Mark English
@markemuk.bsky.social
British/European. Policy advisor to European Movement UK. 25 years an EU official and spokesperson. Up the Palace. Allez l'Union.
Personal views.
Personal views.
Pinned
To so many of us, Europe is more than a place, it’s a part of who we are. Hear what the public had to say when we went out and asked them what Europe means to them.
❤️Belonging
🚆Freedom of movement
🌞Sunshine
.....and 🏙️excellent city design !
Just some of the many reasons Brits love Europe and want to feel fully part of it again. www.europeanmovement.co.uk/membership
🚆Freedom of movement
🌞Sunshine
.....and 🏙️excellent city design !
Just some of the many reasons Brits love Europe and want to feel fully part of it again. www.europeanmovement.co.uk/membership
Reposted by Mark English
If we want future budgets to put money in people's pockets, not take it out, we need to start working our way back to the EU.
November 26, 2025 at 9:00 AM
If we want future budgets to put money in people's pockets, not take it out, we need to start working our way back to the EU.
If we want future budgets to put money in people's pockets, not take it out, we need to start working our way back to the EU.
November 26, 2025 at 9:00 AM
If we want future budgets to put money in people's pockets, not take it out, we need to start working our way back to the EU.
Reposted by Mark English
If you have a trusted public service broadcaster, as in Britain, Canada or Scandinavia, “you should hang on to it for dear life, further ringfence its editorial independence, double its budget and increase its presence on social media.” By @fromtga.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
My guide to populist-proofing your democracy – before it’s too late | Timothy Garton Ash
From public service broadcasting to an independent judiciary, these are the things that we must fight to keep, says Guardian columnist Timothy Garton Ash
www.theguardian.com
November 25, 2025 at 3:55 PM
If you have a trusted public service broadcaster, as in Britain, Canada or Scandinavia, “you should hang on to it for dear life, further ringfence its editorial independence, double its budget and increase its presence on social media.” By @fromtga.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
I am prepared to accept Farage did not know what Nathan Gill was up to and was appalled when he found out. But Starmer, Davey, Badenoch would face calls for resignation if a close associate was convicted of spying for Russia. Reform wants to be the government, so should be judged by same standards.
November 21, 2025 at 2:48 PM
I am prepared to accept Farage did not know what Nathan Gill was up to and was appalled when he found out. But Starmer, Davey, Badenoch would face calls for resignation if a close associate was convicted of spying for Russia. Reform wants to be the government, so should be judged by same standards.
There's global competition for highly skilled workers, notably in healthcare, high tech and engineering/construction, as well as for less skilled people in some sectors. Countries who make it hard for them to come will lose out. And will lose people they have, if stigmatising immigrants turns toxic.
November 21, 2025 at 2:41 PM
There's global competition for highly skilled workers, notably in healthcare, high tech and engineering/construction, as well as for less skilled people in some sectors. Countries who make it hard for them to come will lose out. And will lose people they have, if stigmatising immigrants turns toxic.
Some of the saloon bar scientists in UK claiming Covid lock downs were unnecessary would be dead or would have lost loved ones if the Covid lock downs had not happened.
November 21, 2025 at 10:14 AM
Some of the saloon bar scientists in UK claiming Covid lock downs were unnecessary would be dead or would have lost loved ones if the Covid lock downs had not happened.
Johnson was a dreadful Prime Minister and is a dreadful man. Farage is much, much, worse than that.
November 20, 2025 at 11:03 PM
Johnson was a dreadful Prime Minister and is a dreadful man. Farage is much, much, worse than that.
Tempted to say we need an inquiry into the equally 'chaotic and toxic' way Johnson handled Brexit.
But actually, we don't: everyone knows already it was a disaster.
What would be useful is a forward looking inquiry into the options we now have to get out of the mess Johnson + Farage left us in.
But actually, we don't: everyone knows already it was a disaster.
What would be useful is a forward looking inquiry into the options we now have to get out of the mess Johnson + Farage left us in.
BREAKING: The UK’s response to Covid was “too little, too late”, a damning official report on the handling of the pandemic has concluded, saying the introduction of a lockdown even a week earlier than happened could have saved more than 20,000 lives.
November 20, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Tempted to say we need an inquiry into the equally 'chaotic and toxic' way Johnson handled Brexit.
But actually, we don't: everyone knows already it was a disaster.
What would be useful is a forward looking inquiry into the options we now have to get out of the mess Johnson + Farage left us in.
But actually, we don't: everyone knows already it was a disaster.
What would be useful is a forward looking inquiry into the options we now have to get out of the mess Johnson + Farage left us in.
Reposted by Mark English
"Compared with other European countries, the UK received the fifth largest number of asylum seekers in the year ending March 2025, and the seventeenth largest intake when measured per head of population" - Home Office data
www.gov.uk/government/s...
www.gov.uk/government/s...
November 17, 2025 at 4:10 PM
"Compared with other European countries, the UK received the fifth largest number of asylum seekers in the year ending March 2025, and the seventeenth largest intake when measured per head of population" - Home Office data
www.gov.uk/government/s...
www.gov.uk/government/s...
Reposted by Mark English
The UK has fallen behind the EU on climate policies, but cooperating with the EU could achieve cheaper bills, healthier communities, and a thriving natural world. As COP30 comes to a close tomorrow, we’re calling on the Government to team up with the EU to save our planet @carolinelucas.bsky.social
November 20, 2025 at 10:05 AM
The UK has fallen behind the EU on climate policies, but cooperating with the EU could achieve cheaper bills, healthier communities, and a thriving natural world. As COP30 comes to a close tomorrow, we’re calling on the Government to team up with the EU to save our planet @carolinelucas.bsky.social
Doesn't offering life-changing (in their countries of origin) sums to migrants to return - being mooted by the Home Secretary - add to incentives to come in first place that she wants to reduce by making it impossible for succesful asylum seekers to build stable lives? Cruelty but not consistency?
November 20, 2025 at 8:35 AM
Doesn't offering life-changing (in their countries of origin) sums to migrants to return - being mooted by the Home Secretary - add to incentives to come in first place that she wants to reduce by making it impossible for succesful asylum seekers to build stable lives? Cruelty but not consistency?
Reposted by Mark English
The UK isn’t a “soft touch” on asylum.
UK asylum seeker benefits are similar to European neighbours
No right to work before 12 months (it’s 6 months in France, Spain, Belgium, Netherlands)
UK settlement after 5 years (it’s 3 or 4 in Germany)
Let’s cut out the alarmist rhetoric.
UK asylum seeker benefits are similar to European neighbours
No right to work before 12 months (it’s 6 months in France, Spain, Belgium, Netherlands)
UK settlement after 5 years (it’s 3 or 4 in Germany)
Let’s cut out the alarmist rhetoric.
November 19, 2025 at 11:52 AM
The UK isn’t a “soft touch” on asylum.
UK asylum seeker benefits are similar to European neighbours
No right to work before 12 months (it’s 6 months in France, Spain, Belgium, Netherlands)
UK settlement after 5 years (it’s 3 or 4 in Germany)
Let’s cut out the alarmist rhetoric.
UK asylum seeker benefits are similar to European neighbours
No right to work before 12 months (it’s 6 months in France, Spain, Belgium, Netherlands)
UK settlement after 5 years (it’s 3 or 4 in Germany)
Let’s cut out the alarmist rhetoric.
Grossly dishonest to pretend UK is under more pressure than EU countries from asylum claims. 'UK was below average among EU countries for asylum applications per head of population, ranking 14th among EU 27 countries plus UK on this measure'
researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN...
researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN...
researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk
November 17, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Grossly dishonest to pretend UK is under more pressure than EU countries from asylum claims. 'UK was below average among EU countries for asylum applications per head of population, ranking 14th among EU 27 countries plus UK on this measure'
researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN...
researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN...
Interesting EU-Australia declaration on critical raw materials.There is also a UK-Australia statement on this..but EU is a much bigger market. I wrote here about how post-Brexit UK risks coming up short against bigger economies in the race for resources.
www.europeanmovement.co.uk/race_for_rar...
www.europeanmovement.co.uk/race_for_rar...
November 17, 2025 at 4:44 PM
Interesting EU-Australia declaration on critical raw materials.There is also a UK-Australia statement on this..but EU is a much bigger market. I wrote here about how post-Brexit UK risks coming up short against bigger economies in the race for resources.
www.europeanmovement.co.uk/race_for_rar...
www.europeanmovement.co.uk/race_for_rar...
Reposted by Mark English
The Home Secretary says "we have become the destination of choice in Europe, clearly visible to every people smuggler and would-be illegal migrant across the world"
That is a factually untrue claim: the Home Office shows that the UK is fifth, getting 1/10 claims, while Germany gets 1/5 claims
That is a factually untrue claim: the Home Office shows that the UK is fifth, getting 1/10 claims, while Germany gets 1/5 claims
November 17, 2025 at 3:51 PM
The Home Secretary says "we have become the destination of choice in Europe, clearly visible to every people smuggler and would-be illegal migrant across the world"
That is a factually untrue claim: the Home Office shows that the UK is fifth, getting 1/10 claims, while Germany gets 1/5 claims
That is a factually untrue claim: the Home Office shows that the UK is fifth, getting 1/10 claims, while Germany gets 1/5 claims
Grossly dishonest to pretend UK is under more pressure than EU from asylum claims. 'UK was below average among EU countries for asylum
applications per head of population, ranking 14th among EU27 countries
plus UK on this measure'
researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN...
applications per head of population, ranking 14th among EU27 countries
plus UK on this measure'
researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN...
researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk
November 15, 2025 at 11:25 PM
Grossly dishonest to pretend UK is under more pressure than EU from asylum claims. 'UK was below average among EU countries for asylum
applications per head of population, ranking 14th among EU27 countries
plus UK on this measure'
researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN...
applications per head of population, ranking 14th among EU27 countries
plus UK on this measure'
researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN...
The Sun and the Daily Mail criticising BBC editorial standards is a bit like a repeat offender armed robber criticising the morality of a parking offender.
November 15, 2025 at 11:16 PM
The Sun and the Daily Mail criticising BBC editorial standards is a bit like a repeat offender armed robber criticising the morality of a parking offender.
Who murdered British science? Farage and Johnson, in the laboratory with the toxic test tube marked Brexit. www.science.org/content/arti...
U.K. science sector is ‘bleeding to death,’ lawmakers say in report
House of Lords committee urges government to stem exodus of science and technology companies
www.science.org
November 15, 2025 at 1:09 PM
Who murdered British science? Farage and Johnson, in the laboratory with the toxic test tube marked Brexit. www.science.org/content/arti...
Tooting Popular Front? Very bad people, very bad....
November 14, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Tooting Popular Front? Very bad people, very bad....
Reposted by Mark English
“Isolated from the rest of Europe, the UK risks fighting a losing battle for critical resources – human and technical as well as mineral - with the EU and other global behemoths all lined up against us.”
Read more here ⬇️
www.europeanmovement.co.uk/race_for_rar...
Read more here ⬇️
www.europeanmovement.co.uk/race_for_rar...
To win the race for rare earths, the UK needs to be in Europe’s team
To make smartphones, electric cars, military hardware and much else, you need minerals known as ‘rare earths’. You need to mine them, refine them and put them into the components that many modern...
www.europeanmovement.co.uk
November 14, 2025 at 1:20 PM
“Isolated from the rest of Europe, the UK risks fighting a losing battle for critical resources – human and technical as well as mineral - with the EU and other global behemoths all lined up against us.”
Read more here ⬇️
www.europeanmovement.co.uk/race_for_rar...
Read more here ⬇️
www.europeanmovement.co.uk/race_for_rar...
Reposted by Mark English
Due to an admin error, we have lost our @oxfordforeurope.bsky.social account. (As you can see that account hasn’t posted for a while). So - after many attempts with the Bluesky team to regain the account - this is the new account.
If you see this, please could you repost and follow back? 🙏
If you see this, please could you repost and follow back? 🙏
November 10, 2025 at 7:09 AM
Due to an admin error, we have lost our @oxfordforeurope.bsky.social account. (As you can see that account hasn’t posted for a while). So - after many attempts with the Bluesky team to regain the account - this is the new account.
If you see this, please could you repost and follow back? 🙏
If you see this, please could you repost and follow back? 🙏
Tell you what, Nige, why don't you boycott the BBC? And give us all a rest....
November 11, 2025 at 10:37 PM
Tell you what, Nige, why don't you boycott the BBC? And give us all a rest....
Wouldn't it be brilliant if people on right or left who disagree with BBC editorial decisions stopped screaming and pointed out calmly why? And if BBC responded calmly, by making changes or explaining why it won't? Then BBC might remain a huge asset to UK, rather than a focal point for hysteria.
November 10, 2025 at 10:15 AM
Wouldn't it be brilliant if people on right or left who disagree with BBC editorial decisions stopped screaming and pointed out calmly why? And if BBC responded calmly, by making changes or explaining why it won't? Then BBC might remain a huge asset to UK, rather than a focal point for hysteria.
No-one wants to pay more tax unless they see it going to good public services. But UK public services cannot achieve high satisfaction levels unless taxes go up first - and improvement takes time. How can this vicious circle be broken?
November 10, 2025 at 10:04 AM
No-one wants to pay more tax unless they see it going to good public services. But UK public services cannot achieve high satisfaction levels unless taxes go up first - and improvement takes time. How can this vicious circle be broken?
I am guessing from the tone of almost tremulous self-restraint #BBCR4Today that everyone on the programme - whatever their own political opinions - is absolutely furious.
November 10, 2025 at 8:34 AM
I am guessing from the tone of almost tremulous self-restraint #BBCR4Today that everyone on the programme - whatever their own political opinions - is absolutely furious.