Martin McKee
martinmckee.bsky.social
Martin McKee
@martinmckee.bsky.social

Prof of European Public Health LSHTM
Co-Director European Observatory on Health Systems & Policy
Member Independent SAGE
Past President BMA & EUPHA
Committed to 🇬🇧 rejoining 🇪🇺

https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/aboutus/people/mckee.martin .. more

Clifford Martin McKee, CBE, is professor of European public health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Source: Wikipedia
Public Health 40%
Medicine 24%

Always worth a read. Everyone who will complain about tax rises in the forthcoming budget should be asked if they voted for Brexit. And if they did, an apology to the rest of us would be in order. Meanwhile, Labour needs to stop treating us as fools.
New post: Labour’s Brexit stance is as untenable as their tax pledge
mainlymacro.blogspot.com/2025/11/labo...
As public perception and econometric estimates of the damage caused by Brexit rise, Labour's refusal to discuss rejoining the EU's customs union or single market means more self harm.
Labour’s Brexit stance is as untenable as their tax pledge
In my last post about the prospect of Labour breaking its tax pledge, I did something I don’t often do, which is indulge in some ‘I told y...
mainlymacro.blogspot.com

Reposted by Martin McKee

New post: Labour’s Brexit stance is as untenable as their tax pledge
mainlymacro.blogspot.com/2025/11/labo...
As public perception and econometric estimates of the damage caused by Brexit rise, Labour's refusal to discuss rejoining the EU's customs union or single market means more self harm.
Labour’s Brexit stance is as untenable as their tax pledge
In my last post about the prospect of Labour breaking its tax pledge, I did something I don’t often do, which is indulge in some ‘I told y...
mainlymacro.blogspot.com

I think Burstein v Times Newspapers Ltd seems especially relevant - see discussion below. Not that I think anything will come of it as Trump does n’t really like judges except the majority on the Supreme Court

www.fieldfisher.com/en/services/...
Bad Reputation – how can a claimant's character affect damages for defamation?
In the recent Australian case of Benyon v Manthey [2015] QDC 252 the District Court of Queensland awarded damages for defamation to the claimant but held that o
www.fieldfisher.com

Is this a good time to recall this 1960 case on defamation?

Looking forward to reading what comes out in discovery. Pity Panorama didn’t add in something about Epstein
Maybe Keir should demand the heads of major US news networks any time they imply Britain is on the brink of civil war or that we live under sharia law. Or does it not work both ways?

Recalling my reflections on another powerful drama, Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast

www.bmj.com/content/376/...
Belfast—a personal journey
We went to the cinema last week. Hardly something to write about. But this was different. It was the first time since the start of the pandemic. And it was different in another way too. Usually we go ...
www.bmj.com

Trespasses, on Channel 4, is a powerful drama that explains why some of us who grew up in Northern Ireland in the Troubles are so concerned about the world today. We’ve seen how populist politics arise and what the deadly consequences are.

www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...
Trespasses review – an intoxicating, rousing and heartbreaking love story
This adaptation of Louise Kennedy’s masterly novel, set in 70s Belfast, sees a Catholic teacher drawn into a dangerous affair with a Protestant barrister. It really hits a nerve
www.theguardian.com

And co-supervision. I’ve never managed to log on to Oxford’s system

If this is true and U.K. Government really is planning to cut its contribution to the Global Fund, at a time when Trump’s action will cause deaths on a massive scale, it is moral bankruptcy.
@friendseurope.bsky.social

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Cutting aid for disease fund would be moral failure, Labour MPs tell Starmer
UK expected to reduce contribution to Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria by 20%
www.theguardian.com

I was extremely fortunate to get to know Aryeh when I chaired OSF’s Global Health Advisory Committee. An inspiration to us all and someone to whom I will be forever grateful for his support

Reposted by Martin McKee

Our new paper (by @petravarkonyi.bsky.social) shows a link b/n perceived corruption and health outcomes in central & eastern Europe. Expanded coverage isn’t enough—informal payments persist. Real change needs anti-corruption/ACTA tinyurl.com/2ky3rbkc
@martinmckee.bsky.social @obshealth.bsky.social
tinyurl.com
Politicians should probably get on Bluesky to get better in touch with the American electorate.

Reposted by Martin McKee

New Eurohealth issue out now! Released with #EPH2025, it explores investing in sustainable health & well-being. Highlights include youth mental health, planetary health @martinmckee.bsky.social, digital skills & more.
🔗 bit.ly/EUROHEALTHEP...
#PublicHealth #HealthEquity #MentalHealth
Investing for sustainable health and well-being - Eurohealth 31.3
This special issue of Eurohealth accompanies the 18th European Public Health (EPH) Conference in Helsinki, exploring how health investment can drive equity, resilience, and sustainability across Europ...
bit.ly
#EHFG2025: "health must be the cornerstone of a renewed #socialcontract in Europe"

@martinmckee.bsky.social (2025). The Gastein prescription: health as Europe's path to renewal.
@thelancet.com Regional Health - Europe, 59, 101514.

doi.org/10.1016/j.la...

Starting journey home after trip taking in Rwanda, South Africa, and Mozambique. A reminder, once again, of the sheer complexity of Africa, where health systems are powerfully shaped by unique national histories, something so much health research simply ignores.

… in which the author shows how academic language, well referenced, and in a very measured tone, can be absolutely devastating. Thanks so much for finding and sharing

I’ve long been concerned that the verdict in the Jeremy Bamber case is also unsafe, even more so with the latest revelation

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...?
The Jeremy Bamber twist: does Britain’s most notorious murderer finally have an alibi?
This week, audio footage was released by the New Yorker magazine, which seemed to exonerate Bamber, who has been in prison for 40 years. Could this lead to his release?
www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Martin McKee

If you would like to know more about the crown and parliament @rebeccamckee.bsky.social and I explain all here www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/mo...
The monarch, royal family and parliament | Institute for Government
What is the relationship between government, parliament and the monarchy?
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk

Yes, but quite a lot of that has subsequently been shown to be wrong. I’m not forming a view on what happened but I’m far from convinced that the verdict was safe.

It’s as if they have reincarnated Lewis Carroll “words mean what I chose them to mean”. The only remaining question is who is the mad hatter?
It just keeps getting better.

It really is beyond me how anyone still thinks that Lucy Letby’s conviction is safe
In trying to save his own reputation, has the lead expert witness in the trial of Lucy Letby sacrificed the reputation of his fellow experts?

🧵1/4

Reposted by Martin McKee

In trying to save his own reputation, has the lead expert witness in the trial of Lucy Letby sacrificed the reputation of his fellow experts?

🧵1/4

Reposted by Dina Balabanova

The search for an internet connection… with thanks to @tolibmirzoev.bsky.social

Reposted by Dina Balabanova

And one of our first actions was to create a @bsky.app account (of course!)
Follow us @pen-connect.bsky.social if interested in non-communicable disease manage in low and middle income countries
@dinabalabanova.bsky.social
@tolibmirzoev.bsky.social
@eleanorhutch.bsky.social

Kicking off our new @horizoneu.bsky.social project in Mozambique this morning. PEN CONNECT will co-create solutions to NCDs. With @dinabalabanova.bsky.social we’re working with a great Mozambican team here in Maputo.
We now have a stream of garbage in US newspapers, like this one in @washingtonpost.com denigrating London, all coded attacks on @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social
Well, I live in London, love it, and am delighted to have Sadiq Khan @london.gov.uk as my mayor.

www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
Opinion | London’s sad decline is a warning to New Yorkers
In three terms as mayor, Sadiq Khan has crushed the economic life out of Britain’s capital.
www.washingtonpost.com