Simon Cox
@simonfrcox.bsky.social
migration & equality, law & politics | lawyer | cis | he/him | @DoughtyStImm.bsky.social | trustee Right To Remain | ex-OSF | my views obvs, not doughty st | large photo Paul Trevor, 1978, Brick Lane
Pinned
Mahmoud has listened to same clique of senior Home Office officials who have advised for 30+ years that loud announcements of punitive policies will deter refugees from coming to UK to seek asylum.
Labour did this extensively last time. It didn’t work.
A history thread. +
Labour did this extensively last time. It didn’t work.
A history thread. +
Reposted by Simon Cox
“Often entire sections of networks or company internal networks are running slower than they would if all devices were up to the newer standards”
Boo fucking hoo.
Boo fucking hoo.
www.cnbc.com/2025/11/23/h... "please, buy new phone. the economy is dying" is an incredible gaslight
Americans are holding onto devices longer than ever and it's costing economy
Americans are holding onto devices longer than ever before, and while it may be consumer smart, it comes at a cost to work productivity and the U.S. economy.
www.cnbc.com
November 25, 2025 at 8:19 AM
“Often entire sections of networks or company internal networks are running slower than they would if all devices were up to the newer standards”
Boo fucking hoo.
Boo fucking hoo.
Reposted by Simon Cox
UK now at the point where the former Chair of the Racial Equalities Commission is calling for campaigns of terror against people of colour on the streets of the UK
Trevor Philips in the Times, calling for a Trump/Miller-style of random deportations based on skin colour.
archive.ph/RlXPj
archive.ph/RlXPj
November 24, 2025 at 11:05 PM
UK now at the point where the former Chair of the Racial Equalities Commission is calling for campaigns of terror against people of colour on the streets of the UK
Reposted by Simon Cox
The great thing about this is the fearless interviewer. Imagine if all journalists were fearless seekers of truth instead of folding in the face of Farage's prickly blustering.
“I would never ever do it in a hurtful or insulting way”
Nigel Farage responds to allegations of racist behaviour from when he was a teenager at school
@itvnewspolitics.bsky.social
Nigel Farage responds to allegations of racist behaviour from when he was a teenager at school
@itvnewspolitics.bsky.social
November 25, 2025 at 6:14 AM
The great thing about this is the fearless interviewer. Imagine if all journalists were fearless seekers of truth instead of folding in the face of Farage's prickly blustering.
Reposted by Simon Cox
This idea that you can get by in the world with an app or by expecting everyone else to speak English - it's just daft.
But it's so ingrained in British policy and politics.
But it's so ingrained in British policy and politics.
Opinion: “More than ever before, we need British diplomats, spies and soldiers to speak the language of our adversaries. We need universities like Nottingham to be pumping out Russian and Mandarin graduates each year, to work across Whitehall.”
🖊️ Ian Proud
https://ow.ly/N6yw50XwM3X
🖊️ Ian Proud
https://ow.ly/N6yw50XwM3X
November 25, 2025 at 8:21 AM
This idea that you can get by in the world with an app or by expecting everyone else to speak English - it's just daft.
But it's so ingrained in British policy and politics.
But it's so ingrained in British policy and politics.
Reposted by Simon Cox
The BBC makes itself *extremely* hard to love with this stuff. I’ve worked in more than one small newsroom that’s discovered to its immense frustration that the country’s biggest news org has stolen its work with no credit whatsoever.
I guess it’s a compliment that the top story on BBC London’s TV/online output today is a direct lift of a month-old London Centric story? But once again the BBC is consistently the worst news outlet for actually remembering to credit others.
November 25, 2025 at 8:20 AM
The BBC makes itself *extremely* hard to love with this stuff. I’ve worked in more than one small newsroom that’s discovered to its immense frustration that the country’s biggest news org has stolen its work with no credit whatsoever.
Reposted by Simon Cox
"My beloved working class" - i.e. the one that exists in his head, but in real life has always rejected this particularly ugly strain of 'you don't deserve commercial television, nice holidays or little luxuries' whenever Labour have taken it to the public.
November 24, 2025 at 11:44 PM
"My beloved working class" - i.e. the one that exists in his head, but in real life has always rejected this particularly ugly strain of 'you don't deserve commercial television, nice holidays or little luxuries' whenever Labour have taken it to the public.
Reposted by Simon Cox
Happy St Katherine's Day to all scholars, librarians, and Katherines. May you win an argument against an annoying man today, in the true spirit of Katherine herself.
November 25, 2025 at 7:08 AM
Happy St Katherine's Day to all scholars, librarians, and Katherines. May you win an argument against an annoying man today, in the true spirit of Katherine herself.
Reposted by Simon Cox
I’d be more convinced that this was actually true had fossil fuel giants not spent the last decade since the Paris Agreement and 2 years since COP28 aggressively building out production infrastructure that will see a glut of oil and gas for at least 15 years more
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
‘Fossil fuel giants finally in the crosshairs’: Cop30 avoids total failure with last-ditch deal
It took some oblique wording, but Saudi Arabia made a last-minute decision to sign deal that marks departure for Cop
www.theguardian.com
November 25, 2025 at 8:22 AM
I’d be more convinced that this was actually true had fossil fuel giants not spent the last decade since the Paris Agreement and 2 years since COP28 aggressively building out production infrastructure that will see a glut of oil and gas for at least 15 years more
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
we can hope open.spotify.com/track/2XIr0K...
The Harder They Come
open.spotify.com
November 25, 2025 at 8:22 AM
we can hope open.spotify.com/track/2XIr0K...
Home Office spent £400,000 for boy band to sing “anti-radicalisation” song www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/uk-news...
Home Office 'paid boyband to sing anti-radicalisation songs in Muslim areas'
Boyband Mr Meanor travelled across parts of the country as part of school visits
www.birminghammail.co.uk
November 24, 2025 at 12:24 AM
Home Office spent £400,000 for boy band to sing “anti-radicalisation” song www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/uk-news...
Unsurprising Labour Govt has gone down rabbit hole of talking as if asylum-seeking can be ended.
They listen to immigration officials, in a fantasy island isolated even from other civil servants.
When Diane Abbott was Shadow Home Sec, she made no attempt to create an alternative policy. But…
They listen to immigration officials, in a fantasy island isolated even from other civil servants.
When Diane Abbott was Shadow Home Sec, she made no attempt to create an alternative policy. But…
November 17, 2025 at 11:03 AM
Unsurprising Labour Govt has gone down rabbit hole of talking as if asylum-seeking can be ended.
They listen to immigration officials, in a fantasy island isolated even from other civil servants.
When Diane Abbott was Shadow Home Sec, she made no attempt to create an alternative policy. But…
They listen to immigration officials, in a fantasy island isolated even from other civil servants.
When Diane Abbott was Shadow Home Sec, she made no attempt to create an alternative policy. But…
Mahmoud has listened to same clique of senior Home Office officials who have advised for 30+ years that loud announcements of punitive policies will deter refugees from coming to UK to seek asylum.
Labour did this extensively last time. It didn’t work.
A history thread. +
Labour did this extensively last time. It didn’t work.
A history thread. +
November 17, 2025 at 10:50 AM
Mahmoud has listened to same clique of senior Home Office officials who have advised for 30+ years that loud announcements of punitive policies will deter refugees from coming to UK to seek asylum.
Labour did this extensively last time. It didn’t work.
A history thread. +
Labour did this extensively last time. It didn’t work.
A history thread. +
Reposted by Simon Cox
"Vote for us or the far right will get in. Also, we find the far right inspirational"
🤡🤡
🤡🤡
Somebody is briefing the Times that the Home Secretary finds inspiration in Kristi Noem's leading the Trump mass deportation effort - which has gone much too far for Americans
What a kamikaze piece of political madness that is on the eve of their asylum package
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
What a kamikaze piece of political madness that is on the eve of their asylum package
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
Shabana Mahmood threatens Trump-style visa ban on three countries
Angola, Namibia and the Democratic Republic of Congo will face Trump-style sanctions if they do not start taking back more illegal migrants and criminals
www.thetimes.com
November 16, 2025 at 10:50 PM
"Vote for us or the far right will get in. Also, we find the far right inspirational"
🤡🤡
🤡🤡
Reposted by Simon Cox
This is every bit as good as people are saying. One of the most sensible pieces of analysis and linked policy proposals that I’ve read in a very long time. Two comments. Bus franchising requires ongoing revenue support if the aim is to provide a cheap and comprehensive network.
New essay out today by me and @acjsissons.bsky.social - ‘Getting Britain out of the hole: a plan for the economy’. You can read the whole thing here getting-out-of-the-hole.uk
A chart mega-thread follows 🧵
A chart mega-thread follows 🧵
Getting Britain out of the hole
A plan for the UK economy
getting-out-of-the-hole.uk
November 17, 2025 at 9:39 AM
This is every bit as good as people are saying. One of the most sensible pieces of analysis and linked policy proposals that I’ve read in a very long time. Two comments. Bus franchising requires ongoing revenue support if the aim is to provide a cheap and comprehensive network.
Reposted by Simon Cox
The AI bubble may be about to bust.
Peter Thiel has sold all of his Nvidia stock.
We all need to say this very clearly:
NO BAILOUTS FOR THEFT-TECH!
Expropriate their asses instead.
They stole from all of us and fully plan to burn the planet.
They owe us - not the other way around. 1/3
Peter Thiel has sold all of his Nvidia stock.
We all need to say this very clearly:
NO BAILOUTS FOR THEFT-TECH!
Expropriate their asses instead.
They stole from all of us and fully plan to burn the planet.
They owe us - not the other way around. 1/3
November 17, 2025 at 6:37 AM
The AI bubble may be about to bust.
Peter Thiel has sold all of his Nvidia stock.
We all need to say this very clearly:
NO BAILOUTS FOR THEFT-TECH!
Expropriate their asses instead.
They stole from all of us and fully plan to burn the planet.
They owe us - not the other way around. 1/3
Peter Thiel has sold all of his Nvidia stock.
We all need to say this very clearly:
NO BAILOUTS FOR THEFT-TECH!
Expropriate their asses instead.
They stole from all of us and fully plan to burn the planet.
They owe us - not the other way around. 1/3
Reposted by Simon Cox
That David Frost, Nick Timothy and others attached essentially zero importance to the Dublin third country removal system -- the result of over 30 years of UK diplomacy -- at the time of Brexit is fascinating. People with very limited understanding but infinite self-belief.
It’s kind of the wrong question. Ultimately it’s about what you can do with the refugee. Without the agreement of a 3rd country you can’t remove the refugee there. They can either be removed to own country or be allowed to stay here. So it’s about what will happen to them if removed to own country.
November 17, 2025 at 9:39 AM
That David Frost, Nick Timothy and others attached essentially zero importance to the Dublin third country removal system -- the result of over 30 years of UK diplomacy -- at the time of Brexit is fascinating. People with very limited understanding but infinite self-belief.
Reposted by Simon Cox
This hits hard. My grandmother had jewellery sewn into the lining of her coat when the family arrived in the UK on a small boat in 1940.
November 17, 2025 at 9:41 AM
This hits hard. My grandmother had jewellery sewn into the lining of her coat when the family arrived in the UK on a small boat in 1940.
Reposted by Simon Cox
Part of the problem here is they keep hiring comms people from newspapers who know how to pitch stuff to their former colleagues - but these tricks don't work anymore.
This does seem to be a relevant question. Reading the Sun and Guardina pieces side by side it is hard to believe they are describing the same policy. That kind of spin might have worked in 1990s but in a social media ecosystem where anger goes viral is is likely to generate own goals
And once again, I ask whether Ministers and No10 realise that the readership of one paper can in fact read the contents of another.
November 17, 2025 at 8:58 AM
Part of the problem here is they keep hiring comms people from newspapers who know how to pitch stuff to their former colleagues - but these tricks don't work anymore.
Reposted by Simon Cox
This is also a point of widespread confusion, as Jonathan suggests. If the ECHR disappeared tomorrow, it would not change the fundamentals of who is allowed to stay in the UK as a refugee. bsky.app/profile/jonk...
Is Article 8 even that relevant in many refugee cases?
UK government to shake up human rights laws in asylum overhaul on.ft.com/3WZAePy
November 17, 2025 at 9:42 AM
This is also a point of widespread confusion, as Jonathan suggests. If the ECHR disappeared tomorrow, it would not change the fundamentals of who is allowed to stay in the UK as a refugee. bsky.app/profile/jonk...
Reposted by Simon Cox
Pretty confused discussion of asylum reform on the Today programme. The number of foreign national offenders able to resist deportation using the ECHR is basically irrelevant to policy on refugees. #r4today
November 17, 2025 at 8:34 AM
Pretty confused discussion of asylum reform on the Today programme. The number of foreign national offenders able to resist deportation using the ECHR is basically irrelevant to policy on refugees. #r4today
Reposted by Simon Cox
The comments here that are questioning the history curriculum: WE LEARN THIS IN SCHOOL. I DON'T KNOW HOW PEOPLE MISS THIS.
holy shit: “Among the 2,000 UK adults surveyed, 85% were unaware that Britain forcibly transported more than 3 million Africans to the Caribbean, 89% did not know that Britain enslaved people in the Caribbean for more than 300 years” www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
Caribbean reparations leaders in ‘historic’ first UK visit to press for justice
CRC mission will seek to deepen public understanding of Britain’s colonial legacy and its lasting impact
www.theguardian.com
November 17, 2025 at 9:42 AM
The comments here that are questioning the history curriculum: WE LEARN THIS IN SCHOOL. I DON'T KNOW HOW PEOPLE MISS THIS.
Searching for the Holy Grail of British politics, No 10 think they’re Arthurian.
Everyone else realises they’re Monty Python.
Everyone else realises they’re Monty Python.
Labour seem to now come up with a new kamikaze nosedive operation to alienate social liberals while failing to attract Reform curious voters every month. Then back off again in face of anger from progressives and failure among social conservatives. A doom loop which may yet kill them off altogether.
November 17, 2025 at 9:58 AM
Searching for the Holy Grail of British politics, No 10 think they’re Arthurian.
Everyone else realises they’re Monty Python.
Everyone else realises they’re Monty Python.
Reposted by Simon Cox
This statement not acceptable and I suspect not sustainable. Large majority of public support principle of asylum, support letting people stay permanently. Majority for that among Labour and other progressive parties’ voters is overwhelming. The Reform voters this is aimed at will never vote Labour
"The era of permanent protection is over"
Is this Labour government really saying it was wrong in principle to let these refugees of the last 75 years to stay, settle and become British - and they believe that should NEVER happen again in principle or practice?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiuR...
Is this Labour government really saying it was wrong in principle to let these refugees of the last 75 years to stay, settle and become British - and they believe that should NEVER happen again in principle or practice?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiuR...
Refugees from 7 decades gather to commemorate 70 years of refugee in protection in the UK
YouTube video by Refugee Council
www.youtube.com
November 15, 2025 at 12:49 PM
This statement not acceptable and I suspect not sustainable. Large majority of public support principle of asylum, support letting people stay permanently. Majority for that among Labour and other progressive parties’ voters is overwhelming. The Reform voters this is aimed at will never vote Labour
Reposted by Simon Cox
Anti-imm right will share the Guardian article and decide Labour have a woke open borders policy; progressive left will share the Sun article and conclude Labour are thugs snatching jewelry from the desperate. Instead of persuading both sides the risk is you anger both and persuade no one.
November 17, 2025 at 8:41 AM
Anti-imm right will share the Guardian article and decide Labour have a woke open borders policy; progressive left will share the Sun article and conclude Labour are thugs snatching jewelry from the desperate. Instead of persuading both sides the risk is you anger both and persuade no one.
Reposted by Simon Cox
Wow! Labour stoop to new depths of low... Rob quotes a🧵with article in The Sun for its readers about truly EVIL proposals to take "jewellery, watches, necklaces from asylum seekers to meet asylum costs" & an article by Mahmood for Guardian readers spinning *same policy* Labour's help for refugees.
November 17, 2025 at 9:42 AM
Wow! Labour stoop to new depths of low... Rob quotes a🧵with article in The Sun for its readers about truly EVIL proposals to take "jewellery, watches, necklaces from asylum seekers to meet asylum costs" & an article by Mahmood for Guardian readers spinning *same policy* Labour's help for refugees.