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oxfordforeurope.bsky.social
Oxford for Europe
@oxfordforeurope.bsky.social
8.8K followers 1.3K following 480 posts
Campaigning to rejoin. A friendly bunch of active campaigners - come and join us! https://oxfordforeurope.com
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oxfordforeurope.bsky.social
Brexit has hit the economy by 4%. Surely the opportunities of youth mobility, and equal access would bring far far more benefits than the student fees question.
EU member states are insisting their students should pay the same £9,535 tuition fees as their UK counterparts when attending British universities - a stipulation that was removed from the draft communiqué spurned by EU ambassadors. "Equal fees for EU students is the aim," another EU diplomat said. Allies of Starmer insisted EU students will not be charged the same fees as their UK counterparts, given the importance of international fees to the finances of Britain's university sector. "We can't afford it," said one.
May 15, 2025 at 7:27 AM
oxfordforeurope.bsky.social
The UK and the European Union are deeply split over the terms of a youth mobility scheme that is a key part of a post-Brexit "reset" agreement, fresh negotiating documents show. With only two weeks to go until a crucial London summit kicking off formal negotiations, the pair remain far apart on a deal to allow 18-30-year-olds on both sides of the Channel to travel and work more freely in each other's countries. The EU is demanding a "dedicated visa" to enable young people to work, study or "simply travel" in the UK as long as they have sufficient funds, according to a draft document discussed by EU ambassadors on Wednesday. It proposes that EU students should return to paying the same fees to attend British universities as home students.
May 8, 2025 at 7:12 AM
oxfordforeurope.bsky.social
And one to keep aspiring towards
Where Francis was taking the church was about saying there's so much here in this dimension that we have a duty to protect and to save and to care for. That's true. Whatever god you believe in — or none at all - we have a deep duty of care. That provides part of the basis of solidarity that we need to build in the face of these maniacs - sociopaths - who have given up on this world. I believe they're treasonous to this world and treasonous to creation.
May 7, 2025 at 11:04 AM
oxfordforeurope.bsky.social
One of the most disturbing paragraphs.
Peter Thiel is now running Bible study groups in Silicon Valley. He said in a few interviews recently that he believes that the Antichrist is Greta Thunberg. It's extraordinary. He said that it's foretold that the Antichrist will be seeming to spread peace. But here's his thinking. He says Greta wants everyone to ride a bicycle. (Now, that's a gross caricature of what she's said.) But he's said Greta wants everyone to ride a bicycle. That may seem good, but the only way that could happen is if there was a world government that was regulating it. And that is more evil than the effects of climate change.
May 7, 2025 at 11:03 AM
oxfordforeurope.bsky.social
While Reform gained seats in many Labour areas of the country, there is the risk we assume that Labour 'places' tell us what Labour 'voters' were doing, something that's known as the 'ecological fallacy' - a real challenge in reading elections. In the general election last year, Reform gained votes largely at the expense of the Conservatives, with over 70% of their 2024 voters coming from 2019 Conservatives. This was a big help to Labour in achieving their large majority and 411 MPs, lowering the thresholds for them to take seats from the Conservatives. In the 2025 English local elections, the Conservative seat tally and Labour's seat tally both went down, which was all the worse for Labour given that this compounded their losses in 2021 (and before that too). However, this does not necessarily mean that Reform were taking large proportions of Labour voters. These results could as easily be explained by Labour voters staying at home or voting for a party within the same 'party bloc' (a left-liberal party). This would be consistent with observations from the British Election Study (BES). Since 2016, voters have coalesced into a 'Remain-left-liberal bloc' and a 'Leave-right-socially conservative bloc'. This bloc-based alignment was especially in evidence in the high-fragmentation 2024 election. Voters are still more likely to be switching within blocs than between them, and Reform is still very likely taking most voters from the right. Additionally, we cannot know whether they are tapping into recent non-voters, although there are certainly more given the low turnout in 2024. Labour may, as it long has, have a problem mobilising its voters, but this mobilisation should be more achievable at a general election.
May 6, 2025 at 12:20 PM
oxfordforeurope.bsky.social
Absolutely spot on.
Labour say that they have taken unpopular decisions to enable improvements that will come good over the next few years. If they believe that then they are in serious danger of deluding themselves. The reality is that they have taken unpopular decisions for very little money, so the big danger is that voters will not see future benefits and will decide that a Labour government is little better than a Conservative one, and vote for something different.
May 5, 2025 at 8:15 AM
oxfordforeurope.bsky.social
Brown could not find a way of explaining why Keynesianism had already prevented a depression and could help to reduce the deficit. He was up against the Conservative leadership, the Treasury, parts of his own party, and of course the mighty media. What would be an equivalent act of boldness for Starmer? As the US turns away, he needs to move much closer to Europe. In an era of muscular economies battling it out, the US, China, the EU, British exceptionalism looks more absurd than it did during the Brexit referendum. I understand why in the early phase of a crisis he seeks a "cakeist" solution, getting close to both the US and Europe. But soon there will be a choice: the UK being a vassal state of the US, or an active player in Europe, not only in relation to defence but also trade and economic growth. Europe should be his choice. He needs to win the argument that such a course is the right thing to do. A lesson from 2008 is that boldness is necessary, but nowhere near enough.
May 5, 2025 at 7:18 AM
oxfordforeurope.bsky.social
In case we forgot who this middle finger raising nasty piece of work is.
Is there not a more loud example of the failure of politics & of our honours list.

app.theneweuropean.co.uk/story/134580...
The graceless Andrea Jenkyns, whose political career seemed likely to end in deserved ignominy when she raised a middle finger to Partygate protestors in the dog days of Boris Johnson's premiership, is the new mayor of Greater Lincolnshire. If Brexit is so unpopular, why is a woman who nicknamed her son "Brexit" and who gave a character witness to a Tory activist jailed for making violent threats to Yvette Cooper over Brexit ("I'm already organising to hurt her... I'm going to get her beat up") about to win a £86,060-a-year position? In 2020, Jenkyns predicted that Brexit would "put Grimsby back on the map, restoring the pride of our once great fishing ports, bringing jobs and wealth back to this forgotten community". None of that has happened, so why is Grimsby voting for Andrea Jenkyns?
May 2, 2025 at 8:18 AM
oxfordforeurope.bsky.social
Spot on from @sanglesey.bsky.social
There are several reasons for Reform's surge - disappointment with the pace of change under Labour and with some of Keir Starmer's policies, the slow death of the Conservatives, the "one of us" appeal Farage has for some voters. Part of it is astute if repellent campaigning by Farage, who has barely mentioned what he used to call his "life's work", does not seem particularly excited about the so-called assault on "Brexit freedoms" and has put fear of migrants at the heart of his strategy instead. But part of it must be Labour's unwillingness or inability to tie Farage to Brexit. The party believes there is more to be gained by going after him on a paid-for NHS, but the tactic seems to have paid scant dividends this time. Nerves about seeming to insult voters who went for Leave in 2016 are surely outweighed by polls showing that 20% of them would now change their minds, and the knowledge that a good chunk of the other 80% are permanently lost to Labour in any case.
May 2, 2025 at 8:01 AM
oxfordforeurope.bsky.social
It was painful to live through this experience in Britain. Modern capitalist economies are extremely resilient, so there is rarely that cathartic moment where the whole country realises it has made a terrible mistake and steps away from the edge. So there is little doubt that the Trump administration will continue to peddle fantasies about its strategic brilliance, while fighting internally over day-to-day tactics and trade deals that at best recreate the advantages that the US already had. Trade is relatively unimportant to the US economy, and it can withstand a lot of this nonsense without necessarily crumbling. But a stagflationary shock is just that. When it comes to a reckoning in some years' time, the US economy will be weaker and its standing in the world diminished. Brexit teaches you that.
May 1, 2025 at 6:40 AM
oxfordforeurope.bsky.social
The quantity of UK goods exports is lower now than in 2016 or 2021 and Britain is the only country in the G7 that has this record.
May 1, 2025 at 6:39 AM
oxfordforeurope.bsky.social
It would be a tragedy if he came through the middle because the progressive vote split. Not many ppl are less deserving of public office than Banks.
Luke Tryl @luketryl.bsky.social We find the West of England Mayoral Race is too close to call with victory possible for 4 & maybe even 5 parties. Labour's Helen Goodwin in the lead on 23% LAB 23% CON 21% REF UK 18% GREEN 18% LIB DEM 15% IND 5% Source: More in Common • Fieldwork 15-21 April 2025 Black boxes indicate margin of error • N = 998 April 27, 2025 at 8:46 AM
April 28, 2025 at 7:14 AM
oxfordforeurope.bsky.social
Already the Tories and Reform are lining up to cry treason, Kemi Badenoch claims it will be just "another avenue which people might use to game the system," and that Labour "doesn't know how to negotiate". Coming from the party that negotiated the hopeless Trade and Co-operation Agreement, this is utterly shameless. The Tory leader also asks, "Where are all these people they want to bring in going to work?" She might like to ask the hospitality industry, the construction sector, social services and the health sector, among many other sectors of the economy suffering from worker and skills shortages. All would jump at the chance of having European labour to fill the gaps. Nigel Farage thinks youth mobility is "completely against what the Brexit vote demanded", which is just tosh. We all remember being told during the referendum that we would stay in the Single Market and there was no threat to our freedom to live and work in Europe.
April 26, 2025 at 8:18 AM
oxfordforeurope.bsky.social
Concern about migration numbers for ppl here temporarily does seem a particularly Reform-fearful reason to stop youth mobility.
A win-win for young ppl, and good for our economy.
One outstanding area of disagreement is over an EU youth mobility scheme. Brussels wants a deal that allows 18 to 30-year-olds to move temporarily to the UK. Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, wants the number of visas capped and is demanding any scheme is limited to one year, to avoid the numbers being included in migration figures. Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, is understood to be in favour of the scheme after studies showed that it would boost the economy. "The European Commission is confident there is a deal to be done," a European diplomat said.
April 21, 2025 at 8:53 PM
oxfordforeurope.bsky.social
Despite the headline suggesting we are letting down fishermen to secure a far more lucrative trade, it seems uk fishermen have sold more than 55% of the rights to fish in Uk waters, so that isn’t a grievance bandwagon that Farage can jump back on.
In 2021 the BBC reported that £160 million of the quota - 55 per cent of its annual value in 2019 - was owned by companies based in Iceland, Spain and the Netherlands. The present arrangement has been described by the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations (NFFO) as a "neocolonial relationship with the EU". As part of the EU reset, Britain is prepared to offer a new multi-year deal to Brussels - rather than annual negotiations as done between the EU and Norway - and freeze fishing quotas, rather than reduce European access further, The Times understands.
April 21, 2025 at 8:49 PM
oxfordforeurope.bsky.social
Call me an idealist but this is why democratic countries have to stand firm. By agreeing to Trump’s demands & whims, they undermine everywhere the values they claim to hold dear.
Once Trump has most law firms, universities, news organisations and private companies under his thumb, it will become almost impossible for any form of opposition to gain traction. His weaponised Department of Justice can arrest protesters and there will be fewer lawyers to defend them. University research and academic discussion of ideas that run counter to the Trump ideology will be threatened. Private companies will not object as the rule of law collapses. This is not some innovative new strategy - it is the global playbook for democratically elected leaders who want to stay in power forever.
April 17, 2025 at 5:33 AM
oxfordforeurope.bsky.social
In Trumpland “defending free speech” means submission to the President.

The UK must not abandon its values to get an unreliable trade deal with this most dangerous autocrat. Our strength lies in & with Europe. Always has. Always will.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
April 16, 2025 at 7:11 AM
oxfordforeurope.bsky.social
Wise words from @jontybloom.bsky.social
No economy is an island. The consequences of a Sino American trade war will be dire and will permanently damage US power. Tying yourself to America just when its own president has undermined its economic hegemony, and when your trade with America is just not that large, isn't a Brexit Benefit or any other kind of benefit; it is just terrible timing. All of this reminds me of the reaction to Liz Truss's disastrous budget. "This was the best budget I have ever heard a chancellor deliver, by a massive margin," crowed the Telegraph, only for the markets to crash and the PM to be outlasted by a lettuce. Trump didn't even last a week, as the bond markets threatened to implode. Just like Truss, his economic policies turned out to be the perfect embodiment of the nationalistic, post-Brexit era: an untenable disaster, applauded by people with no idea what they're talking about.
April 15, 2025 at 4:09 PM
oxfordforeurope.bsky.social
Rather than allow the whims of an unreliable White House to determine our trade policy, we should look to a coalition of the willing to wean us away from US dependency.
Working with fellow Europeans and other middle power democracies is both a strategic opportunity and a route away from over-dependence on America. The UK is well equipped to play a leading part in such a foreign policy evolution, as it is already demonstrating in Ukraine. But it will require imagination, resources and political courage.
April 15, 2025 at 9:16 AM
oxfordforeurope.bsky.social
It is time to reframe our agenda around existential matters - Europe is our geographical home, and with whom we share social attitudes & the value of international cooperation.
Debate about Britain's relationship with fellow Europeans since Brexit has too often been seen through contentious secondary issues like fishing quotas, the rights of touring artists and movement of young people. It is time to reframe the agenda around more existential matters. Europe is Britain's geographical home. America does not share its proximity to Russia, wider neighbourhood, or immigration challenges. Nor, increasingly, does it share British social attitudes or views on international co-operation. Troubled as they may be, most European democracies still do.
April 15, 2025 at 9:14 AM
oxfordforeurope.bsky.social
As @simonfraser00.bsky.social says, the US is no longer our closest ally. Indeed it has changed sides on the world stage & implemented policies which have halved our predicted economic growth.
We need to respond to the new situation.
Voices arguing that America is the UK's first ally have hitherto been right and economic ties remain crucial. But within three months the US has unilaterally reversed policy on Ukraine, made overtures to Putin, sandbagged the multilateral rules of trade and halved UK predicted economic growth. Things may get better but it would be rash to think that "normal" service will resume. Changed circumstances require a reaction.
April 15, 2025 at 9:07 AM
oxfordforeurope.bsky.social
Such a shift requires imagination, resources and courage.
(Not least the courage not to sit on the fence any longer.)
Debate about Britain's relationship with fellow Europeans since Brexit has too often been seen through contentious secondary issues like fishing quotas, the rights of touring artists and movement of young people. It is time to reframe the agenda around more existential matters. Europe is Britain's geographical home. America does not share its proximity to Russia, wider neighbourhood, or immigration challenges. Nor, increasingly, does it share British social attitudes or views on international co-operation. Troubled as they may be, most European democracies still do.
April 14, 2025 at 6:49 PM
oxfordforeurope.bsky.social
It is time to reframe our agenda from secondary issues to the more existential issue of where the UK’s interests lie.
Debate about Britain's relationship with fellow Europeans since Brexit has too often been seen through contentious secondary issues like fishing quotas, the rights of touring artists and movement of young people. It is time to reframe the agenda around more existential matters. Europe is Britain's geographical home. America does not share its proximity to Russia, wider neighbourhood, or immigration challenges. Nor, increasingly, does it share British social attitudes or views on international co-operation. Troubled as they may be, most European democracies still do.
April 14, 2025 at 6:46 PM
oxfordforeurope.bsky.social
Our relationship with the US has fundamentally changed, endangering our security & halving our predicted economic growth.
Voices arguing that America is the UK's first ally have hitherto been right and economic ties remain crucial. But within three months the US has unilaterally reversed policy on Ukraine, made overtures to Putin, sandbagged the multilateral rules of trade and halved UK predicted economic growth. Things may get better but it would be rash to think that "normal" service will resume. Changed circumstances require a reaction.
April 14, 2025 at 6:43 PM
oxfordforeurope.bsky.social
She is visibly delighted to be showing in Italy, but like many of her generation who wished to remain in Europe, Emin is also doleful for a younger generation of Britons with less freedom to explore the world beyond British borders since Brexit. "Young people used to move around and experience life, they can't do that any more," she says. She sees the impact also extending to arts education in the UK, with an art school culture that is becoming "more insular and less connected"
April 10, 2025 at 10:58 PM