.bsky.social I think it is crucial for future relations that the UK side better understands the duality of genuine idealism and naked self-interest that drives both EU relatiions with the outside world and relations among EU Member States + Institutions.

New net migration figures at 930am.

Net migration fell half a million to 344,000 in 2024 from 848k in 2023

56% of people think it went up last year
17% think stayed the same
14% think it went down

2025 figure to be lower again
16% expect that
38% think it will be up
31% about the same

Baby steps won’t fix Brexit or the Budget There is a way to get back a much bigger slice of the money Brexit has cost us. By getting the UK back into the EU single market.

Baby steps won't fix Brexit or let future Budgets put money into people's pockets instead of taking it out www.europeanmovement.co.uk/baby_steps_f...

Baby steps won’t fix Brexit or the Budget There is a way to get back a much bigger slice of the money Brexit has cost us. By getting the UK back into the EU single market.

Brexit is the reason today’s Budget squeezes families, yet the government is still shuffling towards solutions that demand real urgency. We need far bolder steps back towards the single market if we want future budgets that lift people up rather than drain them.

If we want future budgets to put money in people's pockets, not take it out, we need to start working our way back to the EU.

Getting UK back in EU needs:

🇬🇧🇪🇺 Vision
🇬🇧🇪🇺 Political will
🇬🇧 Courage to face down Farage's posturing
🇬🇧 Patience - won't be quick
🇬🇧 Persuasion and negotiating skill - many in EU will be UK sceptic
🇪🇺 A leap of faith

But there is no alternative for 🇬🇧. And it's ultimately in 🇪🇺 interest.

If we want future budgets to put money in people's pockets, not take it out, we need to start working our way back to the EU.

My guide to populist-proofing your democracy – before it’s too late | Timothy Garton Ash From public service broadcasting to an independent judiciary, these are the things that we must fight to keep, says Guardian columnist Timothy Garton Ash

If you have a trusted public service broadcaster, as in Britain, Canada or Scandinavia, “you should hang on to it for dear life, further ringfence its editorial independence, double its budget and increase its presence on social media.” By @fromtga.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Coût des études en France | Campus France Les frais de scolarité dans un établissement public en France sont faibles. L’État français assume la plus grande part du coût des études.

UK universities are well over 50 times more expensive than French ones, for home students. And over ten times as expensive for foreign (=non-EU for France) students. UK universities are also better than French ones - but they are not 50/10 times better.... www.campusfrance.org/fr/cout-etud...

I am prepared to accept Farage did not know what Nathan Gill was up to and was appalled when he found out. But Starmer, Davey, Badenoch would face calls for resignation if a close associate was convicted of spying for Russia. Reform wants to be the government, so should be judged by same standards.

There's global competition for highly skilled workers, notably in healthcare, high tech and engineering/construction, as well as for less skilled people in some sectors. Countries who make it hard for them to come will lose out. And will lose people they have, if stigmatising immigrants turns toxic.

Some of the saloon bar scientists in UK claiming Covid lock downs were unnecessary would be dead or would have lost loved ones if the Covid lock downs had not happened.

Johnson was a dreadful Prime Minister and is a dreadful man. Farage is much, much, worse than that.

China, Spain, Italy, Australia, etc. But somehow Covid would bounce off Brits' stiff upper lips. Johnson personifies exceptionalist, xenophobic, Empire-nostalgic arrogance - and via Brexit had rekindled it in his party. One of the worst people imaginable to have in charge when Covid came.

Tempted to say we need an inquiry into the equally 'chaotic and toxic' way Johnson handled Brexit.

But actually, we don't: everyone knows already it was a disaster.

What would be useful is a forward looking inquiry into the options we now have to get out of the mess Johnson + Farage left us in.

"Compared with other European countries, the UK received the fifth largest number of asylum seekers in the year ending March 2025, and the seventeenth largest intake when measured per head of population" - Home Office data
www.gov.uk/government/s...

The UK has fallen behind the EU on climate policies, but cooperating with the EU could achieve cheaper bills, healthier communities, and a thriving natural world. As COP30 comes to a close tomorrow, we’re calling on the Government to team up with the EU to save our planet @carolinelucas.bsky.social

Doesn't offering life-changing (in their countries of origin) sums to migrants to return - being mooted by the Home Secretary - add to incentives to come in first place that she wants to reduce by making it impossible for succesful asylum seekers to build stable lives? Cruelty but not consistency?

Arrogantly opinionated journalism like this, typified by smug pay-off line, might just be one of the things wrong with UK....

The UK isn’t a “soft touch” on asylum.

UK asylum seeker benefits are similar to European neighbours

No right to work before 12 months (it’s 6 months in France, Spain, Belgium, Netherlands)

UK settlement after 5 years (it’s 3 or 4 in Germany)

Let’s cut out the alarmist rhetoric.

Switzerland is to all intents and purposes part of the single market for goods and it applies the free movement of people - with some specificities. But it is not a full participant in the single market for services or for capital.

I think what matters is overall contribution from UK, not part of EU budget it goes to. Partly indeed question of applying same principles as for Switzerland, which pays into cohesion funds in return for selective single market rights (more than UK will have, so UK should pay proportionately less)

In fact Maurice Micklewhite was pretty poor. His family lived in a prefab after the war. His films have given joy to millions and he has given a lot back. I disagree strongly with him over Brexit, but I'll continue to respect him - and many others who voted Brexit (not the racists).

Grossly dishonest to pretend UK is under more pressure than EU countries from asylum claims. 'UK was below average among EU countries for asylum applications per head of population, ranking 14th among EU 27 countries plus UK on this measure'
researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN...