'Brexit and the UK Constitution' book is out TODAY - what 'EU referendum 10 years on' stuff isn't out today? - from @consoc.bsky.social Inc my chapter on Brexit and Immigration: beach read version - perfectly timed for the melting weather - of my earlier essay.   consoc.org.uk/publications...

Brexit and the UK Constitution - The Constitution Society

Brexit and the UK Constitution is an edited collection surveying the impact of Brexit 10 years after the UK voted to leave the European Union

consoc.org.uk

Should the UK cap international student numbers? I debate with Jamie Arrowsmith @universities-uk.bsky.social On UCL The Bridge podcast www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uuv0...

Ep. 2 The Bridge: Should the UK cap international student numbers?

YouTube video by UCL

youtube.com

The 7 inch version of my recent long player on what UK could learn from how Switzerland rebuilt public trust in its asylum system.

PoliticsHome@politicshome.bsky.social · 4mo ago

There is no magic bullet for running an asylum system, but the Swiss example demonstrates that a much better way of doing things is possible, writes the @smfthinktank.bsky.social's @jtmigratory.bsky.social

I forgot to add, the report even has a picture in it. Just the one. Aiming to depict the different perspectives from which people view the asylum system, in one simple drawing. Obviously flawed. Hopefully effective.

Jonathan Thomas@jtmigratory.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Everyone else has been obsessing about Denmark. But what lessons can the UK learn from how Switzerland reformed their asylum system? Not just from what they did, but also how they did it. My report - for @smfthinktank.bsky.social - is out today: www.smf.co.uk/wp-content/u...

Everyone else has been obsessing about Denmark. But what lessons can the UK learn from how Switzerland reformed their asylum system? Not just from what they did, but also how they did it. My report - for @smfthinktank.bsky.social - is out today: www.smf.co.uk/wp-content/u...

gracetruth.blog/2026/03/02/b...

‘Bigoted woman’ or Rochdale Pioneer: Gillian Duffy changed British politics – by Jonathan Thomas

Gillian Duffy meets Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Rochdale, 2010 election campaign Everyone loves wallowing in nostalgia. And recently I was commissioned to write the story of the last 30 years of i…

gracetruth.blog

Brexit and Immigration: the Arc of the Pendulum My report out today for @consoc.bsky.social trying to make sense of the last 25 years of the UK's immigration politics and policy. And where next? consoc.org.uk/wp-content/u...

As the Home Secretary set out changes to asylum and returns policy, SMF Senior Fellow @JTMigratory.bsky.social argued the Govt's Danish-style immigration plans must meet the high expectations they have set. Read Jonathan's full reaction👇 buff.ly/cWR54us

Excellent two minute explainer from the US President in this video interview of the benefits of attracting international students. www.foxnews.com/politics/tru...

Trump doubles down on plan for 600,000 Chinese student visas despite MAGA backlash

President Donald Trump defends his plan to offer 600,000 visas to Chinese students during Fox News interview, facing criticism from conservative circles.

foxnews.com

My published letter to The Economist in response to its recent article on asylum seeker right to work in UK. www.economist.com/letters/2025... The asylum seeker right to work 'debate' is beset with simplistic thinking on both sides. My report for @SMFthinktank : www.smf.co.uk/wp-content/u...

Should work ­restrictions on asylum-seekers in Britain be reformed? | Oct 4th 2025 Edition

Also this week, America’s relations with Israel, the US constitution, cosy crime, the Democrats

economist.com

When I wrote about the looming fight in the UK over Indefinite Leave to Remain - back in May for @smfthinktank.bsky.social - it was a niche topic. Now it dominates party conference speeches and radio phone-ins. Glad to have contributed to this v thoughtful and balanced piece.

Bloomberg Opinion@opinion.bloomberg.com · 10mo ago

UK immigration policy is dancing to a Dutch tune after a University of Amsterdam paper made the question an economic issue

My take on yet another change of Home Secretary. And in defence of the last one.

Social Market Foundation@smfthinktank.bsky.social · 11mo ago

Britain has a new Home Secretary - and Shabana Mahmood has been tasked with talking and acting tough on immigration. In his latest blog, @jtmigratory.bsky.social asks what Mahmood can do compared to her predecessor - and whether this is about real experience, or just a changing of narrative.

1/ Start of the HE academic year. 'Hello international students. Don't forget to leave' may seem a strange welcome message. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... But might international student numbers into UK remain higher than many expect? Why?

The Incredibles Nigel Farage's plan to tackle illegal immigration has the government on the ropes, how can it respond? For @smfthinktank.bsky.social www.smf.co.uk/commentary_p...

The Incredibles: Nigel Farage’s plan to tackle illegal migration has the government on the ropes, how can it respond?

Nigel Farage has outlined the details of his plan to tackle illegal immigration to the UK under a Reform government.

smf.co.uk

Level of formal education = big dividing line on many issues in Western democracies - inc immigration = graduates typically pro more open policies.  If many graduates now loading up with debt for worse outcomes than overall workforce, might the dividing line blur? kyla.substack.com/p/zero-sum-t...

Zero-sum Thinking and the Labor Market

is college worth it? and other questions about the state of things

kyla.substack.com

Today's big UK immigration news. Apparently one of the world's toughest negotiators - the EU Commission - confirms that it is going to be really tough to negotiate with. inews.co.uk/news/politic... As I said here - that's the point. www.smf.co.uk/commentary_p...

EU set to demand free NHS healthcare with under-30s travel visas

Despite a broad softer Brexit agreement, the UK still has to hammer out the details with Europe

inews.co.uk

UK Govt = addicted to keeping scary immigration stories in the news. Yesterday Serbian gang bosses Today asylum-seeking Deliveroo drivers Tomorrow? Even though doesn't improve its popularity + people would otherwise be blissfully unaware What's wrong with bliss? www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Home Office to share asylum hotel locations with Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats

The agreement is aimed at helping companies identify migrants who are working illegally in the UK.

bbc.co.uk

1/ UK Govt = keen to get credit for doing better job than previous govt on returning people not allowed to be in the UK. Understandable. But unfortunately: 1 - this only seems to make people more worried about immigration, and not more happy with the Govt. persuasionuk.org/research/ref...

Latest UK Home Office annual accounts show Immigration Skills Charge receipts unsurprisingly falling back a little after last year's record, but still = nearly £1.25 billion over the last two years. assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/687774...

1/ Big UK-France deal today on Channel crossings. 5 key takeaways. 1. Deal w/France on returns of Channel crossers has long been on this Govt’s wishlist; it sees unilateral approach = insufficient to deliver border security 2. Govt’s failure to ‘smash the gangs’ through law enforcement measures ...

conservativehome.com/2025/07/07/j...

Jonathan Thomas: Badenoch’s Lawfare Commission may yet prove a winning strategy on the ECHR | Conservative Home

Perhaps it is because politically the Conservatives now have little to lose that Badenoch can ask important questions about what the protections, impacts and trade-offs inherent in different internati...

conservativehome.com

My piece for @smfthinktank.bsky.social on the outbreak of ECHR fever across the UK political scene. And why the Conservatives - remember them? - may have a rare opportunity to make the others sweat.

Social Market Foundation@smfthinktank.bsky.social · last yr.

Thinking on the UK's membership of the ECHR seems to have reached a tipping point. Senior Fellow @jtmigratory.bsky.social explores the various positions - and questions who is best placed to take on this complex issue.🤔 Read the full blog here: buff.ly/MEXiDzG

Is the government's failure to bring back the Resident Labour Market Test actively undermining its aim to encourage more UK employers to invest in and hire domestic workers? www.smf.co.uk/commentary_p... For @smfthinktank.bsky.social

Can’t live with it, can’t live without it: the strange case of the Resident Labour Market Test

We’re now beginning to see the full consequences of the absence of the Resident Labour Market Test from the Immigration White Paper.

smf.co.uk

That 'asylum hotels' should feature at all, let alone so prominently, across the headlines written about the Spending Review, tells you something. I thought we'd have a day off immigration 'policy' in the UK media yesterday, as people focused on the Spending Review. But obv not. I never learn.

Social Market Foundation@smfthinktank.bsky.social · last yr.

@jtmigratory.bsky.social notes that the #SpendingReview's commitment to stop housing asylum seekers in hotels is ultimately hostage to fortune. Read the SMF's full response below 👇 : buff.ly/LmtHzD6

1 - As I pointed out in www.smf.co.uk/wp-content/u... - if you are in competition for international students with 3 other main countries - and you tighten your policy BUT those other 3 countries tighten their policies MORE - you may become MORE NOT LESS attractive to international students.

Thoughtful blog from @jtmigratory.bsky.social on the government's proposals on restricting migrants' right to settle/Indefinite Leave to Remain. As he says, debate on this has just begun (1/2) www.smf.co.uk/commentary_p...

The big new issue in immigration policy goes all the way to the top of government

In this blog, Senior Fellow Jonathan Thomas explains why is the government is picking a big fight over earned settlement in the Immigration White Paper - and how pro-migration proponents must understa...

smf.co.uk

This, from @jtmigratory.bsky.social is a real must-read blog on the proposed WP settlement changes. TLDR: it is all about the money, and retrospective effect is highly possible www.smf.co.uk/commentary_p...

The big new issue in immigration policy goes all the way to the top of government

In this blog, Senior Fellow Jonathan Thomas explains why is the government is picking a big fight over earned settlement in the Immigration White Paper - and how pro-migration proponents must understa...

smf.co.uk

MAC review of IT and Engineering sectors' use of immigration is out. TLDR: 'Remind us again why you asked us to look at this?' assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6836ea...

My thoughts for @smfthinktank.bsky.social on a key issue raised in recent UK Govt White paper on Immigration: - why is the Govt seeking to extend the qualifying period for permanent settlement in the UK? - why is Angela Rayner so interested? - and how to respond to this?

Social Market Foundation@smfthinktank.bsky.social · last yr.

A quiet but crucial debate on earned settlement and Indefinite Leave to Remain is moving up the government’s immigration agenda. New @jtmigratory.bsky.social blog on what’s changing and why it matters: smf.co.uk/commentary_p...

With money too tight to mention, scepticism is understandable that Immigration Skills Charge proceeds will at last now actually fund skills training. But this further detail from Govt is not unwelcome + as we have said repeatedly, the 'presentation' that this is happening is itself important.