UK EPP 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 #FBPE #WeStandWithUkraine

December issue of @CounselMagazine interviewing Tim Otty KC on Ukraine/Netherlands case against Russia is powerful advocacy for European Court of Human Rights which no mainstream British political party should undermine.

Good journalism exposing a party shamelessly betraying its past. Cameron made 2009 euro-candidates sign up to quitting EPP and we all know how that went. This is gutter politics, guaranteeing the brightest and best will spurn an ever feebler parliamentary party.

Leaving #ECHR nails down coffin of @Conservatives - the dismal trajectory Cameron chose in quitting @EPPGroup bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…

Sympathies to @Nigel_Farage for having, in front of the cameras, to sit next to Kruger explaining - & possibly engaging mouth before brain? - why it’s such a risk for him to join @reformparty_uk 🤭. bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…

@donaldtusk Quite so. 0% excuse for this in a country which suffered so appallingly after the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact.

Rozpowszechnianie rosyjskiej propagandy i dezinformacji w dzisiejszej sytuacji to działanie na szkodę państwa polskiego, wymierzone wprost w bezpieczeństwo Ojczyzny i obywateli. Głupota, a tym bardziej polityczne poglądy, nie powinny być traktowane jako okoliczność łagodząca.

Happy Europe Day to one and all!

Let’s be worthy of those who sacrificed to make possible VE Day on this 80th anniversary: a Europe freer and more united than ever before in our shared history. And remember those who continued risking and giving their lives to secure VJ Day.

Il est dans les bras du Père. 21.04.2025

We mourn the passing of Pope Francis, a humble servant of God and tireless advocate for compassion, justice, and mercy. Known as the “people’s Pope,” His Holiness was a beacon of hope, and his legacy of compassion and courage will live on.

Du pape François, nous garderons l’attention aux plus vulnérables, la volonté de contempler, dans ceux que le monde trop souvent méprise, oublie ou rejette, le visage de l’absolu. Au lendemain de Pâques, il nous laisse cet acte de reconnaissance, et d’espérance. Laudato si.

Yes, congratulations to @CDU. Legacy of @David_Cameron unfortunately lingers with AfD he helped with formal alliance (including Putin).

.@MichelBarnier - a better PM than we have had in the UK for a long time and a worthy successor to the excellent best of the 5th Republic.

Absolutely correct.

Not before time! Yet another @David_Cameron error, appointing oil executive who was … Old Etonian. @PrivateEyeNews reported a considerable time ago on the scandal & Welby should have had to go well before the Coronation. bbc.co.uk/news/live/cj50…

Punditry is always a risk (though objective facts favoured Trump). The risk you should have taken would have been resisting fatal defect, objectively manifest from the outset, in Cameron’s leadership of the Conservatives. That might have taken you to statesmanship.

Kemi Badenoch: Partygate was overblown and Boris Johnson was great. We know where we stand then. thetimes.com/article/4a3986…

James Dyson blasts Rachel Reeves’s ‘spiteful’ budget: anyone who supports Brexit then offshores themselves & businesses would know about spite. thetimes.com/article/99bd54…

@edwinhayward Excellent!

In 2016, the UK voted to leave the EU. Here's a 'Sliding Doors' style look at what we could have won had the Brexit vote gone the other way. (It's also a bare bones blueprint for some of the potential benefits that could be touted by a future Rejoin movement.) Each section below covers one particular aspect of EU membership. 1. Economic Benefits: - Full, unfettered access to the largest trading bloc in the world - Significant administrative savings due to absence of customs and other documentation for EU trade - No additional VAT or duties on goods imported from or exported to the EU - Participation in EU trade agreements with over 70 non-EU countries - Frictionless borders enabling just-in-time manufacturing, crucial for automotive, aerospace and other sectors - Financial passporting for City of London firms, allowing financial services companies authorized in the UK to operate throughout the EU without needing separate authorization in each member state. - Faster delivery times across the EU - Streamlined international supply chains - Open access to the EU market for UK fish exports - Participation in the EU Single Energy Market - Simplified VAT procedures for cross-border trade - Access to EU structural and regional development funding - Participation in the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) - Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) subsidies for farmers - Easy access to a willing seasonal agricultural workforce - Simplified process for recognition of professional qualifications across the EU - Economies of scale for businesses operating across the EU - Increased attractiveness for foreign investors (the "UK as gateway to Europe" vision of Margaret Thatcher) - Protection for foods of geographical origin (e.g., Melton Mowbray pork pies) - Venture capital funding and startup loans from EU programs - Products made in the UK can be sold in over 30 countries without extra approval - Right to offer services all over the EU on the same basis as to UK clients - Support for SMEs through the Enterprise Europe Network, European SME Week, and funding through programs like the InvestEU SME window 2. Travel, and Freedom of Movement: - Freedom for UK citizens to travel, work, study and retire anywhere in the EU - Freedom for EU citizens to travel, work, study and retire in the UK - No 90-in-180 day limit on how long UK citizens can holiday in the EU - Exemption from upcoming EES and ETIAS border systems - Access to fast EU queues at EU airports and ports - EU-wide mobile phone roaming at domestic rates - Access to home content on streaming services while travelling in the EU - Driving licenses valid all over the EU - Multi-year pet passports for easy travel with pets 3. Education and Research: - Extensive scientific and academic collaboration - Participation in Horizon Europe research program - Participation in Erasmus program, offering university student exchanges, and opportunities for apprentices, teachers and youth workers. - Right to study in EU universities at the same lower home fees as locals - Mutual recognition of academic and many professional qualifications - Access to state-of-the-art EU research facilities 4. Consumer Rights and Protections: - Enhanced consumer protections, including for cross-border shopping - Strong food labelling regulations - Mandatory minimum 2-year warranty period on goods - Right to cancel and return orders within 14 days - Legally enforced 14-day cooling-off period on timeshare agreements - No surcharges on credit and debit card transactions - Protection under EU's Passenger Rights regulations for all modes of transport 5. Health and Safety: - European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for access to medically-necessary state provided healthcare during temporary stays in the EU - Quicker access to safe/new medicines - Enhanced medical research partnerships - Single system of chemical regulation (REACH) - Participation in EURATOM for vital medical isotopes - High toy safety standards - Participation in the EU Early Warning and Response System for pandemics - Coordinated approach to rare diseases - High food safety standards - Participation in the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), enhancing the UK's ability to respond to health threats 6. Workers' Rights: - Secure baseline of worker protections, including limits on working hours, guaranteed rest breaks, and a minimum of 4 weeks paid leave annually - Equal treatment across the EU: Workers from any EU country must be given the same salary conditions and rights as local staff when working in other EU countries - Protection for agency workers - Protection under the EU's Working Time Directive - Strong EU directives against workplace discrimination based on gender, race, religion, disability, age, or sexual orientation 7. Environmental Protection: - Significant environmental protections - Cleaner air backed by the EU Air Quality Directive - Cleaner beaches and stronger penalties for untreated sewage discharges - Protection of 500 bird species under EU legislation - Participation in EU environmental initiatives like the European Green Deal - Strong protection against GM food and chlorinated chicken - Access to EU environmental funding through programs such as LIFE - Participation in the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) for carbon credits 8. Citizenship and Legal Rights: - EU citizenship, with additional rights and protections - Right to vote in local and European elections when living in any EU country - Access to European Court of Justice - Enhanced human rights protection through the Charter of Fundamental Rights - Right to petition the European Parliament - Consular protection from any EU embassy in countries where the UK itself has no embassy presence - European Citizens' Initiative, allowing any citizen to directly influence EU policy by collecting sufficient signatures on matters in which the EU has competence 9. Data and Digital Rights: - Strong data protection laws (GDPR) - Right to be forgotten - Access to personal data held by companies - Participation in EU digital initiatives, such as the Digital Single Market - EU-wide protection for .eu domain names - Stronger collective stance against global tech giants - Legally enforced net neutrality 10. Cultural and Creative Industries: - EU Creative Europe funding to support British film, theatre, and music industries - Free movement for musicians, artists, and their equipment, including no need for visas or work permits - Participation in European Capital of Culture program - Participation in European Heritage Label initiative 11. Security and International Cooperation: - Support for the Good Friday Agreement and active promotion of the Irish peace process - Cooperation on security issues and access to shared crime databases - Participation in European Arrest Warrant system - Cooperation on counter-terrorism efforts - EU-wide coordination on cybersecurity threats - Collaboration on migration issues - Participation in EU's common foreign and security policy - Collaborative space exploration and participation in Galileo GPS system - Support for democracy and human rights globally - Disaster relief funding (e.g. flood relief) - Access to real-time security databases such as the Schengen Information System (SIS II) and the European Criminal Records Information System (ECRIS) 12. Political Influence: - A say in the running of the EU, including British MEPs and representation at all levels - The right to appoint British judges to the ECJ and commissioners to the European Commission - Influence on setting EU budget and priorities - More powerful presence on world stage as part of EU bloc - Stronger voice in international forums - Greater leverage in global trade negotiations - Collaboration with EU partners to hold large multinational corporations accountable for taxes - Voting power in the Council of the EU 13. Social and Community Benefits: - EU-wide social security coordination - Access to funding for community development projects - Initiatives providing support for regional and minority languages such as Welsh - Support for social inclusion and equality initiatives - Access to EU funding for disadvantaged areas 14. Future Potential and Shared Innovation: - Collaborative research and development in cutting-edge fields like renewable energy, artificial intelligence, and biotechnology. - United approach to global challenges such as climate change, migration, and health crises. - Influence in shaping global standards for data protection, consumer rights, and environmental regulations. - Joint investment in strategic technologies, including semiconductors and quantum computing. - Coordinated efforts in space exploration and satellite technology. - Shared initiatives for digital transformation and the growth of the digital economy. - Collective development of sustainable and smart cities.

Hardly top priority: most at Westminster will still be unelected and those elected are put in by a discredited voting system. Whitehall still over-centralises the UK and there’s no sign of Johnson’s massive transfer of power from legislature to executive being reversed.

Multiple choice: crocodile tears, stirring with wooden spoon or simply lack of foresight? But, yes, remarkable lacunae from prosecuting barrister.