What Donald Trump Means for Britain and the EU - Byline Interviews EP #3 | Mike Galsworthy

Nov 15, 2024

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Michael Lambert: Gothenburg, Sweden Shows How Far the UK Has Fallen behind since Brexit

Oct 19, 2024 | This week, I have visited Gothenburg in Sweden to make another video showing how the quality of life in cities within the EU compares with that of cities in the UK following Brexit. Gothenburg (Göteborg) is the second city of Sweden with a population of around 600,000. It is a clean, well-run city with nice streets and plenty of parks. I saw no empty shops, charity shops, pound shops, betting shops, graffiti or litter. The city was busy, with of plenty of people out shopping.

The food in the supermarket, especially fresh fruit, was outstanding. Prices in restaurants were reasonably and the food was amazing.

Sweden is a progressive country where university education is free, healthcare is inexpensive or free and where parents of new babies can share up to 18 months maternity/paternity leave on 90% of normal pay.

Recently Sweden has become known for violent crime, but this is almost exclusively within immigrant communities and relates to drug gangs who now operate in Sweden.

Zelenskyy Meets with EU and NATO Leaders for Backing of His 'Victory Plan' | DW News

Oct 17, 2024 | Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced his long-awaited victory plan to end his country's war with Russia. His plan includes Ukrainian NATO membership and permission for strikes inside Russia. Today Zelenskyy is to present his plan to EU lawmakers in Brussels. The Ukrainian President has another high level engagement in Brussels later today: a meeting of NATO defense ministers. NATO officials gathered this morning for the first such event chaired by the alliance's new chief Mark Rutte.

FPÖ: Wahnsinn: EU will Rauchen im Freien verbieten

Oct 8, 2024 | Die EU setzt ihre Regulierungswahnsinn weiter fort. Nachdem man die Gastro ohnehin schon mit Rauchverbot und Corona-Lockdowns drangsaliert und schikaniert hat, plant die EU jetzt ein Rauchverbot in Schanigärten. Man dreht offenbar nun völlig durch!

Jetzt ist die EU also genauso verrückt wie die britische Regierung! Wenn dieses Verbot wirklich Gesetz wird, dann ist es mir egal, ob Großbritannien wieder in der EU ist oder nicht! Bisher habe ich geglaubt, daß die EU sich der Freiheit der Menschen verschrieben wäre. Aber diese Nachricht, wenn sie stimmt, zeigt ein ganz anderes Gesicht! Wenn es so weitergeht, wird meine Begeisterung für dieses EU-Projekt ruiniert. Es geht nicht nur ums Rauchen (ich bin kein Raucher mehr), es geht um die Freiheit der Menschen. Rauchen im Freien schadet kaum der Gesundheit anderer Menschen. Eine so dumme Regelung wäre also nichts Anderes als Bevormundung. Diese Nachricht ist wirklich total enttäuschend.

Es sollte niemanden überraschen, daß der Rechtsextremismus in Europa stärker wird! Wenn die EU will, daß er noch stärker wird, dann sollte sie einfach in dieser dummen, bevormundenden Richtung weitermachen! Die EU wird von ihrem rasanten Wachstum sicherlich nicht enttäuscht sein! — © Mark Alexander

Jon Danzig: True Tories Were Remainers

October 2, 2024 | Conservative leader wannabes: have you forgotten what your party in power used to stand for regarding Europe? For most of the past seven decades, Tory governments did more than any other to bring our country closer to our continent.

Current Tory leader hopefuls are tw*ts! (Supply the vowel of your choice!) Britain’s place is in the EU. Churchill would be absolutely appalled by these current Tory wannabees! What a pathetic bunch! We are Europeans. Suck it up! – © Mark Alexander

Can Brexit Be Reset? Keir Starmer and the EU

Sep 27, 2024 | Federal Trust Chair John Stevens argues that Sir Keir Starmer will find it difficult to secure any meaningful "reset" in relations between the EU and UK. Starmer is, according to John Stevens, excessively concerned with appeasing the anti-European element of traditional Labour voters. He should confront rather than try to appease such sentiments.

SPEAKERS

Brendan Donnelly is the Director of the Federal Trust and a former Conservative MEP.
John Stevens is the Chair of the Federal Trust and an analyst and commentator on economic affairs.

ABOUT THE FEDERAL TRUST

The Federal Trust is a research institute studying regional, national, European and global levels of government. It has always had a particular interest in the European Union and Britain’s place in it. The Federal Trust has no allegiance to any political party. It is registered as a charity for the purposes of education and research.

Aktuell und Brisant: Viktor Orbán: Schockierende Aussagen über die Zukunft der EU

Aug 11, 2024

Rob Groves – Truth To Power: Are Labour Really Plotting to Undo Brexit?

Aug 3, 2024 | Removing the two-child cap on Universal Credit and social security in the UK would cost the government 2.5 billion pounds this year according to the Resolution Foundation. And would alleviate deep poverty for over a million children. But we’re told that we can’t afford 2.5 billion pounds. Apparently, however, we CAN afford Brexit, which costs the UK 32 billion pounds a year, according to the Office of Budget Responsibility!

It’s so obvious that the Labour government needs to ditch Brexit, which is proving to be a drag anchor on the British economy. But is it likely to happen, and what would the process look like?

Isabel Oakeshott & Richard Tice Get an Earful from Lord Heseltine

Jul 31, 2024

It’s a pity that greenhorns like Isabel Oakshott and Richard Tice don’t listen to Lord Heseltine’s words of wisdom. Lord Heseltine was one of the very best Tories ever! And he’s a Welshman. We wouldn’t be in the mess we are in today if people had listened to the likes of Lord Heseltine instead of listening to the cowboys and cowgirls in politics and journalism! – © Mark Alexander

Hungary’s PM Viktor Orbán Warns EU on Path to ‘Self-destruction’

THE GUARDIAN: Far-right leader talks of new Asia-oriented world order and throws support behind Donald Trump

Hungary’s nationalist prime minister, Viktor Orbán, said on Saturday that the EU was sliding toward oblivion, in a rambling anti-west speech in which he warned of a new, Asia-oriented “world order” while throwing his support behind Donald Trump’s US presidential bid.

“Europe has given up defending its own interests,” Orbán said in Băile Tuşnad, a majority ethnic Hungarian town in central Romania. “All Europe is doing today is following the US’s pro-Democrat foreign policy unconditionally … even at the cost of self-destruction.

“A change is coming that has not been seen for 500 years. What we are facing is in fact a world order change,” he added, naming China, India, Pakistan and Indonesia as becoming the “dominant centre” of the world. » | Associated Press | Saturday, July 27, 2024

No More ‘Basket-case Britain’: Europe Welcomes Starmer Reset in UK-EU Ties

THE GUARDIAN: PM’s promise to draw line under years of factious relations greeted with plaudits and relief by European media

Keir Starmer’s promised “reset” of the UK’s ties with the rest of Europe has drawn a positive response in European media, with one longtime journalist rejoicing that she will never again have to cover “Britain as a basket case”.

The prime minister told leaders at a meeting of the European Political Community at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire on Thursday that he wanted to draw a line under years of fractious relations with the rest of Europe. The relaunch was greeted with a sense of relief that after years of chaotic leadership in London a new age of cooperation was beginning.

Annette Dittert, the longtime London correspondent for the German public broadcaster ARD, was effusive about the vibe shift.

“Starmer managed to restore Britain’s reputation in Europe within a day. Astonishing achievement in such (a) short time,” Dittert tweeted. “‘[W]ithin a day’ is maybe a bit over the top, but still: what a complete change of tone and such a relief not having to report on Britain as a basket case any more.”

Der Spiegel noted that “after the long ice age between Berlin and London”, the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, and Starmer got along well. It said the new prime minister’s performance in Blenheim could mark the beginning of a new “tandem” for Europe. » | Lisa O'Carroll, Deborah Cole and Sam Jones | Friday, July 19, 2024

Poland Urges EU to Spend on Eastern Border Defense

Jul 12, 2024 | Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski joins Balance of Power with Joe Mathieu and Kailey Leinz to discuss the just-concluded NATO summit in Washington and the state of the alliance.

Britain Will Not Rejoin EU in My Lifetime, Says Starmer

THE GUARDIAN: Labour leader also says he cannot foresee circumstances where UK would re-enter single market or customs union

Screenshot taken from the Huardian website. Keir Starmer at a campaign event in Scotland. Photograph: Murdo MacLeod/The Guardian
Keir Starmer has insisted the UK will not rejoin either the EU, the single market or the customs union within his lifetime, in his firmest pledge yet that Labour will not seek much closer relations with Europe for as long as he is prime minister.

The Labour leader told reporters on Wednesday he did not think Britain would go back into any of the three blocs while he was alive, all but ruling out rejoining even if he wins a second term in office.

In recent days, the Labour leader has begun talking more freely about what his party would do in power, as polls continue to suggest it is heading for a landslide victory. He also said on Wednesday, for example, that he would seek to extend the parliamentary timetable immediately after the election to allow more time to legislate before the summer. » | Kiran Stacey Political correspondent | Wednesday, July 3, 2024

This is precisely why I could never vote for this clown! And you shouldn’t either! Obviously, the man has no understanding of even basic economics.

This man will put your taxes up, and he will certainly not be able to deliver economic growth. When it comes to economics, the man has no understanding. Keep him out of office! – © Mark Alexander

Georgien: Der große Traum von der EU | ARTE Reportage

Jul 2, 2024 | Georgien wird drei Jahrzehnte nach seiner Unabhängigkeit von der alten UDSSR von teils gewalttätigen Demonstrationen erschüttert. Sie richten sich vor allem gegen das neue Gesetz über "ausländische Einmischung". Es könnte Georgiens neuen Status als Kandidat für die Europäische Union gefährden, den es im Dezember 2023 erhalten hat.

Die Regierung der Partei "Georgischer Traum", die von einem Oligarchen geführt wird, der in Russland ein Vermögen gemacht hat, verabschiedete dieses umstrittene Gesetz nach russischem Vorbild. Es verpflichtet NGOs dazu, ihre ausländischen Finanzquellen anzugeben.

Das prorussische Regime in Tiflis beschuldigt den Westen und Europa, in Georgien Prinzipien durchsetzen zu wollen, die ihren traditionellen Werten widersprechen, das betrifft insbesondere auch die Anerkennung der LGBT-Community.

Eine überwältigende Mehrheit der Bevölkerung teilt diese Auffassungen der Regierung augenscheinlich nicht, sie halten fest an ihrem Traum von der EU. Georgien ist bis heute zu gut 20 Prozent von der russischen Armee besetzt, sie wachen in den abtrünnigen Regionen Ossetien und Abchasien. Dort spielt Putin seine Macht aus, er versucht, den russischen Einfluss in den anderen ehemaligen Republiken der alten UDSSR auszuweiten. Sein Ziel ist ein neues viel größeres Russland, so wie damals in der alten UDSSR.

Professor Tim Wilson: The defeat of liberalism in the US and EU…

Jul 2, 2024 | …but the right wing Populism that has taken root is based on simple solutions that may not work, and have often failed, in practice

EU Leaders Back Ursula von der Leyen for Second Term as President

THE GUARDIAN: Estonia’s PM, Kaja Kallas, set to become the EU’s top diplomat, while former Portuguese PM António Costa takes over as president of the European Council

Ursula von der Leyen has clinched the nomination to serve a second term as president of the European Commission, despite Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni’s complaints of a “wrong” process.

Estonia’s prime minister, Kaja Kallas, is set to become the EU’s top diplomat, representing the bloc on the world stage for the next five years. The former Portuguese prime minister António Costa has been elected to take over as president of the European Council, putting him in charge of finding compromises between the 27 heads of state and government.

At the end of an EU summit that was devoted to Europe’s future and security policy, Poland’s prime minister, Donald Tusk, tweeted: “Kaja, Ursula and António accepted. Defence plans accepted. Satisfaction. For Poland and for Europe.” » | Jennifer Rankin and Lili Bayer in Brussels | Thursday, June 27, 2024

Silence on Russian Interference

Jun 13, 2024 | The Rejoin EU Party: Our goal is for the U.K. to return to the EU.

Jonas Kuehne MD: These Food Additives Are Banned in Europe but Widely Used in the US

Jun 5, 2024 | Do you think our health agencies protect you from harmful food additives? They don’t. This video discusses food additives with known health risks that are banned in Europe, but widely used here in the US.

Why the Far Right Is Surging in Europe | FT Film

May 24, 2024 | The European Parliament has been a coalition of centre-left and centre-right delegates for decades. But elections in June could deliver more far right MEPs than ever before. Their success could influence EU policy on everything from immigration to agriculture and the energy transition. The FT speaks to politicians and voters across the continent to reveal the causes and potential impact

How Will Ukraine Use the EU's 50 Billion Euros? | DW News

Feb 1, 2024 | After a long struggle, all 27 EU states have agreed to a multi-billion euro financial package for Ukraine at the special summit in Brussels. EU Council President Charles Michel announced the agreement: 50 billion euros in financial aid is to flow into Ukraine by 2027. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky praised the agreement reached by the EU states. The commitment will strengthen the long-term economic and financial stability of his country.


For Orban, Ukraine Is a Pawn in a Longer Game: His real aim is to lead a populist and nativist rebellion against Europe’s liberal elite, though that campaign is showing signs of faltering. »