Isabelle Candy 🧡

OK, the Gorton and Denton by-election, I have some thoughts!

Let's take a look at some of the FACTS and burst a few of the more ridiculous takes doing the rounds

But first up, can we acknowledge just what bad losers Reform are?!🤣

Right, let's get started...

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Thread. Whatever you think about Danish immigration policy the claims made about its impact on politics are just wrong.

As journalists working today many of us are taught to recognise disinformation when we see it and fight back against it.

Unfortunately there are some who willingly seek it out and put it on their front pages. A disgrace to the profession.

You don't necessarily need them to take citizenship. (That's an individual choice, for some it means renouncing their citizenship of birth and it's really expensive). But you need people to have ILR so they feel safe and are not at risk of exploitation by unscrupulous employers.

The real lesson to take from Gorton and Denton is for the future of UK democracy | Institute for Government Westminster is dangerously underprepared for a multi-party future.

Everyone is analysing the implications of the byelection for Keir Starmer and Labour but the most important lessons are for democracy - my latest for @instituteforgovernment.org.uk www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/gort...

Except Labour did move to the right, Wes - on immigration, banning protest, ‘island of strangers’, attacking nature protections, etc - chasing a tiny number of Reform switchers whilst ignoring its core vote, and never talking about its more left wing economic policies

bsky.app/profile/alex...

The problem was never the kids... (or the parents, or over-diagnosis, or a snowflake generation)

If you're interested in an informed perspective on SEND by someone who parents SEND kids and works in a school, please read this brilliant post by my wife.

open.substack.com/pub/helenlou...

She quotes @samfr.bsky.social, whose political analysis is also compulsory open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/s...

UK migrant families face giving up vital in-work benefits to avoid being ‘punished’ Under Shabana Mahmood’s proposals, wait for settled status would double to 20 years if public funds used while in work

And talking about the impact on children and the terrible choices parents will be faced with:
www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

It also affects whether children born here are automatically British or not, which is only the case if parents are British or have settled status.

Not getting settlement also makes a huge difference as it means not being able to gain British citizenship for a longer period of time, and there is also a proposal that only British citizens will get benefits, people with settled status would no longer be eligible.

It's going to wreck people's lives.
The government has learnt nothing from the Windrush scandal or the way settled status was approached for EU citizens already in the country and their rights post Brexit.

There is still time to respond to the consultation, it ends tonight.
I am now a high earner. Under the current proposals I would be penalised for having been a stay at home mum, receiving child benefit. Was I really more valuable to society working in the beauty industry than as a school volunteer?

Today, the Government’s consultation on earned settlement closed.

We responded to outline our grave concerns about the harmful plans which will disproportionately harm women, LGBTQ+ people, and other vulnerable groups.

Find out more 👇

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This is probably also discriminatory against women who have children / caring roles who typically tend to work part time and earn less / be recipient of associated benefits.

Depending on which point in my life this would take effect it would take me shorter or longer to get indefinite leave to remain. I have been a high earner and a non earner, in graduate and non graduate jobs, received child benefit, and volunteered for many years, but always the same human being!

Even in the small barrel pound (it's now more plants around it) we have in our suburban garden, we get frogspawn and damselfly larvae.

Some of us haven't forgotten that the DfE asked schools to register children's nationalities and then that data was used by the Home Office to cross reference with parents' information for immigration enforcement. Regardless of people's views on immigration, that was a fundamental breach of trust.

Unfair funding - f40 f40 was set up more than 20 years ago by the lowest funded local authorities in England for education with the aim of campaigning for fairer funding, where all schools are given sufficient funding to ...

It's also worth noting that different local authorities get different amounts of funding per pupil.
www.f40.org.uk/campaign-act...

It is really important to understand that the asylum hotel chaos of 2022-24 is a *failed experiment in closed borders* (in contrast to the liberal visa policy)

The hotel chaos comes from passing multiple laws that all claims will be refused & to stop processing claims

bsky.app/profile/pete...

Guardian article screen shot saying 2/3 Brits wrongly think immigration is still rising

I BEG every smug commentator who praised Mahmood for doing the “tough but necessary thing” to read this.

All the disadvantages of plummeting immigration for the economy & public services, for NO POLITICAL GAIN.

Labour in DESPERATE need of a 180 change of course on immigration

YouTube video by Led By Donkeys Right to Peaceful Protest

www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCIj...

"On n'exporte pas la démocratie dans un fourgon blindé." Jacques Chirac
["You don't export democracy via armoured vehicles". Sorry, my german is too rusty for a translation into german].

"On n'exporte pas la démocratie dans un fourgon blindé." Jacques Chirac

Such pretty flowers!
One of our cacti has also flowered for the 2nd time ever and with more flowers than the first time. Not sure why, or what type it is.

Think about it!
#watchwhatyousay
#pinks

It’s #winter. The buzzing has stopped - mostly.
So what’s happened to all the #bees?
Let me explain.
Please #repost this thread.
Don’t just like/look.
It literally takes you a second. Costs you nothing.
Bees are in trouble and need you good people to help.
Thank you.
#share
#nature
#education
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Such a beautiful story of an enduring friendship. Do read.

Your party is almost daily pitching migrants against working people. It's also supporting anti trans opinions.
You are in no place to preach against division. That is one of the very reasons people are leaving your party and joining the Greens (or Reform at the other end of the spectrum).

As a migrant working in the public sector, I do not feel represented by Labour anymore.

When it's time to move on It's toxic out there

🔴I wrote about far-right attacks against refugee charities and why some are choosing to leave the sector to protect themselves. It's awful but understandable.

open.substack.com/pub/nicolake...