Well well well, if it isn’t the Tories doing something right for a change news.sky.com/story/ban-pa...

Really fun Tudor fact: Katherine Parr, Henry III’s sixth wife, is named after Catherine of Aragorn, his first wife, because her mother was her lady in waiting. Henry VIII was in the wife business for so long that his last wife was named after his first wife.

The UK’s National Referral Mechanism traps migrant workers like Cynthia—who escaped abusive employers—in limbo without the right to work, leaving them vulnerable to re-exploitation. Advocates demand real protections beyond this ineffective “band-aid” system. www.freedomunited.org/news/uk-surv...

NEW Explaining a 31-month sentence for a tweet How a mixture of court process, law and sentencing policy led to the lengthy imprisonment of Lucy Connolly By me Substack: emptycity.substack.com/p/explaining... Personal blog: davidallengreen.com/2025/05/expl...

Court of Appeal really lays into the EUSS rules for being basically impenetrable in a recent case.

So after months chasing after Reform votes and a major announcement which caused widespread offence and anger among everyone left of Robert Jenrick, a full four per cent of Reform voters now have a favourable impression of Labour, top work from all concerned

I am obviously extra conscious of this since Alex's article (freemovement.org.uk/housesitters...) but a health warning on this would be sensible especially given the recent reports of tourists getting banged up on the US border

What a lot of people are missing about Trump’s meeting with Zelensky is that there was a massive language barrier which obviously hindered communication. But if Trump takes some English lessons before their next meeting, it might be more productive.

What a lot of people are missing about Trump’s meeting with Zelensky is that there was a massive language barrier which obviously hindered communication. But if Trump takes some English lessons before their next meeting, it might be more productive.

In case you missed it: Housesitters and holiday swappers: what are the immigration law implications? | Alex Piletska

Interesting and very useful piece from @alexinlaw.bsky.social

Top 10 Free Movement blog posts of 2024 by page views. Some of these were open access already and I’ve removed the lock on the others.

4. There is no 180 day a year rule for visitors to the UK, @johnvassiliou.bsky.social , last republished 11 July 2023, 90,522 views freemovement.org.uk/there-is-no-...

5. High Court finds passport office prevented from refusing passport to person who may not actually be British, @alexinlaw.bsky.social, 24 July 2024, 74,536 views freemovement.org.uk/high-court-f...

6. “But I don’t know any barristers” – the case for scrapping the referee requirement for citizenship applications, @alexinlaw.bsky.social, 26 November 2024, 66,270 views freemovement.org.uk/but-i-dont-k...

The potential concession is a youth mobility scheme, possibly along the lines of free movement for under 30s but no details have been hashed out yet.

Some positive news! The Home Office are piloting giving newly recogised refugees 56 days before they lose their asylum support instead of the current 28 days. Some concerns about the details, but 28 days isn’t long enough to find somewhere to live & another income www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/home...

I really want to spread awareness of this ridiculous Home Office requirement that doesn’t get enough coverage in the hopes that it will finally be scrapped (since even the Home Office probably doesn’t want it) so please RT widely!

I was blown away to discover recently that fees for loads of stuff were only introduced in 2003. And the fees that did exist were pretty affordable - 33 quid for a student visa!

Immigration lawyer Alex Piletska @alexinlaw.bsky.social is here!

Quoting the new Home Office fees is painful but not as painful as it will be once IHS goes up as well 😬