denismacshane.bsky.social

Finland’s President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre held a joint call with Vladimir Putin yesterday on ending war. They are clear on Putin unlike Trump, Le Pen, Farage and jaw-jaw better than war-war but Europe could do far more if political will was there

Farage sounded bonkers in his Today interview just now. Contract killer in @KemiBadenoch’s office and other claims. His poll figures are going down fast. Arrival of 4 million Asian and African immigrant workers following Brexit destroys his lie 2016 vote would end mass migration

On BBC R4 yesterday @radeksikorski said EU member states can control freedom of movement . How?

Freedom of movement is older than the EU thearticle.com/freedom-of-mov… UK has always had freedom of movement which made us richer. Isolationism since 2016 has made us poorer.

Ipsos MORI latest poll Labour 32% an increase of five percentage points from the previous month. Conservatives 24%, Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, dropped to 20%, three points lower than the last poll.

Lula wins election in Brazil despite all the money the global right poured into Bolsonaro Jnr campaign. After Serbia another win for progressive democracy and defeat for Trump-Musk I first wrote about Lula in @newstatesman1913.bsky.social in 1980 when this São Paulo metalworker first won power.

Alexander Vucic voted out by Serbs. He was Milosevic’s spin doctor and justified gruesome war crimes. Inheriting Milosevic mantle and political style he blocked any full peace and economic settlement in W Balkans. New gov should move to normalise relations with all neighbours w help from EU

Much calmer day of demos in France yesterday. Macron met youth protestors. 70,000 police on streets stopped looters. Bad news for Marine Le Pen and Putin and Mélenchon who were hoping France would be in permanent chaos leading to a government that would break up EU

Farewell my family, my life is past I loved you all to the very last Weep not for me, but courage take Love each other for my sake For those you love don’t go away They walk beside you every day Poem by Francis Day given by mother of @alastaircampbell2.bsky.social to her family after her death

French polls show that if 2nd round of presidential election 2 May 2027 is between far right Marine Le Pen and far left Jean-Luc Mélenchon she gets 70%, him 30%. So can anti extreme left/liberals/Socialists/ Greens/anti-racists unite around a common candidate to stop Le Pen?

France to deploy 70,000 cos etc to ensure security in city centres etc. That is just a few more than total number of British Army soldiers

Zelensky’s poll rating was 43% favourable when Trump called for him to be replaced. In one week it increased to 57% . Maybe Kemi B could get Trump to call for her to stand down and finally get decent poll ratings?

One of best early morning Zoom discussions on foreign, defence issues is run @dgap.org (roughly German Chatham House). When @anandmenon.bsky.social takes over CER I hope he starts similar on UK + EU so we can have adult discussion on what happens now in place of shut down of any exchange of ideas

Good points on R4 Today by Jesse Norman mp who heads Defence Select Cttee on Russian domination of North Atlantic. All N Atlantic nations bar Canada are in EU or EEA except isolationist UK. Their ministers, MPs, MEPs meet all the time to shape policy. Ours talk to each other. Why Putin backs Brexit

The tragedy of losing Freedom of Movement isn't just the opportunities British people have lost. It's the opportunities they no longer even consider. The job in Vienna. The business in Amsterdam. The future in Florence. How do you count the lives that never happened?

D Telegraph tells truth about Brexit. Well I never. Shurely shome mishtake? @liamhalligan.bsky.social

I wrote first biography of François Mitterrand, 1st socialist prez of France in 1982. Been trying to understand French politics ever since. Provisional take on current crisis. Alas France doesn’t have an Andy Burnham denismacshane.substack.com/p/macrons-ca... but it has too many Corbyns+Farages

Polls have closed in Alberta in independence referendum backed by Donald Trump who invited Alberta separatists to Oval Office. Canada PM Carney comes from Alberta and standing up to Trump has done him no harm politically. Polls show Albertans want to stay Canadian. Lesson for our nationalists?

Lots today on gov stopping folk using mobiles etc on public transport. Italian lady on 137 rabbiting away molto voce to a friend. Can I go up and ask her to pay £1OO fine?

French young ignore appeal, warnings by President Macron who in 9 minute TV address rejected all dialogue on demands for reform of the bankers’ France he has shaped. More demos today now spreading to Italy, Belgium

Now @nadinedorries.bsky.social like Polanski struggling as depth/width of racism in Elected Reform cllrs. We knew Farage hate politics founded on xenophobia but the racism today being revealed is also in Reform political DNA

Put on BBC1 and Laura’s 3 guests have to opine on France protests. Don’t think anyone spoke French. One lady even rambled about Socialist Workers Party. Embarrassing

When will the Brexit morons - Farage, rightwing Tories and their shortsighted followers - understand?! stocks.apple.com/AWE4vJXQ2S8i...

Wow! BBC News just now on racist incitement by Farage councillors to kill Muslims off the wall . When will mainstream media admit truth on Reform ?

After Paris now Tirana reprises Paris 1968 as students, young workers rise in anger at old guard in charge who won’t listen

In 2016, British factories built 1.7 million cars, more than in any year since 1999. Last year they built 717,371. Remind me what happened in 2016 to cut exports to our biggest trade partner that might just have contributed to this loss of jobs @stellacreasy.bsky.social @richardcorbett.bsky.social

Green policy goes further than the Palestinian Authority in rejecting a 2-state solution + calling for the eradication of Israel. Greensvoted down an amendment to stop Jewish party members from being targeted for attending a mainstream synagogue. This is 1930 Jew-hate worsened by IDF actions

Labour won back Midlands council seat from sleazy racist Reform. Tories not in race. Whoever won and held this seat in past went on to win GE @pkellner.bsky.social @labourlist.bsky.social

CEO of Barclays, C.S. Venkat paid £15.05 million 2025 Lloyds Banking Group CEO Charlie Nunn £7.4 million in 2025 NatWest Group CEO Paul Thwaite 6.6 million in 2025 NatWest Group CEO Paul Thwaite paid £6.6 million in 2025 They now say they can’t pay a penny more in tax @johnhealey.bsky.social

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s latest lecture to a military audience once again heaped praise on himself for allegedly purging the U.S. Armed Forces of “trannies” and “beardos.” “The ideological clowns are out,” he declared. “The patriotic cowboys are in—with testosterone testing on top.” Bonkers

Manchester evening news poll on reversing Brexit www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/uk-news...

Not surprised by racism from Farage councillors in Solihull. Working in Brum after uni 1970s I stood for Labour in Solihull 1974. Kept meeting openly racist Brummies who made some money and moved to white Tory Solihull to get away from immigrants

European far right disunited on Putin as Giorgia Meloni points out: “We must be aware that the surge in fuel prices is primarily due to the war in Iran, not the conflict in Ukraine. Trump’s new plan legitimizes Moscow, and provides new revenue to finance the war.” Anyone disagree?

There were 2 UK referendums on Europe. One said Yes to membership of intergovernmental arrangements to promote trade etc. One said No. Both referendums had equal validity. But idea given views change that just one of the referendums is valid in perpetuity is hardly democratic

UK GDP per capita April 2026 $61,056 Germany GDP per capita $65,303 per capita Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway & Denmark (which follows most EU rules), Netherlands, Malta,Belgium, Austria, Sweden, Finland, France all have higher GDP per capita than Brexit Britain - IMF stats

Le long chemin de Raphaël Glucksmann librejournal.fr/article/le-l... This in French by the excellent Valerie Lecasble in Libre Journal on Raphael Glucksmann's 66% win in the French Socialist Primary is very good. He refuses any alliance with France's Jeremy Corbyn - Jean-Luc Mélenchon

On Today @lukepollard.bsky.social very clear after climate destroying Centrica boss on £4.37 million a year telling us to buy Chinese kit instead of making UK a new industrial base for value adding clean energy.

On Newsnight @emilythornberry.bsky.social excellent on Russian involvement in Brexit plebiscite

No Badenoch bounce LAB: 30.0% (+2.8%) REF: 24.3% (+0.4%) CON: 18.6% (-2.3%) LDM: 9.4% (-1.2%) GRN: 8.4% (+1.2%) OTH: 3.2% (-0.6%) SNP: 2.5% (-0.4%) RES: 1.9% (+0.4%) PC: 1.7% (-0.2%) (+/-) Change from last Survation Poll

On Today Justin Webb endlessly quoting B Johnson on Putin. Given Johnson acted as Putin’s agent in UK cutting links with Europe not sure he is man to quote on Putin

A good man @raphaelglucksmann.bsky.social wins first round of French Socialist Party primary with 66% of votes. He is an MEP which may please pro Europeans but faces ultra-far-left Jean-Luc Mélenchon and Marine Le Pen surfing Europe’s anti-Muslim, anti-Brussels, anti-migrants political wave

Under the Ending Importation of Russian Oil Act, passed under Biden administration still in force, Russian diesel cannot be imported into the US unless the president certifies to Congress that Russia has withdrawn from Ukraine, acknowledged Ukraine’s sovereignty, +no longer poses a threat to NATO.

Pointless for PM to say Russia involved in Brexit 2016 campaign without publishing full details @pickardje.bsky.social @pippacrerar.bsky.social @lukeharding.bsky.social @mrjamesob.bsky.social @lucyberesford.bsky.social @stevenswinford.bsky.social