Paul Bernal
@paulbernal.bsky.social
Professor of IT Law at UEA Law School. Geek. Privacy, Politics. Wolves. Irish and British.
I’m almost Farage’s age, and my time at secondary school may be the period I have the most accurate memories of. It’s the recent stuff I have trouble with.
November 25, 2025 at 6:06 PM
I’m almost Farage’s age, and my time at secondary school may be the period I have the most accurate memories of. It’s the recent stuff I have trouble with.
Reposted by Paul Bernal
Journalist - did you racially abuse your fellow classmates at school?
Farage - it’s almost 50 years ago so I don’t remember. But I also know that I didn’t do it. And it I did do it I didn’t mean it in a bad way. Something something banter.
Farage - it’s almost 50 years ago so I don’t remember. But I also know that I didn’t do it. And it I did do it I didn’t mean it in a bad way. Something something banter.
November 25, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Journalist - did you racially abuse your fellow classmates at school?
Farage - it’s almost 50 years ago so I don’t remember. But I also know that I didn’t do it. And it I did do it I didn’t mean it in a bad way. Something something banter.
Farage - it’s almost 50 years ago so I don’t remember. But I also know that I didn’t do it. And it I did do it I didn’t mean it in a bad way. Something something banter.
You’ve been kidnapped. The characters from the last TV show you watched are trying to rescue you. Who’s coming to save you?
Oh yes.
Oh yes.
November 25, 2025 at 6:02 PM
You’ve been kidnapped. The characters from the last TV show you watched are trying to rescue you. Who’s coming to save you?
Oh yes.
Oh yes.
Reposted by Paul Bernal
The government’s decision to halve the time limit for refugees to leave Home Office accommodation is driving people into homelessness and exploitation, according to migrant rights campaigners and homelessness charities
By me, for @theleaduk.bsky.social national.thelead.uk/p/new-asylum...
By me, for @theleaduk.bsky.social national.thelead.uk/p/new-asylum...
New asylum policies making homeless refugees “targets for the far right”
Labour’s abrupt return to the 28-day move-on period is pushing vulnerable people into rough sleeping and exposing them to fraud and abuse.
national.thelead.uk
November 25, 2025 at 1:20 PM
The government’s decision to halve the time limit for refugees to leave Home Office accommodation is driving people into homelessness and exploitation, according to migrant rights campaigners and homelessness charities
By me, for @theleaduk.bsky.social national.thelead.uk/p/new-asylum...
By me, for @theleaduk.bsky.social national.thelead.uk/p/new-asylum...
Reposted by Paul Bernal
Imagine coming up with a proposal so stupid, so unworkable, so thoughtless, that it makes Robert Jenrick look sane by comparison.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Jury trials could be scrapped except in most serious cases
Only cases of alleged murder, rape or manslaughter will be decided by a jury under new proposals to cut court backlogs.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 25, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Imagine coming up with a proposal so stupid, so unworkable, so thoughtless, that it makes Robert Jenrick look sane by comparison.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Paul Bernal
Compassionate asylum policies are not only more humane, but also more cost effective. Instead we have the government pushing some of the most draconian ant-asylum policies in years, increasing the cost of the system at the same time. As @refugeestogether.bsky.social show, there is a better approach.
Britain’s asylum system is costly, chaotic, and uncaring - but it doesn’t have to be.
It’s time for evidence-based policy - fair to refugees, good for Britain. #TogetherWithRefugees
Read the report: togetherwithrefugees.org.uk/welcoming-gr...
It’s time for evidence-based policy - fair to refugees, good for Britain. #TogetherWithRefugees
Read the report: togetherwithrefugees.org.uk/welcoming-gr...
November 25, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Compassionate asylum policies are not only more humane, but also more cost effective. Instead we have the government pushing some of the most draconian ant-asylum policies in years, increasing the cost of the system at the same time. As @refugeestogether.bsky.social show, there is a better approach.
Reposted by Paul Bernal
This is another thing I had to cut from my piece - the minimum wage is best understood as an anti-poverty measure *for single or childless couples at the start of their working lives*. But it's not a lever that helps most people struggling to make ends meet. Only cash transfers do that.
November 25, 2025 at 4:39 PM
This is another thing I had to cut from my piece - the minimum wage is best understood as an anti-poverty measure *for single or childless couples at the start of their working lives*. But it's not a lever that helps most people struggling to make ends meet. Only cash transfers do that.
Reposted by Paul Bernal
Why the two-child limit has to go, in a chart.
November 25, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Why the two-child limit has to go, in a chart.
After asking Piers Morgan about the peace plan, we’ll be asking Joey Essex for a recap of the COP30 talks.
“I don’t see a better offer” | Piers Morgan on the Trump peace plan for Ukraine-Russia
#Newsnight
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9josxHP53js
#Newsnight
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9josxHP53js
“I don’t see a better offer” | Piers Morgan on the Trump peace plan for Ukraine-Russia
YouTube video by BBC Newsnight
www.youtube.com
November 25, 2025 at 4:27 PM
After asking Piers Morgan about the peace plan, we’ll be asking Joey Essex for a recap of the COP30 talks.
Narrator: these were not negotiations
NATO Ambassador Matthew Whitaker admits "there's some truth" to the criticism that Putin hasn't made a single concession during negotiations
November 25, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Narrator: these were not negotiations
Reposted by Paul Bernal
Reposted by Paul Bernal
Don’t want to be too moralistic about this, but it is an active disgrace what people are doing to a profoundly liberational scheme that costs relatively piddling amounts on the basis of a couple of right wing shitposters misrepresenting it on Twitter.
November 25, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Don’t want to be too moralistic about this, but it is an active disgrace what people are doing to a profoundly liberational scheme that costs relatively piddling amounts on the basis of a couple of right wing shitposters misrepresenting it on Twitter.
None of these attacks on students would have happened if the idiots had decided not to include overseas students as 'immigrants' for statistical purposes. Then the numbers wouldn't have mattered for the 'net migration' figures.
They're not immigrants. They're overseas students.
They're not immigrants. They're overseas students.
November 25, 2025 at 1:45 PM
None of these attacks on students would have happened if the idiots had decided not to include overseas students as 'immigrants' for statistical purposes. Then the numbers wouldn't have mattered for the 'net migration' figures.
They're not immigrants. They're overseas students.
They're not immigrants. They're overseas students.
That's, well, quite Orwellian.
The former Conservative Levelling Up Secretary and now editor of the Spectator, Michael Gove, has been selected as a judge for the 2026 Orwell Prize awards, despite his record of dodging media scrutiny and allegations of ‘stifling’ critical journalists
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/25/m...
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/25/m...
Michael Gove Made Orwell Prize Judge Despite Record of Attacking Journalists and Dodging Scrutiny
Critics say "Orwell would have enjoyed the irony" of the former Conservative minister's appointment
bylinetimes.com
November 25, 2025 at 1:35 PM
That's, well, quite Orwellian.
I just want to make this point again: putting a tax on things like 'pre-packaged lattes' is directly a tax on young people. They're the ones buying them.
Yes, there's a health reason to do so, but that doesn't alter the fact that it's young people who will be hit by it. They're a nice, easy target.
Yes, there's a health reason to do so, but that doesn't alter the fact that it's young people who will be hit by it. They're a nice, easy target.
November 25, 2025 at 1:21 PM
I just want to make this point again: putting a tax on things like 'pre-packaged lattes' is directly a tax on young people. They're the ones buying them.
Yes, there's a health reason to do so, but that doesn't alter the fact that it's young people who will be hit by it. They're a nice, easy target.
Yes, there's a health reason to do so, but that doesn't alter the fact that it's young people who will be hit by it. They're a nice, easy target.
Reposted by Paul Bernal
So about that immigration white paper
ICE arrests, detains British woman with US husband and newborn when she shows up for her green card interview. She’s now in a detention center, separated from her 6-month-old. No criminal record. She had overstayed her visa.
www.lbc.co.uk/article/brit...
www.lbc.co.uk/article/brit...
British mum detained by ICE agents in California as six-month old baby and stunned husband watch on | LBC
Katie Paul, 33, was in the process of applying for a green card when she was ambushed by immigration agents
www.lbc.co.uk
November 25, 2025 at 12:39 PM
So about that immigration white paper
Reposted by Paul Bernal
Because people *still* don’t understand that overseas students subsidise home students. This is punishing everyone involved.
With Rachel Reeves reportedly set to apply a new tax on tuition fees paid by overseas students, most Britons support such a move at the previously mooted level of 6%
Support: 57%
Oppose: 18%
yougov.co.uk/topics/socie...
Support: 57%
Oppose: 18%
yougov.co.uk/topics/socie...
November 25, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Because people *still* don’t understand that overseas students subsidise home students. This is punishing everyone involved.
Reposted by Paul Bernal
The government's continued presence on X is fascinating, because it's a combination of 'why aren't you asking who this is for?' and 'oh god, I wish you hadn't asked who this was for!'
One of those weird situations where the first two statements have nothing to do with the third.
November 24, 2025 at 2:44 PM
The government's continued presence on X is fascinating, because it's a combination of 'why aren't you asking who this is for?' and 'oh god, I wish you hadn't asked who this was for!'
Taxing young people…
November 25, 2025 at 10:59 AM
Taxing young people…
Reposted by Paul Bernal
What it looks like in the transcript versus what I actually said.
November 25, 2025 at 10:17 AM
What it looks like in the transcript versus what I actually said.
Reposted by Paul Bernal
I share this with respect for the many excellent journalists at the BBC.
And with the hope that transparency helps strengthen, not weaken, our democratic culture. /5
And with the hope that transparency helps strengthen, not weaken, our democratic culture. /5
November 25, 2025 at 9:26 AM
I share this with respect for the many excellent journalists at the BBC.
And with the hope that transparency helps strengthen, not weaken, our democratic culture. /5
And with the hope that transparency helps strengthen, not weaken, our democratic culture. /5
Reposted by Paul Bernal
It’s especially ironic because the lecture is exactly about the ‘paralyzing cowardice’ of today’s elites.
About universities, corporations and media networks bending the knee to authoritarianism. /4
About universities, corporations and media networks bending the knee to authoritarianism. /4
November 25, 2025 at 9:26 AM
It’s especially ironic because the lecture is exactly about the ‘paralyzing cowardice’ of today’s elites.
About universities, corporations and media networks bending the knee to authoritarianism. /4
About universities, corporations and media networks bending the knee to authoritarianism. /4
Reposted by Paul Bernal
This has happened against my wishes, and I’m genuinely dismayed by it.
Not because people can’t disagree with my words, but because self-censorship driven by fear (Trump threatening to sue the BBC) should concern all of us. /3
Not because people can’t disagree with my words, but because self-censorship driven by fear (Trump threatening to sue the BBC) should concern all of us. /3
November 25, 2025 at 9:26 AM
This has happened against my wishes, and I’m genuinely dismayed by it.
Not because people can’t disagree with my words, but because self-censorship driven by fear (Trump threatening to sue the BBC) should concern all of us. /3
Not because people can’t disagree with my words, but because self-censorship driven by fear (Trump threatening to sue the BBC) should concern all of us. /3