Anand Menon

Starmer’s defence dilemma - UK in a changing Europe Andrew M Dorman reflects on UK defence policy and argues that while the UK must deintegrate its defence capabilities from the US and implement the recommendations of this year's Strategic Defence Revi...

"The US can no longer be relied on... Rather any US involvement will be transactional, and the UK needs to rapidly unpick 80 years of defence integration with, and dependence on, the US."

✍️ Andrew Dorman on the US National Security Strategy & Starmer's defence dilemma

ukandeu.ac.uk/starmers-def...

A strong OBR is in everyone’s interests | Institute for Government The chancellor should appoint a strong chair of the Office for Budget Responsibility to replace Richard Hughes.

A strong OBR is in everyone’s interests

Replacing Richard Hughes with someone seen as more compliant to the government’s views would undermine the OBR's independence, bringing a high cost to government and the country, says @gemmatetlow.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/stro...

The first number was so bat shit crazy it distracted me

Another wave of crackdowns will turn this around!

Labour’s shift away from “immigration is good but it needs to be managed” to “it is bad” is a gift to essentially everyone they compete with, because it means that they don’t have the right position to be able to attack *anyone*.

I’m not talking about SAFE.

Yes but our own feet with an allied but disengaging US is not the same as with a hostile one.

Maybe. Or ‘get them to spend more while still being subservient’. Or ‘abandon Europe altogether’. Which one it is matters.

Mine try

kids should ban parents’ social media use.

Well that is progress. My sense in London is that people can't even conceive of, let alone plan for, that world.

We're still shying away from even thinking about whether the US is no longer our primary security guarantor, or whether it is no longer going to be an ally. The NSS implies the latter to me.

This story is designed for slow learners…

Apparently, Jordan Bardella 'looks and sounds hungry for power'. Which is precisely the kind of analysis I'm after from the national broadcaster.

I agree.

Precisely. It's not honest. The study isn't about a customs union!!

Loads of economists.

I’m not on any fence. Just saying the estimates being quoted are silly. Which they are. I’m all in favour of honest debate

1000+ fans turn up to Radiohead Karaoke party after Copenhagen show cancels and sing together until the early hours ❤️ #radiohead #thomyorke #music #copenhagen #samsbar #karaoke #radioheadtour #bar #f... TikTok video by CoryEveryDay

I think this might be my favourite video ever www.tiktok.com/@coryeveryda...

I’m fairly certain we’d blow it.

We will do something in detail next year. But as far as I can see, the numbers the Lib Dems are citing are for a wholly different type of arrangement with the EU. And one that isn’t on offer

hm

They’re marching on together.

Fear not. I’m not miserable in the least.

The new US National Security Strategy makes for scary reading. I wrote about how the US wants to support forces in Europe to tear itself apart back in November 2024, and last May. This NSS confirms that's exactly the US objective for Europe.

www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/u...

So fucking special. To quote a an old song..... (pardon my French)

Yeah, that not what I call the debate!!!

I'm not at all sure the debate here reconises that. Not least because it's based on made up numbers.

I've so missed these discussions about UK-EU relations that are solely about us, and political positioning here, rather than about the, you know, UK-EU relationship 4/3

And let’s please stop with the idea that a CU of any kind will end the need for paperwork etc. The real costs of Brexit come from being outside the single market. Apart from that, it’s a fab idea, so well done lads. 3/3