If Trump really does invade Greenland, do we have to keep talking about tariffs? I for one would rather we didn’t punish Californian wine growers & UK consumers. If we are going to take real action, how about direct sanctions on Trump & his cronies, like any other bad actor?

Took a trip to the Courtauld today to see the wonderful Wayne Thiebaud exhibition. Well worth a visit. Really extraordinary art. Not a big show, but the pictures are really striking. These photos do not do them justice.

Labour’s approach to the constitution in 2025 (a short 🧵): 1) Lords reform which essentially amounts to gerrymandering with no attempt at real modernisation (why retain the bishops? Why not limit numbers or limit patronage?); 2) Proposals to limit trial by jury;

Progress on UK free trade agreement negotiations https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9314/

I haven’t done a restaurant review in a while. But after a day spent talking about Standard Essential Patents yesterday, here is something a bit more seasonal - the truffle menu at 45 Jermyn Street.

Will this deliver the changes that Starmer is looking for? ✍️ Alexander Horne www.spectator.co.uk/article/keir...

In my latest piece for the Spectator (I think my 50th!) I take a look at the summit in Strasbourg today where Keir Starmer is hoping win support to reform the ECHR. www.spectator.co.uk/article/keir...

Senior members of the UK government will meet ministers from 45 other Council of Europe member states in Strasbourg on Wednesday to discuss the challenges posed by “irregular” migration. rozenberg.substack.com/p/stopping-t...

Ironically, in its decision yesterday, the Court of Appeal concluded that the Upper Tribunal had reached the wrong decision ✍️ Alexander Horne www.spectator.co.uk/article/why-...

My latest piece for the @thespectator1828.bsky.social looks at the Court of Appeal’s judgment in the ‘Gaza family case’. www.spectator.co.uk/article/why-...

Hard to imagine people go into politics with the aim of underfunding the justice system to the extent that you need to do this… Combined with headlines about a milkshake tax and a £15bn welfare expansion and it’s not exactly a great week for Labour. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture. They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1

If the Lords ends up effectively blocking the progress if the Assisted Dying legislation, I trust that Keir Starmer will do one useful thing with his premiership and whip a Government backed Bill through the Commons next session. We know there is a majority for it. So get it done.

Labour is in the last-chance saloon. ✍️ Alexander Horne

A new piece in @thespectator1828.bsky.social today on the Government’s proposed asylum and immigration reforms. www.spectator.co.uk/article/shab...

I hope to have a short piece up on Labour’s proposed asylum and immigration reforms later today. Will post when it is published. In the meantime, I’d just say that by giving this issue such prominence Labour will increase its political cut through with the electorate. It’s a v risky strategy.

Disappointing to see this response by @chrisbryant1962.bsky.social on the question of scrutiny of trade agreements. The U.K. system under CRaG is hopeless. Everyone knows it. Labour’s approach is exactly the same as the Conservatives. Shameful. questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-ques...

Disappointing to see this response by @chrisbryant1962.bsky.social on the question of scrutiny of trade agreements. The U.K. system under CRaG is hopeless. Everyone knows it. Labour’s approach is exactly the same as the Conservatives. Shameful. questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-ques...

On the 75th anniversary of the ECHR, I pose the question - is now the time for reform? My latest piece for @thespectator1828.bsky.social www.spectator.co.uk/article/can-...

In the UK the Convention faces a significant challenge. For the first time, both the Conservatives and Reform will enter the next general election pledging to withdraw from it. ✍️ Alexander Horne

On the 75th anniversary of the ECHR, I pose the question - is now the time for reform? My latest piece for @thespectator1828.bsky.social www.spectator.co.uk/article/can-...

The problem with Monbiot’s proposal is that there is no agreed definition of ‘fundamental rights’ and that many consider that the ambit of ‘rights’ has been expanded so far that they cover many politically contested areas.

Periodic reminder that Erskine May is freely available online

Slightly later than expected, we're delighted to announce that @tweaty-twacker.bsky.social is back. It posts every time a treaty is laid before the UK Parliament under the procedure set out in the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010.

This is well worth watching.

An interesting post by @davidallengreen.bsky.social on the Aston Villa-Maccabi Tel Aviv conundrum. I confess that I think there ought to be some restriction on a country restricting away fans (unless such a punishment is recommended by UEFA) as it must impact on fairness…

I agree with Joshua that this intervention is by the Human Rights Commissioner is spectacularly badly timed. At a moment where two of the four largest political parties in the UK are advocating an exit from the Convention system, his criticisms seem tin eared.

Having returned from a long weekend in Vienna, I confess I am slightly struggling for a fantastic restaurant recommendation. The best I managed was a spot called Meissl & Schadn, which combined a civilised room and lovely staff with a pretty good veal schnitzel. Worth a visit if you are in town.

Lovely to catch up with my friend and former colleague Holger Hestermeyer at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna yesterday. I hope we will bs collaborating on some more work on treaty scrutiny next year.

With even Labour now accepting that serious change is needed, it appears the status quo is politically indefensible. ✍️ Alexander Horne

A new piece by me for the Spectator on the ECHR. Now Kemi has opted for the ‘simple’ option of leaving the Convention, it leaves Labour facing some tricky questions on human rights reform: www.spectator.co.uk/article/this...

Looking back on the events yesterday. It is truly troubling to think that - following the murder of two Jewish people outside a synagogue during Yom Kippur - some people thought it appropriate to undertake violent protests in Westminster against the world’s only Jewish state.

Viewing the remains of the Carey Street (RCJ) Banksy in person last night provoked me to write a short blog for the excellent Ideas Lab Substack (run by my friend and former parliamentary colleague @eliotwilson.bsky.social theideaslab.substack.com/p/guest-post...

Viewing the remains of the Carey Street (RCJ) Banksy in person last night provoked me to write a short blog for the excellent Ideas Lab Substack (run by my friend and former parliamentary colleague @eliotwilson.bsky.social theideaslab.substack.com/p/guest-post...

Irrespective of one’s views of the artistic merits of the Banksy, this shows everything that’s wrong with Britain at the moment. The state decides it won’t put up with something and sends a man with a high viz jacket out.. But it cannot even do the job of erasing it properly.

This summer I was lucky enough to go on a gastronomic tour of the South of France, taking in Beaulieu sur Mer, Nice, St Paul de Vence, Mougins and Marseille. We ate very well throughout, and I’m happy to make a number of restaurant recommendations for anyone who might be interested…

I’ll be participating in a webinar this afternoon on the proscription of Palestine Action. The event is being held by the Parliament, Public Administration and Constitution Hub in Westminster and I will be debating with Nour Haider, Alex Gask and @daniellalock.bsky.social

Reflecting on the Graham Lineham story this morning, unless there is something more that hasn’t been reported, assuming that the Met Police was responsible for this ‘operation’ I think the Commissioner should resign.

The UK government certainly has a problem with asylum seekers. But neither of the initiatives it has announced during the past week suggests it has a solution. rozenberg.substack.com/p/asylum-pro...

Will look at this proposed new asylum appeal scheme with interest. But I am inherently sceptical. If the new ‘adjudicators’ are not judges, then there will likely be JRs of their decision in the courts. If they are, it’s a rebranding exercise. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Loved the music, hated the hall - pace purists, but it's time for some inauthentic solutions to early music at the Proms...

The tweet below explains why the French/UK asylum treaty has entered into force without parliamentary scrutiny under the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010. (H/t @stevepeers.bsky.social) Labour is treating Parliament with exactly the same sort of contempt as Boris Johnson. Shameful.

Noting a few oddities in respect of the U.K./France migration treaty published on 5 August and already operationalised today. (Short 🧵) www.gov.uk/government/p...

Uk detains first small boat migrants under the UK/France migration treaty with a view to removal; opens up "expression of interest" for those in France who want to apply to come to the UK www.gov.uk/government/n...

Given the recent press coverage of proposed protests in support of the proscribed group Palestine Action this coming weekend, I thought it might be worth reiterating a few points about why this behaviour isn’t justified as simple ‘freedom of speech’. (Short 🧵).

Returned to Club Gascon last night for the first time in a while. They currently have an interesting 2/3 course summer menu on offer. (£38/46pp). It’s a rather lovely introduction to their food and well worth trying.

I haven’t made a restaurant recommendation some time. But recently I had the pleasure of visiting Veeraswamy, located centrally on London’s Regent Street. It advertises itself as ‘the city’s oldest surviving Indian restaurant, having opened in 1926. It didn’t disappoint…

My latest piece for @thespectator1828.bsky.social offers a few comments on the latest Palestine Action judgment, which was delivered yesterday: www.spectator.co.uk/article/pale...

My latest piece for @thespectator1828.bsky.social offers a few comments on the latest Palestine Action judgment, which was delivered yesterday: www.spectator.co.uk/article/pale...

My latest piece for @thespectator1828.bsky.social looks at the longstanding issue of deporting foreign national prisoners (and asks whether there isn’t a more efficient way of dealing with the problem). www.spectator.co.uk/article/how-...