Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Mark English

@markemuk.bsky.social

3K followers 1.4K following 620 posts

British/European. Policy advisor to European Movement UK. 25 years an EU official and spokesperson. Up the Palace. Allez l'Union. Personal views.

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Mark English @markemuk.bsky.social · Jul 17

We at @europeanmovement.co.uk are campaigning for UK to work with our neighbours for net zero, clean growth and jobs and lower energy bills. Meanwhile, the unpatriotic gross zeros of Reform, aka Repel, have written to investors urging them not to finance clean energy and create green jobs in UK.

European Movement UK @europeanmovement.co.uk · Jul 16

Today, we launch a major new report - and a national campaign.

Read the report: www.europeanmovement.co.uk/one_earth_on...

Sign the petition: www.europeanmovement.co.uk/uk-eu-enviro...

We only have one earth. To protect and restore it, we need to be one team.

A New Agenda for UK–EU Energy, Climate, and Environment Cooperation

The Environment Partnership Report 2025 sets out how UK–EU cooperation can cut energy bills, protect health, and tackle the climate crisis.

www.europeanmovement.co.uk

2 32 58

Mark English @markemuk.bsky.social · 2h

Forêt de Soignes/Zonienwoud in autumn.....wish I could paint...#Brussels

1 2

Mark English @markemuk.bsky.social · 4h

Covid jabs are free in Belgium for everyone covered by Belgian social security and €18 for other residents/long-term visitors. I believe it is similar in France. Why is UK approaching this so differently?

2 5 19

Mark English @markemuk.bsky.social · 4h

Not sure what Nige (Dulwich College, very expensive) or Richard Tice (Uppingham, very expensive indeed) know about state schools?
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Nigel Farage accuses teachers of ‘poisoning our kids’ on race issues

Exclusive: Reform UK leader’s remarks at event for private US college criticised as ‘grossly irresponsible’ by NEU leader

www.theguardian.com

2 2 8

Reposted by Mark English

BremainInSpain @bremaininspain.com · 1d

Con man of the people - 12 Jobs Farage

Since the July 2024 election, Farage, via one job alone, earned roughly £100k more as a brand ambassador for Direct Bullion than Starmer gets as PM, yet you hear more about Starmer's £20,000 donkey field purchase

Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 1d

Twelve Jobs Nigel has earned over £1 million in additional income since the general election.

To understand the scale of it, since the July 2024 election he's earned roughly £100k more as a brand ambassador for Direct Bullion than Starmer gets as PM.

www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news...

Nigel Farage earns over £1m from 12 'second jobs' - check how much your MP earns

The Reform UK leader's most lucrative second jobs include hosting on GB News, serving as a brand ambassador for Direct Bullion and recording videos for Cameo

www.mirror.co.uk

2 21 43

Mark English @markemuk.bsky.social · 1d

Well, yes but what is the cost to the economy of unvaccinated people needing time off work which they might not have needed if vaccinated?

1 1

Mark English @markemuk.bsky.social · 1d

Man of the people, part 94....

Mark English @markemuk.bsky.social · 1d

Being good at campaigning is no guarantee of being good at governing....

1 4

Mark English @markemuk.bsky.social · 1d

Much UK politics journalism is like Italian football reporting: one win/non-crap speech and you're a saviour. One loss/non-crowd pleasing policy and you're getting sacked in the morning.

1 3 9

Mark English @markemuk.bsky.social · 2d

But it was dominated by the Tories, not an equal-ish partnership like next election might require - and it demolished the Lib Dems for a while. Partly because voters were not used to how coalitions work?

2 1

Mark English @markemuk.bsky.social · 2d

Hesektine calls for close relations with EU, backs ECHR and climate action...and says 'Trump mouthpiece' Farage must be kept out of No 10
www.europeanmovement.co.uk/tide_turning...

'The tide is turning on Europe' - Heseltine makes landmark speech

Lord Heseltine spoke to a full house at European Movement UK’s event at Conservative Party Conference in Manchester. Here is his speech in full.

www.europeanmovement.co.uk

9 15

Mark English @markemuk.bsky.social · 2d

No immigration=no NHS. Simples.

Mark English @markemuk.bsky.social · 2d

Wouldn't be great even if UK changed to PR (without a tradition of coalitions, which would take decades to build)?

1 2

Reposted by Mark English

European Movement UK @europeanmovement.co.uk · 3d

Lord Heseltine at UK and Europe: a Shared Future - reminding us that Britain’s strength lies in partnership, not isolation.

Cooperation, shared laws, and common purpose built post-war Europe. They can build our future too.

1 21 55

Reposted by Mark English

European Movement UK @europeanmovement.co.uk · 3d

At our event at Conservative conference - UK and Europe: a Shared Future, Lord Heseltine said what many now know: Brexit was a mistake. Britain’s future is with our European neighbours, not apart from them.

2 14 44

Reposted by Mark English

European Movement UK @europeanmovement.co.uk · 3d

The tide is turning. Just 13 per cent of young people think Brexit was right - and fewer than one in five under 50 agree. A clear majority of Britons now believe leaving the EU was a mistake.

Attacks on migrants will not return Tories to power, Lord Heseltine warns Badenoch

Lord Heseltine warning comes as Robert Jenrick is caught up in a racism row

www.independent.co.uk

6 43 130

Reposted by Mark English

Adam Schwarz @adamjschwarz.bsky.social · 3d

Heseltine at the Tory conf:

"Fascists of the 30s are back... Trump's language coincides with words here... The immigrant has replaced the Jew as the problem. We must make clear we will never have any part in the populist extremism of Farage... We don't need Trump's mouthpiece anywhere near No. 10.”

21 210 590

Mark English @markemuk.bsky.social · 3d

The Empress's old clothes? Where once Thatcher stood (metaphorically) tall - however much you/we hated her - now stands only fabric and air.

Mark English @markemuk.bsky.social · 3d

Dominic Grieve sets out the huge cost of leaving the ECHR - for Northern Ireland, for trade with the EU and for the UK's reputation.
www.europeanmovement.co.uk/leaving_echr...

Leaving ECHR breaches Good Friday Agreement, says Grieve

Leaving the Convention "plainly in breach of the Good Friday agreement" says former Attorney General.

www.europeanmovement.co.uk

1 30 63

Mark English @markemuk.bsky.social · 4d

Brexit tackled.....

European Movement UK @europeanmovement.co.uk · 4d

Gary Neville is right that Britain once took pride in its mix of people, united by purpose not hate, but Brexit and those who profit from division have broken that spirit, and rebuilding it must begin with decency, solidarity and the will to stand together again.

Mark English @markemuk.bsky.social · 4d

A bit odd that the same people who argue (not unreasonably, though not so simple for in-work benefits) that you should not get benefits without paying into the system...now seem to argue that - if you do not have a UK passport - you should not get benefits even if you *have* paid in for many years

1 12

Mark English @markemuk.bsky.social · 4d

Tories looking back nostalgically to the days of rule by the Union Jack Junta led by ruthless dictator General Tim Brooke Taylor

1 1 5

Reposted by Mark English

Henry Mance @henrymance.ft.com · 4d

The Tories will not return to government until they wear Union flag trousers to match the jacket. At the moment it's like they don't even love our country.

Peter Walker @peterwalker99.bsky.social · 4d

In place of a speech by Victoria Atkins, the shadow Defra secretary, she is holding a “rally for the countryside” in the main exhibition hall. Her Union Jack jacket is back from the dry cleaners again.

10 13 130

Mark English @markemuk.bsky.social · 4d

And the Germans? Dutch?

Reposted by Mark English

Nicolai von Ondarza @nvondarza.bsky.social · 4d

If politics are going crazy in several European countries one after the other, I think it is time to go past blaming the failures of individual political actors (and there are quite a few, both in the UK and France) to looking at the systemic pressures our political systems are failing to deal with.

Helene von Bismarck @helenebismarck.bsky.social · 4d

If you are overly focused on the admittedly increasingly batsh*t character of British politics, don‘t neglect the batsh*t character of French politics.

Emma Jacobs @emmavj.bsky.social · 4d

Ah, the famous French work-life balance

on.ft.com/4mTFYVb French prime minister resigns less than a month after appointment

23 100 390

Reposted by Mark English

Farrukh @implausibleblog.bsky.social · 4d

Gary Neville, "Brexit has had a devastating impact on this country"

"The messaging is getting dangerous"

"All these idiots out there spreading hate speech in any form, abuse in any form, we must stop promoting them"

"And get back to a country of love, peace and harmony"

"And become a team again"

45 490 1.7K