Of course Olly Robbins is diligent, super smart, professional and competent. Some people seem surprised but shouldn't be. Recall he managed to negotiate a de facto Customs Union & Single Market for goods deal for the UK/NI - which the EU hated. He's the best the Civil Service had
No10 just wanted appointment done. Will increase pressure on Starmer from Lab MPs after 7 May elections, as I've long argued 2/2
Olly Robbins has definitely come out on top. Robbins 2, Starmer 0 (two own goals). Sacking him has backfired on Starmer. Olly much more convincing. Starmer’s claim that he would have blocked Mandelson appointment if he had known about security vetting doubts is in shreds 1/
The spotlight is now clearly back on Starmer’s original decision to appoint Mandelson
The diversionary tactic of blaming the civil service has not worked
Shipping though the strait, and therefore the world economy, will only fully recover when ship-owners are confident that their vessels, cargoes and mariners are safe. An alliance of non-combattant nations to protect ships is essential, they say
ENDS
What is the point of such an alliance if its warssips will only intervene when the fighting stops, Trump and others ask? The Elyséee summiteers – who will discuss the details at a follow-up summit in London next week- insist that it IS vital. 4/
Secondly, despite mockery by Trump and others, the Four (and the Forty) agreed to push ahead with a post-war, “neutral and peaceful” alliance to escort ships and locate mines. 3/
The Four (who were all present; other leaders took part by video link) called for an “immediate, complete and unconditional” opening of Strait – challenging President Trump’s statement that the US naval blockade of Iranian ports would continue during the ceasefire. 2/
Two takeaways from the “Hormuz Summit” involving 40 nations which at the Elysée Palace yesterday. The most significant fact may be the near unanimity of view of the leaders of the Big Four western European countries: France, UK, Germany and Italy. 1/
www.lemonde.fr/internationa...
Trump threatens to rip up UK/US trade deal but I understand that talks at officials’ level are productive. Still, Starmer wont retaliate & get drawn into war of words with Trump but will stand his ground - & ministers are toughening up their language too
www.ft.com/content/2cbe...
But two other symbolic decisions have been taken. The 80,000 Fr |Social Security officials will gradually switch to French digital tools such as Tchap, Visio and FranceTransfert. All French health service data will move to a European cloud system by the end of the year. ENDS
France accepts that this will be a long and difficult struggle. US companies have an 83% share of the market for software and cloud services in the EU. 6/
David Amiel, minister for public action and accounts, and a close ally of President Macron, said: “We must learn to disconnect ourselves from American technology and reclaim control over our digital destiny.” 5/
The plans are not new but but have accelerated since US officials spoke of possible using Europe’s tech dependence as a coercive weapon during the crisis over President Trump’s grab for Greenland earlier this year. 4/
All other ministries and government agencies have been told to come up with a plan by the Autumn to move their digital functions away from the US tech giants and towards French or European alternatives. 3/
An inter-ministerial seminar in Paris took a series of decisions to move French state on-line activities away from Microsoft and Google towards French or EU alternatives. As a first step the digital ministry will abandon Windows for the open-source Finnish-origin system Linux. 2/
Europe v the US? There is much talk of a possible collapse of Nato but other big stuff in a gathering transatlantic civil war is invisible – or little noticed. France took a strategic step last week towards reducing its dependence on American tech giants. 1/
www.numerique.gouv.fr/sinformer/es...
No longer a useful idiot
Trump says Meloni lacks courage. The real story: Meloni has a political brain - and has been distancing herself from Trump for months
www.ft.com/content/284f...
All far right European nationalist-populists thought the Trump Admin would provide them with a nice tailwind and further legitimise them and their agenda to voters. Instead it's turning out to be a massive headwind - and they're all running for cover!
From 1h ago.
The UK and European public are not prepared for what is going to hit them later this year
Le Pen furious and worried that the model she and Jordan Bardella were going to offer to the French people next year - pretending to be European but wrecking the EU from the inside - has been rejected by the people of Hungary and will be rejected by the French as well
Le Pen furious and worried that the model she and Jordan Bardella were going to offer to the French people next year - pretending to be European but wrecking the EU from the inside - has been rejected by the people of Hungary and will be rejected by the French as well
MAGA's policies towards the EU are proving really counter productive for the US & really good for the EU - “buy European” provisions; India, Australia, Mercosur trade deals; military/defence self-sufficiency; UK pivot towards the EU; European far-right poss in retreat
🇪🇺🇺🇸
Magyar is mainstream centre-right EPP. That's where he will sit in Brussels, and his views on migration and Ukraine aren't more or less extreme than those of Meloni or Macron
My thoughts in @theguardian.com about what Magyar's election means for Hungary, Europe and Ukraine
With the great @nathalietocci.bsky.social and @zecsaky.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
There was indignation in EU capitals and Brussels about the Trump administration’s declared policy of interference in European politics. The result in Hungary suggests that the MAGA message is toxic, not infectious
I tell @nytimes that Hungary's “ election result is a game changer for Europe”
www.nytimes.com/2026/04/13/w...
Some positives from Magyar's win for the EU
-€bn for Hungary for its economy
-€bn for Ukraine
-Accession chapters unlocked for Ukraine & also for Moldova, which could move quite quickly
-€ adoption
-Isolates Fico
-Could weaken the momentum for Bardella/RN in France