Nick Trench

"The price of admission is worth it alone for Turner’s extraordinary 'The Burning of the Houses of Lords and Commons'" 🎨 @NickClancarty reviews 'Turner & Constable: Rivals & Originals' | @Tate #TurnerAndConstable bit.ly/3LevqDG

Striking phrase from Oxford historian Timothy Garton-Ash on tonight’s @BBCRadio4 “Westminster Hour”: “Our continent of Europe is under attack militarily from Russia, economically from China & politically from the United States”.

If we’re told this can’t be paid for that is nonsense: we don’t have a financial transactions tax that would bring in billions, a wealth tax and income tax too could reasonably be increased. Get rid of all the middlemen and private companies in the NHS and all our public services

So Retail Economics finds the poor are getting poorer. The problem with a ‘growth’ agenda is trickle down doesn’t work: increase benefits and reduce red tape (automatically deduct rent). Cap energy costs and rent. Then food banks will disappear.

@ISM_music It was very much a collaborative effort of campaigning. Well done ISM and to all other Arts subject associations and the @ArtsMindsCmpgn too. @NSEAD1 @accessart @onedanceuk @National_Drama @NickClancarty @KeeleyMP

Umberto Eco, who owned 50,000 books, had this to say about home libraries: “It is foolish to think that you have to read all the books you buy, as it is foolish to criticize those who buy more books than they will ever be able to read. It would be like saying that you should use all the cutlery or glasses or screwdrivers or drill bits you bought before buying new ones. “There are things in life that we need to always have plenty of supplies, even if we will only use a small portion. “If, for example, we consider books as medicine, we understand that it is good to have many at home rather than a few: when you want to feel better, then you go to the ‘medicine closet’ and choose a book. Not a random one, but the right book for that moment. That’s why you should always have a nutrition choice! “Those who buy only one book, read only that one and then get rid of it. They simply apply the consumer mentality to books, that is, they consider them a consumer product, a good. Those who love books know that a book is anything but a commodity.”

So appreciative of excellent speakers at our APPG meeting this week. Responses to CAR report, AI concerns, factual, humorous, relevant. Thanks @accessart #StrangerThings5 #sallybacon @TristramShepard @NickClancarty @edharlowNEU @ArtsMindsCmpgn Thank you all. (Page from my book)

Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas and here’s hoping we’ll see a return to the EU Single Market in 2026 and restored mutual Freedom of Movement. #SaveFOM

😡 Another Brexit dividend. The World Travel & Tourism Council is moving its HQ from London to Madrid, citing Brexit barriers to talent mobility and loss of single market access. London’s loss. Europe’s gain. independent.co.uk/travel/news-an…

@MichelBarnier Now we just need to restore mutual Freedom of Movement @SaveFOM

@ISM_music @DeborahAnnetts @creatorsrights Yes, excellent. Particularly important there is at least representation of creators as there are no artists on this council which in the interests of growth more than ever emphasises the commercial end of the industry.

The CRA is delighted that @DeborahAnnetts has been appointed to the Government's vital Creative Industries Council Deborah is both Chief Executive at the ISM and Vice Chair of the CRA and she is committed to ensuring that the voice of creators is heard

Thank Brexit 👏 🚨 UK food & drink exports to the EU are down 23.4% compared with pre-Brexit 🚨 Export volumes fell from 6.7bn kg to 5.1bn kg 🚨 Exports to Germany, Poland & Belgium have collapsed by 59%, 52% and 40% This is what losing frictionless access to your biggest market looks like. grocerygazette.co.uk/2025/12/18/uk-…

From the #BritishCouncilCollection, we’re sharing Elizabeth Magill’s wintery and playful print, Skirt Tales (2006), for this week's #OnlineArtExchange theme - Christmas 🎄 ☃️ Image © The Artist. @artukdotorg

Drama is disappearing from schools, and the live arts feel it. Fewer young people can picture a stage career, and our backstage pipeline is shrinking. Protect drama and creative tech in classrooms to keep theatres working. #DramaInSchools #TheatreSkills #LiveArts #Freelancers

‘Forget ‘bridge across the Atlantic’ fantasies… we are Europeans.’ theguardian.com/commentisfree/…

I do. We do.

🚨 Britain is now a 🌟 pro-EU country 🌟 by a margin of 8 million. 🆘 Democracy means listening to the people who are alive today, not chaining policy to a vote from a decade ago. 🚨 Brexit broke Britain. Rejoining is how we fix it. huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/ex-polli…

Right across our local area, @SW_Help is delaying and cancelling more and more services. While I look forward to meeting with SWR's Managing Director to press these issues in person, I have, today, also called for a debate in Parliament to discuss SWR's poor service.

"They may still be contrary but the trademark style of the Lords of Misrule of the modern art world is starting to feel a touch nostalgic" 🖼️ @NickClancarty reviews 'Gilbert & George: 21st Century Pictures' | @haywardgallery until 11 January 2026 bit.ly/48zPtoZ