Christ knows my feelings for the country of my birth have taken a knock in recent years but working as I do surrounded by non-anglophones from all over the world I am constantly reminded that people *want* to study there and learn *our* English. Such a competitive advantage, deliberately binned.

The idea that I would ever work with Tories is absurd. If you don't believe me just ask Lee Anderson, Nadine Dorries, Danny Kruger, Andrea Jenkyns, Jonathan Gullis, Sarah Pochin, Jake Berry, Marco Longhi, Peter Bone...

Ah, memories of this day in 1990. I watched the Channel Tunnel breakthrough in the TV lounge of my university accommodation in Edinburgh. Little did I know then how big a part the tunnel would play in my life.

This post written and sent from e* 9167. We've just entered the tunnel in Calais.

Prime Minister condemns 'Brexit template' as 'utterly reckless' during Lady Mayor's speech In a speech at the Lady Mayor's Banquet in the City of London, Sir Keir Starmer said the way the UK's departure from the EU had been "sold and delivered" was "simply wrong".

If it was "utterly reckless", then what of Labour's plans to "make Brexit work"?
news.sky.com/video/prime-...

Opinion poll be turned into life changing policy. Amazing how the political establishment pretty much ignores the needs/desires of the public eg Iraq war but in this one issue with the tiniest slither of a mandate they went full on. Despicable failure of democracy rather than the opposite

It’s a reaction to the idiocy of the referendum when people’s rights and way of life were radically changed by a tiny majority made up of mostly people for whom it probably didn’t make much of a difference either way. Everything afterwards has been a reaction to the stupidity of allowing a glorified

Nothing will change in the UK until the press is dealt with
Nothing will change in the UK until the press is dealt with
Nothing will change in the UK until the press is dealt with
Nothing will change in the UK until the press is dealt with
Nothing will change in the UK until the press is dealt with

👏🏽"We must all now confront the reality that the Brexit deal significantly hurt our economy. We have to keep reducing frictions. We have to keep moving towards a closer relationship with the EU. And we have to be grown up about it. To accept that it will require trade-offs."👏🏽

Music to my ears. ~AA

Everything Brussels really thinks about the UK Mostly, the Brussels bubble does not consider the UK too much. That rather amorphous group of those working in and around the institutions whether for government or other organisations, that…

encompass-europe.com/comment/ever...

"Not much radical change is expected in UK relations for the foreseeable future".
@davidheniguk.bsky.social
@bremaininspain.com

Scottish affordable home assembled in just one week Press release: Despite snow, frost and rain, this pioneering two-bed prototype home in Inverness was rapidly assembled in just one week

Press release: Despite snow, frost and rain, this pioneering two-bed prototype home in Inverness was rapidly assembled in just one week | Bylines Scotland

Russian influence petition surges past 100,000 signatures A petition demanding a full inquiry into Russian influence in UK politics has passed 100,000 signatures

“A petition demanding a full inquiry into Russian influence in UK politics has surged past 100,000 signatures after being shared at remarkable speed across social media.”

Unfortunately the “remain” campaign (if you can call it that) did little to refute the obviously false claims

The response to the £350 million bollox was to say ‘actually it’s only £270 million a week’ rather than to demonstrate the actual overall massive economic benefits of membership

Perfect Tom Stoppard story from DTel obituary:

His response to a letter from Harold Pinter canvassing support for a proposal to have the Comedy Theatre in London rechristened the Pinter Theatre, “Have you thought, instead, of changing your name to Harold Comedy?”

Floréal garden city in Brussels looking very neat. 1920s.

Looking north: The "country" end of platforms 5/6 at St Pancras this afternoon. On platform 6, the 15:04 to Rotterdam is being loaded. It's not going to Amsterdam due to engineering works in the Netherlands today.
#TrainLife

The UK was indeed crap at negotiating but with their redlines it didn’t make much of a difference.

The EU was always going to get by far the best deal. Pooled sovereignty in action.

Well, it’s just the reality, not a post-truth.

In a hostile world, our ever closer union is the only way.

You don't understand how the EU works, do you?

It partially explains the stupid mistake the UK made in 2016.

The view from place Dailly in 1819 and....

Empty check-in area at London St Pancras

The last train has left for the mainland.

#blackandwhite

Watching videos of Thatcher being interviewed I always find astonishing how high-brow her arguments are. Even Reagan could write an excellent speech and he was mocked for being a fool. And that's before we get to Jenkins, Wilson, etc.

Putin’s poodle

Nigel Farage Broke Britain.

I am really in awe of Chris Gray. I've read his Brexit blogs almost since they began, and it is deeply impressive how well-informed they are, and how perceptive his analysis is. His work will be an indispensable resource for future historians trying to work out what on earth happened with Brexit.

If Rachel Reeves gets challenged about this bullseye on Farage being a Russian asset, she should simply reply that it was not meant in a hurtful way.

ANDREW NEIL: This watershed moment will consign us to a Lost Decade In the end it was the old-fashioned Labour tax-and-spend Budget. But it was even worse marked a new era for Britain in which taxes and public spending remain permanently elevated.

mol.im/a/15329845 - I have news for Andrew Neil: the lost decade is called Brexit and is already behind us. What we need from this government is to start reversing Brexit, quickly. Reeves has chosen to increase taxes and lowering growth, instead of tackling Brexit. The lack of vision is astounding

Witkoff is not buying the Russian narrative. He is selling it.

But that’s the thing, I’m not sure there are. Yes, bits and pieces can be done. But the big picture revolves around reestablishing ties with the EU. Now that I’m living back in the EU, you can visibly see damage done. Shops that would have previously stocked British goods simply don’t any more.

@meemalee.bsky.social

Having spent the last few days back in Ukraine — reminded how this amazing resilient culture just grows stronger with every atrocity committed against it—it’s so obvious JD Vance’s peace plan ventures are all about saving Putin’s face