Money to the NHS - they lied Exact same benefits - they lied No downsides - they lied No border in the Irish Sea - they lied Returns for asylum seekers - they lied Every Brexiter should be held to account for the endless lies & self harm perpetrated on this country. news.sky.com/story/leaked...

Top Tory caught admitting Brexit drawback in leaked clip

In response on Wednesday night, the Tories insisted that Chris Philp was not saying the Tories did not have a plan for how to handle asylum seekers post Brexit.

news.sky.com

We’ve bankrupted our HE sector so a youth mobility scheme is under threat. Once again we want others to pay for our disastrous financial management of the public realm. on.ft.com/4dk5akO Plans to reset UK-EU relations hit trouble over fishing rights & youth mobility

Plans to reset UK-EU relations hit trouble over fishing rights and youth mobility

Member states reject Brussels’ latest efforts to bridge gaps between the two sides

on.ft.com

🇪🇺 98.2% of businesses support accessing the European Single Market. The mandate for change is overwhelming, it's time for politicians to catch up.

98% of business want the UK to rejoin the single market 78% are pessimistic about growth 72% have been negatively impacted by Brexit 96% believe Brexit has harmed communities. Brexit has failed businesses, young people & communities. Time to rejoin. www.europeanmovement.co.uk/business-imp...

Business Impact Report

The Brexit Impact Report 2025 details the ongoing effects of Brexit on UK businesses, based on a survey of over 1,100 firms. It highlights challenges and proposes solutions for stronger UK-EU relation...

europeanmovement.co.uk

I just signed this petition calling for a better deal with the EU for British businesses who have been damaged by Brexit. Will you add your name, too? www.europeanmovement.co.uk/business-rep...

Tell the government: British businesses need a better deal with the EU

Sign our petition calling on the government to negotiate concrete improvements to our ability to trade with the EU at the critical UK-EU Summit on 19 May

europeanmovement.co.uk

I do not take a position on Brexit, says Andrew Bailey, but we need to reverse the whole thing. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Bank of England boss: UK must 'do everything' to rebuild trade with EU

Andrew Bailey says he does not take a view on Brexit, but reversing the post-Brexit hit to UK-EU trade would be

bbc.co.uk

The most constructive thing we - as a small nation - can do to offer a positive future for young ppl & help combat global insecurity is to work ever more closely with our near neighbours & close allies. Stronger together always. 🇪🇺

On Europe Day, the flag flies on the Town Hall and Oxford for Europe celebrate in the Lord Mayor's Parlour, hosted by Cllr Tiago Corais, Deputy Mayor of Oxford, a Portuguese citizen. @grassrootsforeurope.org @oxfordforeurope.bsky.social @europeanmovement.co.uk @oxfordcitycouncil.bsky.social

Starmer’s duty is to protect Britain from a US wrecking the global trading system.. but the greater, more lasting protection will come only when the free nations unite to resist a US president bent on destroying so much that we all value – & not only on trade. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

The art of dealing with Donald Trump? Don’t fight him alone | Jonathan Freedland

This week’s trade deal is a boost for Keir Starmer. But a lasting win will only come by joining forces with other nations to resist the US president’s entire destructive agenda, says Guardian columnis...

theguardian.com

Britain hasn’t agreed a trade deal with the US – it’s ended a hostage negotiation | Gaby Hinsliff

Britain hasn’t agreed a trade deal with the US – it’s ended a hostage negotiation | Gaby Hinsliff

There will be relief for UK carmakers but not much else to celebrate: Trump’s whims still hang over the UK – and the world – economy, says Guardian columnist Gaby Hinsliff

theguardian.com

With two 'deals' done on trade this week, our latest Chart of the Week looks at the value of the UK's trade with three of its partners. In terms of sheer volume, getting a third deal with the EU could make the biggest difference... Read more: buff.ly/VUT050m

Starmer can only advance the pro-European agenda so far, if he continues to do it by stealth & while keeping the anti-EU Trump equidistant. At some point, the time must come to win the argument. And that can’t happen with an argument that is never even made. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Keir Starmer can’t build a stronger European partnership by stealth. He has to declare it aloud | Rafael Behr

Britain has ‘reset’ relations with the EU, but with Farage ascendant again, our politics must be cured of the Brexit virus, says Guardian columnist Rafael Behr

theguardian.com

What a time to be alive when the British government not consenting to change its tax code to meet the demands of a foreign bully is considered a big win… Britain still just about sovereign

Michael Savage@michaelsavage.bsky.social · last yr.

No change to the Digital Services Tax = a big win for the government. Big Tech not quite all powerful. But there will beef on beef...

My take on today’s UK-US trade deal. The UK is a small weak country. It does what small weak countries do, which is to escape the bully, to pay the Dane-geld. Standing up for the multilateral rules-based trading system will have to be left for others.

Britain’s trade deal with Trump may not be good news for the world

[FREE TO READ] Starmer’s choice undermines multilateralism and poses risks to the UK

on.ft.com

If only Britain were part of some larger bloc that could negotiate on more equal terms with Trump rather than be the first to surrender to his shakedown…

Roland Smith@rolandmcs.bsky.social · last yr.

Kemi has spoken.

VE Day. An important day to remember the ECHR - whose history is born out of WW2 & whose purpose is to protect human rights from abuse by the state. www.libertyhumanrights.org.uk/issue/what-i...

What is the ECHR and why does it matter? - Liberty

libertyhumanrights.org.uk

Eighty years ago, enemies laid down their arms. Since then, we, Europeans, have built something extraordinary: a Union of peace, democracy, and solidarity. An anchor of stability. Our Union was born as a peace project, and it remains one today.

To honour VE Day, we should reflect on the ambition that came out of WW2: “to recreate the European family, or as much of it as we can, and to provide it with a structure under which it can dwell in peace, safety and freedom. We must build a kind of United States of Europe.” Churchill, 1946.

A poverty of ambition from uk govt looks set to stymie a youth mobility scheme. Fear of “freedom of movement” as well as wish for EU students to prop up our bankrupt HE sector seem to be the reasons. on.ft.com/3EXbYbf UK and EU split over youth mobility deal, negotiating document shows

UK and EU split over youth mobility deal, negotiating document shows

Two sides are far apart with only fortnight until post-Brexit ‘reset’ summit in London

on.ft.com

"We ALL treat Reform like they're a new party, they very much aren't! They are UKIP, into Brexit, into Leave, into Reform with the same leader!" @maitlis.bsky.social on the danger of treating Reform as a fresh political force.

If you read nothing else today, read this. Naomi Klein deftly summarizes the whole ballgame. www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol...

Naomi Klein: 'What They Want Is Absolutely Everything'

The ‘Shock Doctrine’ author explains the dark logic of Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s path of destruction and why billionaire oligarchs are so angry.

rollingstone.com

This really looks interesting and of particular interest to those doing business in Scotland and beyond. But really to all of us. Another top level event at #FestivalofEuropeScotland2025 #FestivalofEurope #ConnectingEuropeScotland festivalofeuropescotland.org/support/

Festival of Europe Scotland@festivalofeurope.bsky.social · last yr.

Thank you @euromovescotland.bsky.social for creating this video. A related event takes place this Sunday morning, May 11th at French Institute, Edinburgh and tickets are still available: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-future...

Many congratulations to @laylamoran.bsky.social - sending you all our best wishes. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Oxford West & Abingdon MP Layla Moran announces birth of first child

The Liberal Democrat says she will take parental leave for about five months.

bbc.co.uk

The more Labour chases Reform, the more votes it loses. In the next GE, the only way Labour achieves growth is an ambitious Brexit reset - a return to completely frictionless EU/UK trade. But for ppl to feel better off in 2029, it has to be done now. open.substack.com/pub/kellnerp...

Three reasons why Labour's pro-Brexit lobby is wrong

As the dust settles from last weel's elections, this is the first of two posts about where British politics goes from here. Next week: the Tories and Reform

open.substack.com

“The reality is that Brexit has been a disaster” says Lord Billamoria on #r4tonight. “Every business audience I ask - domestically and internationally - 99% confirm it’s a disaster.”

Albanese won by refuting the idea that progressives must compete with the populists and nationalists on their own terrain. Starmer would do well to look at Albanese’s campaign & offer a far stronger narrative on what Labour stands for. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Leftwing values will defeat the right. That's what Keir Starmer can learn from Australia | Marc Stears

Anthony Albanese’s Labor party rejected divisive far-right rhetoric and won with a message of fairness, equality and respect, says Marc Stears, the director of the UCL Policy Lab

theguardian.com

Maitlis is spot on here. Reform is not a new party. Stop treating them as such. Ukip - Leave - Brexit - Reform. The same leader. The same ideas. Call them out on the damage they’ve done - the 5% hit on the economy, the 15% slump in trade, for broken Britain. www.globalplayer.com/podcasts/epi...

The News Agents - Podcast Episode | Global Player

Tents for asylum seekers - why won't Labour rule it out?

globalplayer.com

Spot on. The govt is in thrall to the hard right narrative on Brexit betrayal. Brexit itself is a known failure so why is this persisting? I blame the BBC and our right wing media.

Best for Britain@bestforbritain.org · last yr.

Crucial point by Sophia Gaston to Commons C'tee: "The existence of a 'Brexit betrayals' narrative" has a "profoundly depressive" impact on how gov't is approaching the UK/EU relationship. And that is "problematic" because it does not even reflect public opinion, but "coerced by media opinion." ~AA