JD Vance is heading to Hungary to endorse Viktor Orban after Easter. Here is a description of the corrupt regime, and the post-reality campaign, that the US administration now supports: www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...

Reform is running "Scotland is at breaking point" posters, singling out Glasgow as "the illegal immigration capital of the Uk" showing people on boats. Just under 7000 people seeking asylum in Scotland in Dec. No official estimates of the undocumented population. The Glasgow claim is nonsense.

The conflicts people flee from don’t start with bullets; they start with words. We’re calling on all candidates to sign our pledge to speak about refugees and people seeking asylum with dignity and compassion, and oppose language that creates division Read our manifesto: https://ow.ly/AscY50YzJNz

BBC News, "Trump says he's strongly considering pulling the US our of the NATO alliance" Lord Ricketts, "Trump has never understood what NATO is from the very start of his first presidency" "NATO is a defensive alliance it's not about following the US into whatever war it choses to undertake"

Trump’s threats to NATO are both empty & real. Empty bc he’s been doing this for years (& threats to annex Greenland are a graver danger than anything he says now in relation to Iran). Real because there’s nothing more palpable than his disdain for Europe and what it represents

Some really interesting historic sites to visit in Stirling - brought together by @digitscotland.bsky.social www.digitscotland.com/top-five-arc... We have some of these featured on our Stirling EuroWalk also! @stirling4europe.bsky.social

Noelia Martinez, CEO @citzrights.bsky.social shared at the launch of the festival's 2026 programme that her organisation is holding a conference on May 11 to consider the current key issues and concerns of European citizens in Scotland. Contact: [email protected] to request a place.

Delighted to announce @thecockburn.bsky.social is a festival partner 🎉 Director, Rowan Brown shares that their May 12 event 'Homes or Homecomings? Learning to manage tourism tensions' will examine tourism tensions & resident needs & learning with European cities. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/homes-or-h...

With talk of new ties, our festivalofeuropescotland.org event on "Future EU-UK relations - the state of play" will be highly topical. Experts looking at UK trade, business, energy, politics, and Scotland's links with EU. Sunday 10 May, Edinburgh. Details: festivalofeuropescotland.org/event/future...

TICKETS ARE NOW LIVE for Festival of Europe Scotland 2026!🎉Join us May 7-17 for inspiring talks, walks, debates, art, films & more to celebrate & strengthen connections between Scotland & Europe. Events in #Edinburgh #Glasgow #Stirling, #Kirkcaldy #Dumfries! Programme link in bio. Image: B Speed

@scga.bsky.social @thecockburn.bsky.social @edinburghnapier.bsky.social @uoe-sps.bsky.social @davidheniguk.bsky.social @phillipspobrien.bsky.social @britishchambers.bsky.social @britishcouncil.bsky.social @librayadvocate.bsky.social @glasgow.ac.uk @creativescots.bsky.social

🚲 "It’s made a colossal difference having protected routes. Being well separated from traffic means I’m able to travel in safety. I’d go so far as to say I wouldn’t be cycling as much for my daily commute or at all without the protected cycle lanes now in place." – Katy in Glasgow buff.ly/rIm5wDM

Michael Owen, an 89-year-old Edinburgh resident, shared: "I'm very supportive of improvements for cycling. I'm approaching 90, and I use my bike to get local shopping most days. I've always used my bike to keep fit - it's my main way of looking after myself. It keeps me more mobile than otherwise."

📰🧵 NEWS: Latest traffic survey data and cycle counter analysis shows thousands of people cycling at locations across Scotland, where new protected routes are being provided. Explore the data, showing how safe infrastructure is helping more people to travel by bike: buff.ly/rIm5wDM

On settlement, govt should confine itself to a decision on what changes/arrangements it is/is not making for 2021-24 arrivals That was the *main* driver. No rationale for rushing longterm reforms: the 6-8 tier draft plan is a chaotic mess of many unintended consequences bsky.app/profile/sund...

Russia is sending drones to Iran (A.P.) which will target U.S. soldiers at same time Trump removed oil sanctions against Russia, and Iran was sending drones to Russia to use against Ukraine.

The big reason to do it - unsustainable fiscal pressure - also turned out to be a vibes-based mirage about "billions". The actual fiscal data could now inform what transitional reforms are useful or not www.politico.eu/article/uk-l...

Today's Cartoon- You voted for this

Three deals, one clear message: Europe is open for business. This was an exceptional week for EU trade. youtube.com/shorts/WeZc0...

This chaotic, unworkable eight tier hierarchy of making settlement harder has next to nothing to do with the two immigration issues most of public would judge a gvt on * how to deliver sustainable levels of future immigration [the visa rules] * how to get control of small boats & asylum hotels

Really informative thread from @sundersays.bsky.social on what is wrong - for migrants, and the country - with Shabana Mahmood's proposals for changes to immigration rules.

Labour, the Conservatives, AND the Greens are all currently polling at 17.7%... electionmaps.uk/polling/vi

Now even more events and activities in our 2026 programme! 24 events, from 7 - 17 May. Film, music, conferences, walks, dance, family fun days and much more. Locations include Edinburgh, Glasgow, Stirling, Dumfries Kirkcaldy! Check out the programme here! festivalofeuropescotland.org/events/

Please help us pass on the word about Scotland's Festival of Europe 2026! @euromovescotland.bsky.social @europeanmovement.co.uk @edinburgh4eu.bsky.social @glasgowforeurope.bsky.social @stirling4europe.bsky.social @fife4europe.bsky.social @scga.bsky.social @europestreet.bsky.social

A major victory for @petergeoghegan.bsky.social and Democracy for Sale open.substack.com/pub/democrac...

Russia has established a transnational network to recruit, train and deploy spies and saboteurs across Europe. Here’s what court cases in Moldova reveal about how it operates 👇 🔗 www.politico.eu/article/russ...

BREAKING: “The leader of the oppositions approach is to out source our foreign policy and let the U.S decide when we go to war, to out source our energy policy to Russia and Iran and let them set the price of energy. I will never do that because it’s not in the British national interest” #PMQs

Hi All, Just sent out free midweek update #3. It starts with the basic reality that the best the US seems to hope for from Iran now is worse than Obama's 2015 agreement (and far worse than Trump said he would get). open.substack.com/pub/phillips...

The Labour govt is proposing much more sweepingly regressive reforms on settlement& citizenship than Thatcher 1981 Act or anything since. Transitional pressure of 2021-24 is not a credible reason for Britain to introduce toughest unsettlement timelines of any democracy for refugees+ migrant citizens

This looks an interesting "Auld Alliance" concert at Govan Music Festival - lots of other great concerts too ! www.glasgowbarons.com/events/the-a...

Did you know there are over 20+ free self guided walks & tours detailed on eurowalks.scot ? And if you fancy a guided walk, there are 3 free guided #EuroWalks included in this year's festival programme #Edinburgh #Stirling & the new #Kirkcaldy walk. Book: festivalofeuropescotland.org/events/list/...

Calling all researchers! Maximise the potential of your EU-funded project with @HorizonBooster! Get expert tips on dissemination, exploitation and market strategies. 📅 26 March at 11:00 CET Register here: link.europa.eu/3t9W6P #HorizonEU

In the latest year, 6,500 more taxpayers moved to Scotland from rUK than left. Net migration to Scotland has been positive every year since it first diverged from UK tax in 2018 — totalling ~22,000 taxpayers.

Spokes slams @anassarwar.bsky.social plan to fill #potholes by butchering #ActiveTravel cash 🙄 Punishing success-> bsky.app/profile/cycl... 🙄 And: potholes are not caused by 🚲! @edi.bike @gobikeglasgow.bsky.social @labourwalkscycles.bsky.social @sarahboyack.bsky.social @marklazarowicz.bsky.social

If the asylum and immigration reforms are the right reforms Parliament should get a chance to debate, scrutinise and agree or stop them. That’s why I have tabled edm 2908 which is a parliamentary measure to trigger that process.

Our festivalofeuropescotland.org Glasgow programme includes a European Traditional Dance Workshop, with Italian, Breton,Swedish,Irish,Ukrainian,Polish dance groups, Sat 16 May 16. A fun-filled day of learning and dancing! Details and tickets here: www.eventbrite.com/e/european-t...

Glasgow, 9 May, Polish Heritage Day(1400-1700) A fun day for families and friends to get together, chat in Polish, enjoy Polish food, play games, sing, dance.Outdoor event open to all, Polish or not! Kelvingrove Park nr Sikorski Polish Club,Parkgrove Terrace G3 7SD.Details: www.facebook.com/Sikorski

Moves to soften on transitional arrangements. But I do not see how ministers and MPs can seriously consider this without government finally putting out real/serious numbers - not this totally fictional £10bn soundbite - so there can be an informed debate about policy, economics, fairness, politics

Should be much more media pressure over why this £10 billion. number is being used. Saving £10 bn is a false claim nobody in govt can defend MPs + peers are likely to insist on the real fiscal numbers. (It is quite likely these reforms have a fiscal cost, not a saving). bsky.app/profile/sund...

Astonished Home Sec is still using this £10 billion. It is a fiction. This goes beyond a misleading sleight of hand (it i net lifetime cost in 30 years time of the status quo) because government can't claim their reforms save it MPs must insist on the real fiscal numbers (which may be zero/net)

On this poll GRN+LAB+LD=50%; RFM+CON=42%. But (on Electoral Calculus model) seats would be RFM 310, GRN 93, LD 76, CON 59, LAB 41 (and SNP/PC 51). Labour leadership's refusal to back fairer voting risks handing UK over to extreme right-wing gov with Farage as PM. Electoral reform is needed now!

On this poll GRN+LAB+LD=50%; RFM+CON=42%. But (on Electoral Calculus model) seats would be RFM 310, GRN 93, LD 76, CON 59, LAB 41 (and SNP/PC 51). Labour leadership's refusal to back fairer voting risks handing UK over to extreme right-wing gov with Farage as PM. Electoral reform is needed now!

More info about speakers at this session: Aleksandra Kozioł is Senior European Security Analyst at Polish Institute of International Relations pism.pl/analysts/Ale...; Stefan Wolff is Professor of International Security at Birmingham University www.birmingham.ac.uk/staff/profiles/gov/wolff-stefan

Allan Little, one of Scotland's (and Europe's) leading journalists. Winner of many awards. World-wide experience, including in much of Central, Eastern, and South Eastern Europe en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allan_L...

Ukraine is at the heart of this year’s festival programme. With talks, exhibitions and art workshops come along and together show we #StandWithUkraine

Check out the festival programme. With most events free, and those that aren’t are £6 a ticket. A festival powered by volunteers and fantastic partners we want everyone to join in! Thank you @bylines.scot and @cluthaman.bsky.social

Russia's campaign against Europe: 11 May (4 pm), Edinburgh. Aleksandra Kozioł, Polish Institute for International Relations; Stefan Wolff, Birmingham Univ. Discussion led by Allan Little www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/russias-campaign-against-europe-hybrid-war-disinformation-influence-tickets-1983873866138

Europe’s defensive measures to shield its democracies from hybrid attacks are no longer enough. If Europeans want to protect their peace and prosperity, the time is to fight back, write Will Brown, @jkobzova.bsky.social, @nicupopescu.bsky.social and José Ignacio Torreblanca. bit.ly/4bebWIe

"A government that can’t make the case for labour mobility with its closest neighbours and biggest trading partner is a government without a model for economic growth" Punchy words from @stellacreasy.bsky.social in Brussels, ones greeted with quite some interest by EU folk.

EU to include UK and Japan in ‘Made in Europe’ plans. European Commission offers access to bloc’s subsidies for manufacturing in partner countries with trade agreements. www.ft.com/content/bfe7...