Paolo Sandro
@paolosandro.bsky.social
Associate Professor of Public Law and Legal Theory @lawatleeds.bsky.social, author of 'The Making of Constitutional Democracy: From Creation to Application of Law' (Hart 2022), Open Access at
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4562656#
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4562656#
Pinned
Paolo Sandro
@paolosandro.bsky.social
· Nov 8
Incredibly grateful to Kara Woodbury-Smith for her perceptive and very generous review of my book 'The Making of Constitutional Democracy: From Creation to Application of Law' (which is fully Open Access, link in the skeet below) on Law and Philosophy. 🙏
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Reposted by Paolo Sandro
A police chief telling a right wing think tank that’s long been scapegoating immigrants that he has heard “reports”. From whom? Of what exactly? No idea, but now far right activists will disseminate the “fact” that Muslims in Manchester celebrated a massacre of Jews. Elon will be posting soon.
December 19, 2025 at 8:12 AM
A police chief telling a right wing think tank that’s long been scapegoating immigrants that he has heard “reports”. From whom? Of what exactly? No idea, but now far right activists will disseminate the “fact” that Muslims in Manchester celebrated a massacre of Jews. Elon will be posting soon.
Reposted by Paolo Sandro
This is how respectable media aid and abet racist hysteria. IF there really were Mancunians celebrating Bondi, that is inexcusable. There may have been. On what basis has the claim been made though? www.thetimes.com/uk/crime/art...
Manchester police say people are celebrating Bondi beach attack
Sir Stephen Watson, the chief constable at the heart of a crackdown on demonstrators chanting ‘intifada’, said the alleged behaviour was ‘intolerable’
www.thetimes.com
December 19, 2025 at 8:12 AM
This is how respectable media aid and abet racist hysteria. IF there really were Mancunians celebrating Bondi, that is inexcusable. There may have been. On what basis has the claim been made though? www.thetimes.com/uk/crime/art...
Reposted by Paolo Sandro
NEW: Chris Parry, the Reform mayoral candidate who said David Lammy should “go home to the Caribbean”, also suggested at least eight other politicians from minority ethnic backgrounds do not have a primary loyalty towards the UK. Reform have not disowned him.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Reform candidate who told Lammy to ‘go home’ questioned other MPs’ loyalty to UK
Exclusive: Labour says Nigel Farage’s party should swiftly condemn Chris Parry after further comments emerge
www.theguardian.com
December 19, 2025 at 8:14 AM
NEW: Chris Parry, the Reform mayoral candidate who said David Lammy should “go home to the Caribbean”, also suggested at least eight other politicians from minority ethnic backgrounds do not have a primary loyalty towards the UK. Reform have not disowned him.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Paolo Sandro
The cleavage inside the EU deepens.
“They [The Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia] don’t have to pay — but we will make them pay for it [politically],” said a senior European official
EU agrees €90bn loan to Ukraine after frozen Russian asset plan fails
Money to be borrowed against bloc’s budget after leaders fail to agree on proposal using Moscow’s funds
www.ft.com
December 19, 2025 at 8:14 AM
The cleavage inside the EU deepens.
Reposted by Paolo Sandro
FOUR new deaths in ICE detention. That puts the total this year at 30 people dead; the highest in ICE's history and worse than even during the COVID years.
It's clear that the system is breaking down. Many of these are preventable deaths.
It's clear that the system is breaking down. Many of these are preventable deaths.
In the 90 minutes since I posted this, I've gotten two more death notifications.
ICE has a responsibility to take care of these people, something they are clearly disregarding. This is beyond horrifying. We must ensure dignity and humanity for detained people in this country.
ICE has a responsibility to take care of these people, something they are clearly disregarding. This is beyond horrifying. We must ensure dignity and humanity for detained people in this country.
Within 15 minutes today, I got two back-to-back notifications of deaths at ICE facilities.
28 people have died in ICE custody since Trump took office. These facilities are overcrowded & are putting their own profits over health and safety. We need oversight & accountability NOW.
28 people have died in ICE custody since Trump took office. These facilities are overcrowded & are putting their own profits over health and safety. We need oversight & accountability NOW.
December 18, 2025 at 7:53 PM
FOUR new deaths in ICE detention. That puts the total this year at 30 people dead; the highest in ICE's history and worse than even during the COVID years.
It's clear that the system is breaking down. Many of these are preventable deaths.
It's clear that the system is breaking down. Many of these are preventable deaths.
Reposted by Paolo Sandro
Saw the notifications. The dead include:
- A 39-year-old undocumented Nicaraguan man released by the Trump admin in 2018
- A 41-year-old Haitian man who entered legally through CBP One in 2023
- A 46-year-old Eritrean green card holder
- A 56-year-old Bulgarian man who at one point had a green card
- A 39-year-old undocumented Nicaraguan man released by the Trump admin in 2018
- A 41-year-old Haitian man who entered legally through CBP One in 2023
- A 46-year-old Eritrean green card holder
- A 56-year-old Bulgarian man who at one point had a green card
December 18, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Saw the notifications. The dead include:
- A 39-year-old undocumented Nicaraguan man released by the Trump admin in 2018
- A 41-year-old Haitian man who entered legally through CBP One in 2023
- A 46-year-old Eritrean green card holder
- A 56-year-old Bulgarian man who at one point had a green card
- A 39-year-old undocumented Nicaraguan man released by the Trump admin in 2018
- A 41-year-old Haitian man who entered legally through CBP One in 2023
- A 46-year-old Eritrean green card holder
- A 56-year-old Bulgarian man who at one point had a green card
Reposted by Paolo Sandro
App dating is struggling in general, but part of Bumble's decline was caused by MRA lawsuits challenging Bumble's policy of only letting women make the first move
Favourite grievance is the guy on record saying he watched porn at work and shouldn't have been fired
observer.co.uk/news/interna...
Favourite grievance is the guy on record saying he watched porn at work and shouldn't have been fired
observer.co.uk/news/interna...
December 18, 2025 at 6:22 PM
App dating is struggling in general, but part of Bumble's decline was caused by MRA lawsuits challenging Bumble's policy of only letting women make the first move
Favourite grievance is the guy on record saying he watched porn at work and shouldn't have been fired
observer.co.uk/news/interna...
Favourite grievance is the guy on record saying he watched porn at work and shouldn't have been fired
observer.co.uk/news/interna...
Reposted by Paolo Sandro
BREAKING
The Kennedy Center board of directors has renamed the center to the “Trump Kennedy Center”
The Kennedy Center board of directors has renamed the center to the “Trump Kennedy Center”
December 18, 2025 at 6:19 PM
BREAKING
The Kennedy Center board of directors has renamed the center to the “Trump Kennedy Center”
The Kennedy Center board of directors has renamed the center to the “Trump Kennedy Center”
Reposted by Paolo Sandro
The total pack of lies being put out everywhere about rejoining Erasmus would be laughable if they weren't so serious. Almost every 'fact' put out to make it seem poor value for money fake or twisted.
Are the Tories really going to major on hating... Erasmus? Have they all got better jobs to go to or something?
December 18, 2025 at 4:37 PM
The total pack of lies being put out everywhere about rejoining Erasmus would be laughable if they weren't so serious. Almost every 'fact' put out to make it seem poor value for money fake or twisted.
Reposted by Paolo Sandro
Reposted by Paolo Sandro
Even by my low expectations for Kemi Badenoch ‘violence against women and girls is something done by immigrants and nobody else’ has shocked me.
Dog-whistle and factually incorrect. Ladies, raise your hand if you were sexually assaulted by a boy at school? I’d wager this or a family member is most women’s first experience of sexual violence
December 18, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Even by my low expectations for Kemi Badenoch ‘violence against women and girls is something done by immigrants and nobody else’ has shocked me.
Reposted by Paolo Sandro
Also featuring reflections on some difficult to follow reasoning on merits review in natsec contexts. Is it merits review? Is it reasonableness review? Does the court only care about whether executive decisions have been rubber stamped? 🤷
New post that I hope anyone who cares about human rights/the rule of law reads. If the UK Govt can use a 30 year old threat of terrorism to conceal the release of *outline* information about its agents' connection to murder, it really can act with impunity:
ukconstitutionallaw.org/2025/12/18/a...
ukconstitutionallaw.org/2025/12/18/a...
Anurag Deb, Colin Murray and Gabriel Tan: Legacy Issues: In re Secretary of State for Northern Ireland [2025] UKSC 47
Introduction It is a rare case where the UK Government initiates a judicial review against an independent public body. The Thompson case is just such a case. The Secretary of State for Northern Ire…
ukconstitutionallaw.org
December 18, 2025 at 2:39 PM
Also featuring reflections on some difficult to follow reasoning on merits review in natsec contexts. Is it merits review? Is it reasonableness review? Does the court only care about whether executive decisions have been rubber stamped? 🤷
Reposted by Paolo Sandro
New post that I hope anyone who cares about human rights/the rule of law reads. If the UK Govt can use a 30 year old threat of terrorism to conceal the release of *outline* information about its agents' connection to murder, it really can act with impunity:
ukconstitutionallaw.org/2025/12/18/a...
ukconstitutionallaw.org/2025/12/18/a...
Anurag Deb, Colin Murray and Gabriel Tan: Legacy Issues: In re Secretary of State for Northern Ireland [2025] UKSC 47
Introduction It is a rare case where the UK Government initiates a judicial review against an independent public body. The Thompson case is just such a case. The Secretary of State for Northern Ire…
ukconstitutionallaw.org
December 18, 2025 at 2:15 PM
New post that I hope anyone who cares about human rights/the rule of law reads. If the UK Govt can use a 30 year old threat of terrorism to conceal the release of *outline* information about its agents' connection to murder, it really can act with impunity:
ukconstitutionallaw.org/2025/12/18/a...
ukconstitutionallaw.org/2025/12/18/a...
![The events of the Northern Ireland conflict must look very distant to the UK Supreme Court; a persistent irritant as it attempts to grapple with the latest controversies. It is not as if the Court is not aware of the underlying problem, describing the delays faced by the Thompson family as ‘profoundly disturbing’ (at [18]). But, unlike the courts in Belfast, which are confronted with the daily effects of these failings, the Supreme Court continues to accept that it is in the UK Government’s sole purview to address these issues, and to deny any effective role for the judicial authorities in overseeing security determinations.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:wdliniy55nabrxbk5n4zdhr6/bafkreicrboqhikkkp2c6dr5gisv4qj6llurnjrywqrrfd7pi5zd3gorepm@jpeg)
Reposted by Paolo Sandro
Anurag Deb, Colin Murray and Gabriel Tan: Legacy Issues: In re Secretary of State for Northern Ireland [2025] UKSC 47 ukconstitutionallaw.org/2025/12/18/a...
Anurag Deb, Colin Murray and Gabriel Tan: Legacy Issues: In re Secretary of State for Northern Ireland [2025] UKSC 47
Introduction It is a rare case where the UK Government initiates a judicial review against an independent public body. The Thompson case is just such a case. The Secretary of State for Northern Ire…
ukconstitutionallaw.org
December 18, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Anurag Deb, Colin Murray and Gabriel Tan: Legacy Issues: In re Secretary of State for Northern Ireland [2025] UKSC 47 ukconstitutionallaw.org/2025/12/18/a...
sounds familiar, UK peeps
For decades we had a bipartisan and evidence-based consensus that relatively high rates of immigration was a good thing. Now destroyed. We are colossal idiots.
December 18, 2025 at 2:15 PM
sounds familiar, UK peeps
Reposted by Paolo Sandro
For decades we had a bipartisan and evidence-based consensus that relatively high rates of immigration was a good thing. Now destroyed. We are colossal idiots.
December 18, 2025 at 2:02 PM
For decades we had a bipartisan and evidence-based consensus that relatively high rates of immigration was a good thing. Now destroyed. We are colossal idiots.
Reposted by Paolo Sandro
Yeah, as I've been saying, we overcompensated because the media ran with the stupid 'GDP per capita' and 'immigrants hurt housing' framing. This is long-run damage to the economy by short-term thinking, feeding xenophobia, and helping to further destroy Canada's world class universities.
Canada’s population sees largest decline on record
Canada’s population sees largest decline on record
Statistics Canada attributes the drop to a fewer non-permanent residents. It's the largest decline since records began in 1946.
www.thestar.com
December 18, 2025 at 1:56 PM
Yeah, as I've been saying, we overcompensated because the media ran with the stupid 'GDP per capita' and 'immigrants hurt housing' framing. This is long-run damage to the economy by short-term thinking, feeding xenophobia, and helping to further destroy Canada's world class universities.
Reposted by Paolo Sandro
If you live in Leeds, and feel like getting really angry, think about all the money the UK government has wasted on absolute bollocks in the twenty years since the Leeds supertram was cancelled -- because likely costs had escalated from £500 million to £1 billion.
December 18, 2025 at 2:07 PM
If you live in Leeds, and feel like getting really angry, think about all the money the UK government has wasted on absolute bollocks in the twenty years since the Leeds supertram was cancelled -- because likely costs had escalated from £500 million to £1 billion.
Reposted by Paolo Sandro
UK’s industrial regions face ‘entrenched disadvantages’ going back decades. But 'beacons of hope' in Aberdeen, Brighton, Bristol, Cheshire West and Chester, Edinburgh, Oxfordshire, Reading, West Berkshire and Manchester. www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
UK’s industrial regions face ‘entrenched disadvantages’ going back decades
Social mobility report highlights ‘extreme regional differences’ in terms of childhood, jobs, innovation and growth
www.theguardian.com
December 18, 2025 at 2:08 PM
UK’s industrial regions face ‘entrenched disadvantages’ going back decades. But 'beacons of hope' in Aberdeen, Brighton, Bristol, Cheshire West and Chester, Edinburgh, Oxfordshire, Reading, West Berkshire and Manchester. www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Reposted by Paolo Sandro
Matthew Goodwin objects to prosecuting this: ‘I think it’s time for the British to gang together, hit the streets and start the slaughter. Violence and murder is the only way now. Start off burning every migrant hotel then head off to MPs’ houses and Parliament, we need to take over by FORCE.’
December 18, 2025 at 12:48 PM
Matthew Goodwin objects to prosecuting this: ‘I think it’s time for the British to gang together, hit the streets and start the slaughter. Violence and murder is the only way now. Start off burning every migrant hotel then head off to MPs’ houses and Parliament, we need to take over by FORCE.’
Reposted by Paolo Sandro
The Home Office has lost (for the third time) an attempt to stop the First Tier Tribunal considering the lawfulness of removing asylum claims from the system, when hearing legal challenges from people who lost housing and financial support as a result
The Court of Appeal dismissed its case today
The Court of Appeal dismissed its case today
December 18, 2025 at 1:30 PM
The Home Office has lost (for the third time) an attempt to stop the First Tier Tribunal considering the lawfulness of removing asylum claims from the system, when hearing legal challenges from people who lost housing and financial support as a result
The Court of Appeal dismissed its case today
The Court of Appeal dismissed its case today
Reposted by Paolo Sandro
question to which the answer is: yes
www.economist.com/britain/2025...
www.economist.com/britain/2025...
December 18, 2025 at 1:37 PM
question to which the answer is: yes
www.economist.com/britain/2025...
www.economist.com/britain/2025...
Reposted by Paolo Sandro
🔴I've spent the last week speaking to aid workers and migrants in northern France who've been attacked by dogs and racially abused by the far-right.
This is a new phenomenon - Raise the Colours have made five trips to Calais & Dunkirk in the last month - and they're becoming increasingly volatile.
This is a new phenomenon - Raise the Colours have made five trips to Calais & Dunkirk in the last month - and they're becoming increasingly volatile.
The ‘Raise the Colours’ campaign, widely praised by politicians and commentators as a "grassroots" campaign for "unity" has now pivoted to harassing migrants and charity workers on the beaches of France.
Activists were seen stabbing dinghies and releasing dogs to intimidate migrant and aid workers
Activists were seen stabbing dinghies and releasing dogs to intimidate migrant and aid workers
Nigel Farage-Backed 'Raise the Colours' Campaign Pivots to Racially Abusing Migrants and Harassing Aid Workers on French Beaches
Far-right activists were seen stabbing dinghies and releasing dogs to intimidate migrants and aid workers
bylinetimes.com
December 18, 2025 at 11:29 AM
🔴I've spent the last week speaking to aid workers and migrants in northern France who've been attacked by dogs and racially abused by the far-right.
This is a new phenomenon - Raise the Colours have made five trips to Calais & Dunkirk in the last month - and they're becoming increasingly volatile.
This is a new phenomenon - Raise the Colours have made five trips to Calais & Dunkirk in the last month - and they're becoming increasingly volatile.
Marking finished and big January event organisation finalised
Deep Breaths Efe Omowale GIF
ALT: Deep Breaths Efe Omowale GIF
media.tenor.com
December 18, 2025 at 12:40 PM
Marking finished and big January event organisation finalised