johanbeerts.bsky.social

Reform plan to bring back imperial measurements to help boost US trade, not realising that US imperial measurements are different from UK ones. So dense a black hole is empty space by comparison.

Imagine being from Britain and accusing the EU of neoliberalism and austerity without even a hint of self-awareness lol.

The lessons from Brazil and Serbia? Don't concede one inch of ground to the far right. Don't appease. Don't triangulate. Don't grovel. Don't say they have "legitimate concerns". Mobilise your base, and fight them with all the democratic means at your disposal.

The short version is, be careful of discussing what you don't want because that just looks like exceptionalist UK all over again. Which is true, and all the more reason why the absence of pro-EU voices making strong pro-EU arguments is even more striking.

The correct legal approach to this seems to be that when platforms start favouring some content over other, they don‘t deserve immunity for third party content on the basis that they are just platforms. They should become liable. finance.yahoo.com/media-advert...

Another member of the UK commentariat who prefers sneering to making his mind up which side of the door he wants to be on.

Interesting contrasts. Burnham is lauded for asking if the UK might accept free movement as the price for making money out of the SM. On the other hand, Georgians have been demonstrating every night for 2 years out of a passionate wish to join the EU and have a European future.

The mentality of certain "rejoiners". Trustworthy old Britain, the most trustworthy member state the EU ever had apparently, served on a bed of supremacism. Not fit to be an EU member.

Muslims and immigrants, despite all the lies we're told about them, have never presented a systemic threat to Western security, let alone to "Western civilisation". Instead, the threats come from our governments, especially in the US, and their grim alliances with capital and overseas dictators.

If it looks like the UK is likely to renege on treaty obligations as soon as it rejoins, best not try to apply to become a member again.

Remarkable thing about the French protests (that are spreading around Europe) is that they are hurting from a Cost of Living crisis yet.. They don't blame migrants They don't blame people on welfare or unable to work They don't blame EU They blame r/w parties paralysing politics & billionaires.

I have been trying to think of what Trump’s hideous “ballroom” project reminds me of — and I finally have it — it is Nicolai Ceausescu’s infamous and unfinished House of the People in communist Romania, which also brought awfulness to a lovely downtown.

'the full, timely and faithful implementation of the existing agreements... [n]amely, the Withdrawal Agreement, including the Windsor Framework, and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement'. How many partners get repeatedly reminded of this? The legacy of the Johnson years. Šefčovič statement:

Other than the fact that we have already rejected our previous exceptional terms of membership as not good enough for us, rejected the Eurozone, rejected Schengen and were absolutely against ever closer union, I can’t see any reason why we aren’t the perfect candidate to join

😂It's always all about "them" isn't it. They want "good" terms from the EU so THEY can progress. "Good" terms in their eyes means not participating in the EU's finest achievements like Schengen. More spesjul treatment for a country that only spat us in the face after decades of appeasement.

The official govt of Israel account muted me after I answered their question, so I decided it’s important even more people see my answer.

But he did disavow them - and again, you face the same question as "Tommy" faced: what is the point of asking AES in particular? Do *you* disavow them? Have you asked everyone you know to disavow them? Do you disavow Nazis? Would you enjoy being repeatedly singled out and asked to disavow them?

Woest word ik van deze onverschillige, waardeloze roofdieren. Hun harteloze, op geld gerichte machtshonger over de rug van Oekraïense burgers is ver buiten schaamteloos. Er is niks dat ons ervan weerhoudt om los van hen te komen, behalve politiek leiderschap. Een draadje 🧵 1/7

Spot on, David. Seen from the EU, this approach sounds awfully same old, same old: want to make money and to 'lead'. The EU continues to grow and change, but its foundation is the same. And many of the biggest changes are ones which the UK itself would have blocked--a fact of which Bx is well aware.

Let's give Belgium whatever guarantees it asks for to transfer Russia's frozen assets to Ukraine. Ukraine's and Europe's future depends on it, and we can't allow ourselves to fail just because we didn't dare give guarantees to Belgium

Nothing makes me laugh harder than some English entitlement and pathetic victimhood to brighten up my day. 😂 How dare the French try to reap the benefits of Brexit by using the fact that Britain chose not to be a member of the EU? How dare they!

There's no high-speed rail line from Scotland to England and no passenger route to Europe. But there are 3 interconnectors for our power.

🚨🚨 I am so utterly happy and bloody satisfied that #Ukraine has resumed their strikes on #Russian oil refineries. Apologies for language bu go f🤬🤬 yourself #trump and #putin and to hell with your energy deal. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/o...

People need to understand that the only reason Trump backed down on SpaceX and Starshield so quickly is that he got push back right away, politically and from Ukraine. He is a bully and a coward. Stop criticising Zelensky for standing up to him.

Are we headed for a second season of 'Verhofstadt promises Brits can retain EU citizenship?'

...and WTF have they done to stop the right wing dominating the UK? Nada, niente, nichts, rien, etc, all 27+ languages worth of 'nothing' by listening to or reading the babble from stick in the mud mediocrities.

All fine and well... But as long as the UK argument for closer links with the EU is purely mercantile, there will be no progress beyond the current (UK) red lines. It's not the same 🇪🇺 that you've voted to leave in 2016,let alone the one you joined in the 70s

If Putin stops fighting, the war ends. If Zelensky stops fighting then his country will be occupied, leaders murdered, language banned, businesses stolen, children kidnapped. That's what happens in Russian-occupied Ukraine.

Reform’s Robert Jenrick said his party would use “lethal force” against people crossing the channel in small boats. This inflammatory and inhumane rhetoric does not reflect the values of the people of Wales. We have a duty as politicians to call out such dangerous language.

Well it’s certainly an unusual strategy Spend last week demanding to be included in Made in Europe, then this week give Europe a reason to be wary of doing so They may have added a whole new dimension to the chess board

Yikes! the UK is banning books now because author, Sally Rooney, supports Palestine Action. It's turning into the 51st state of MAGA. What's next? An ECHR exit and an english version of ICE, staffed by patriot platform thugs?

EU and Albania 🇦🇱 agree fourth chapter (out of 33) in accession talks www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/pre...

I don't think anything has changed in UK's attitude to EU. In fact this whole thread is not about EU at all, it is about internal UK politics AGAIN. If someone in the EU points out that this is not how the EU works or not the kind of EU member we need, we are "the enemy".

It's also the height of conceit to say, effectively, "Schengen and the euro may be good enough for you lot, but not for us".

Britain is reopening the question of Europe. This time, we need an honest debate before choosing again | Anna Damski

🚨🚨 #Trump's message to #Ukraine is now clear. The president's action over the last 72 hours look like an effort to force Kyiv to surrender. Clear-sighted take by @anneapplebaum.wsocial.eu on #trump's betrayal of #ukraine's fight to protect their independence. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/1...

Here we go again. Candidate countries can negotiate [...] opt-outs to Schengen etc." They don't like our finest achievements, and the first thing they think about is opting out. And again the bragging about "our economy". Didn't keep the EEC from making the UK beg for membership three times.

I’m ok. Make no mistake: this is an attempt to target political enemies and weaponize federal law enforcement. For ten years, Trump has targeted me with baseless lies and smear campaigns. This is just the latest escalation in his campaign of political intimidation. I will not be silenced.

Germany and the other Northern austerity frugals say the EU budget is "bloated". Here's how that "bloated" 🇪🇺budget compares: Federations: 🇪🇺: 1% of GDP 🇩🇪: 12% 🇺🇸: 24% Unitary states: 🇳🇱: 46% 🇫🇷: 57%

BBC news demanding to see evidence that Russia interfered in Brexit. The same news corporation that has promoted evidence-free 'Israel says' claims as factual and spent the past year pretending Israel has ceased-firing in Gaza. Wikipedia's a more credible news source.

Boris Johnson endorsed Trump's re-election specifically on the basis that he wouldn't "ditch the Ukrainians". Now he wants praise for saying Trump has ditched the Ukrainians. Ukraine deserves much smarter friends than Johnson.

I was today's old when I learned that BfB is a "pro-Brussels group". When did this happen? BfB is neither pro-Brussels nor pro-EU. They never espoused or espouse a pov that defends European interests. They only defend their own perspective of 🇬🇧 back in 🇪🇺 with special treatment and opt-outs. 🤮