Fifty million Brits had a Covid vaccine. The speed at which they were developed is one of the success stories of the last 25 years. Farage took to the airwaves today to say they were not real vaccines. This might be a popular view in the MAGA movement, but it's not where the British public is.

Farage: "I believe in vaccinations when they're vaccinations. I don't think what happened with Covid were vaccinations. You have to keep having them every 6 months." Conspiratorial nonsense. Some vaccinations like Covid shots require multiple/seasonal doses because immunity fades & viruses change.

Representing Roman Abramovich - a sanctioned Russian oligarch - while serving as Conservative shadow Attorney-General risks a huge conflict of interest. Kemi Badenoch needs to make a choice. Either Lord Wolfson continues as shadow AG or advises Abramovich. He can’t do both.

Renewable energy project approvals hit record high in GB in 2025, data shows

It was Christmas Eve five years ago when Boris Johnson signed his Brexit deal and kicked young Brits out of the Erasmus programme. Today, we exorcised that Ghost of Christmas Past. Our Labour Government is rejoining the scheme. A great day for young people and Pro-Europeans everywhere.

It was Christmas Eve five years ago when Boris Johnson signed his Brexit deal and kicked young Brits out of the Erasmus programme. Today, we exorcised that Ghost of Christmas Past. Our Labour Government is rejoining the scheme. A great day for young people and Pro-Europeans everywhere.

The UK is rejoining Erasmus and we are well on the way to being back as a participant in the EU's internal electricity market. 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 Welcome news and proof the government is turning the promise of the UK/EU summit into policy delivery. This is the joint statement ec.europa.eu/commission/p...

Lots of encouraging news in the ONS inflation data report this month. A sixth interest rate cut since the General Election looks even more likely tomorrow. Countless homeowners remortgaging next year will be saving money, especially if you fixed two years ago. www.ons.gov.uk/economy/infl...

BREAKING: Labour's landmark Employment Rights Bill has PASSED both Houses of Parliament. Its new rights will be transformational. This is a massive step forward in delivering Labour's New Deal for Working People - passed by a Labour Government, delivered with the labour movement. Let's celebrate 🎉

Enjoyed chairing a conversation with Treasury Minister @torstenbell.bsky.social for the Living Standards Coalition yesterday, digging into what the Budget means for people’s wages, energy bills & travel costs. Positive steps taken - plenty still to do to raise living standards after the last 14 yrs

If only this were satire... 1 in 5 people born in 1980s can expect to inherit less than £10,000. The top 10%: more than £500,000. We need a society where we find ways to spread wealth and opportunity. You'll hear more from me on how a Citizens Advance can do that next year www.citizensadvance.uk

Chair of @uktradebusiness.bsky.social @andrewlewinmp.bsky.social introduces the youth mobility report noting that in a negotiation not everyone will like everything within it - but this is a considered way to move the debate forward.

The UK Trade and Business Commission’s report outlines how the UK and EU could implement a YES. "There is a compelling case that young people should be the first to benefit from a strengthened UK/EU relationship," writes @andrewlewinmp.bsky.social Read here: https://bit.ly/4pWnK7B

This is a significant report on UK-EU youth experience / mobility as the first to be released from either side on how the scheme outlined in May's common understanding could actually work in practice. I'm pleased to have been involved as an adviser.

1/2. Young people should be first in line to benefit from a stronger EU/UK relationship. To make it happen, we need the political courage to negotiate a youth experience scheme that works for both sides. *New this evening* Our @uktradebusiness.bsky.social proposal 👇 inews.co.uk/news/politic...

The Budget was about making fair choices and providing economic stability. The BofE confirms that as a direct result of those choices, inflation will fall. Lower inflation almost certainly means lower interest rates. Lower interest rates means a continuing fall in mortgage rates. All good news.

The UK must focus on delivering real progress in current EU negotiations before pushing for a Customs Union that Brussels isn’t ready to discuss argues @andrewlewinmp.bsky.social

Cards on the table, I want to campaign to Rejoin the EU in my lifetime. But my message to all Pro-Europeans today is that now is not the time to ask to join a Customs Union. The EU wants to see us deliver on what was agreed at the summit and that must be our focus too. labourlist.org/2025/12/uk-e...

I quietly left X a few weeks ago. Do I miss it? Absolutely not. Still, I am grateful to people who cross post some of the comic content. We all need some light relief. Today, the most recent Conservative candidate to be Mayor of Ldn, shouting at gingerbread 🤭 Thanks @adambienkov.bsky.social

Good to see another Labour minister on Bsky.

Most households subject to the two-child limit already have at least one adult in work. Of the minority of households that are not in work, more than nine-in-ten have a child under three or a disabled family member with additional care needs, making any return to the labour market challenging.

One of our best sessions with the bat in years, is one in which we score the fewest runs. Attritional Test cricket will always have its place. Keep going. Bat time. 🏏

At yesterday's APPG on #NewTowns AGM, the Group heard from The Rt Hon Nick Raynsford and Chair Andrew Lewin MP launched a ‘mini’ inquiry into the Growth & Renewal of the UK’s 32 New Towns. The inquiry will draw on themes identified by the TCPA in ‘A New Future for New Towns’ shorturl.at/CL93H

The European Union, standing up for its citizens and holding X to account. ✅️ ec.europa.eu/commission/p...

Great to be chairing the first Living Standards Coalition X @energy-uk.org.uk roundtable focused on bringing down energy bills for households #BringDownBills @andrewlewinmp.bsky.social

The more I think about it, the more bizarre I find the accusation that the Chancellor deliberately exaggerated the dire state of the finances in order to justify tax rises. The extent to which there is 'exaggeration' means more for fiscal headroom, which is what everyone wanted her to pursue 1/

The Ghost(s) of Christmas past... www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

👏🏽"We must all now confront the reality that the Brexit deal significantly hurt our economy. We have to keep reducing frictions. We have to keep moving towards a closer relationship with the EU. And we have to be grown up about it. To accept that it will require trade-offs."👏🏽 Music to my ears. ~AA

My Budget speech from this afternoon. Brief reflections on the dependency ratio, Brexit, gilt markets, the cost of living and driving down child poverty. All in under five minutes. youtu.be/H1MOleJWubc?...

From 2030/31, we'll be spending £195billion on welfare support for pensioners and £14billion on child benefit. Lifting the cap and taking 450,000 children out of poverty is the right decision. And when we debate what is driving our welfare bill, we should do it in possession of all the facts.

Does Zack think he'll get away with doubling down on a talking point from the right wing media? Productivity was downgraded by £16billion by the OBR. It's a fact. Accusing the Chancellor of 'lying' betrays either A) A lack of understanding B) Wilfully ignoring the facts Sad. Not surprising.

The OBR downgraded productivity by £16billion. It's not, 'made up' Zack. Have another read. New taxes on remote gambling, dividends, a mansion tax on homes worth more than £2million. 450,000 children lifted out of poverty. £150 off energy bills next year. Progressive choices. That's who we are.

Must read from @pimlicat.bsky.social Pro Europeans on both side of the channel need to redouble our efforts to compromise, co-operate and forge stronger partnerships. Even more important at a moment when Ukraine's sovereign future hangs in the balance. www.bestforbritain.org/uk_access_to...

From 2030/31, we'll be spending £195billion on welfare support for pensioners and £14billion on child benefit. Lifting the cap and taking 450,000 children out of poverty is the right decision. And when we debate what is driving our welfare bill, we should do it in possession of all the facts.

UKTBC Chair Andrew Lewin MP: "The Brexit deal put up barriers with our closest and largest trading partners. We have 16,000 fewer businesses in the UK exporting to the EU." "A surge in food prices, bureaucracy at the border and a hit to our economy of at least £100 billion."

My Budget speech from this afternoon. Brief reflections on the dependency ratio, Brexit, gilt markets, the cost of living and driving down child poverty. All in under five minutes. youtu.be/H1MOleJWubc?...

U.K 30 YEAR GILT YIELD DOWN 9.8 BPS TO 5.23%, IN BIGGEST ONE DAY FALL SINCE APRIL

You may have seen some headlines about welfare spending going up to £406.2bn by 2030/31. That is correct, it is the OBR figure. Here is what you may not have seen. Of the £406.2bn A) £195.4bn goes to pensioners B) £13.9bn goes on child benefit. Facts matter.

The Chancellor more than doubled the headroom against her stability rule. The right choice. It sends a message to the country and the markets that fiscal responsibility is non-negotiable for this government. With greater stability,I suspect it will make a further interest rate cut more likely too.

Am still in the Commons chamber. Very striking that 90% of the lobby left the Commons as soon as Kemi Badenoch stood up. You could say it's bad form. It's certainly proof that no serious political journalist or commentator believes she has any chance of ever being PM.

In Budget week, I am afraid we have to talk about Brexit. A new report from economists at the BoE, Kings College and others puts the hit to our economy at 6 to 8% of of UK GDP. That equates to circa £66billion in lost tax revenue. That's why we have to go further and faster on the UK/EU reset.

Train fares frozen across the country. A welcome and important Labour measure to help with the cost of living. If you travel from Welwyn Garden City into London Kings Cross on an annual season ticket, it will save you £222 per year.

There is determined, disciplined and effective Test match batting from a touring side this morning. Well played South Africa. 🏏

This research is important because it corroborates what we already knew - that when comparing the UK to peer economies, it has had a big slowdown since 2016. It does so with firm-level data and finds more EU-connected firms have sizeable shortfalls in productivity and investment compared to less.

It's been a long time coming...today we are reconnecting council funding with deprivation -> www.gov.uk/government/n...

An excellent policy that I anticipate will bring good news to people across Welwyn Hatfield. We're a community of contrasts and I am optimistic this change in how funding is allocated will give our local authority a much needed boost. Great that @allymcgovern.bsky.social embracing BlueSky too!

History, rivalry, drama. That's the Ashes. From Parliament to Perth, good luck to England! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 🏏 #TheAshes

As immigration dominates the brief this morning, here’s my two cents on the salience vs. the importance of the issue: labourlist.org/2025/11/immi... (Full report linked below - Many thanks to @emmaburnell.bsky.social!!)

Essential reading from Calum Weir - on findings from some innovative polling from Labour Together. His words "Immigration is salient, polarising and important. Cost of living is foundational, unifying and in some ways, even more important." labourlist.org/2025/11/immi... @cwp-weir.bsky.social

A heartfelt thank you to everyone across Welwyn Hatfield who attended and participated in Remembrance services today. The support from the public has been exceptional. From veterans and cadets through to brownies and cubs acting as flag bearers. We will remember them.