Previously: UK Labour Party Leader in EurParliament, Yorks&Humber MEP, NEC, ShadowCabinet Currently: EM, LME, writing & lecturing Brexit was a costly mistake. .https://bsky.app/profile/richardcorbett.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/richardcorbett.bsky.social/post/3mr36n4acqs22Burnham to say UK must be honest about its challenges. That must of course include being honest about the fact that Brexit has been a disaster for Britain. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jul/19/burnham-warn-uk-honest-challenges-prepares-become-pm?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other20 Jul 2026 11:24 +0000at://did:plc:ryfdeym7aar2siojsxy2pyru/app.bsky.feed.post/3mr36n4acqs22https://bsky.app/profile/richardcorbett.bsky.social/post/3mr32zdjpmc2oFarewell Keir Starmer!20 Jul 2026 10:19 +0000at://did:plc:ryfdeym7aar2siojsxy2pyru/app.bsky.feed.post/3mr32zdjpmc2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/richardcorbett.bsky.social/post/3mr2s26vkf22i#bbcbreakfast highlighting the delays and long queues for Brits entering the EU with its new Entry-Exit System (EES). When it was a member of the EU, the UK supported this idea to strengthen its borders, never thinking the Brits would be on the outside. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckg5gg6n9x3o20 Jul 2026 07:39 +0000at://did:plc:ryfdeym7aar2siojsxy2pyru/app.bsky.feed.post/3mr2s26vkf22ihttps://bsky.app/profile/richardcorbett.bsky.social/post/3mr2rbu3nfs2iSo, today will see Andy Burnham become the 7th Prime Ministers in the 10 years since the Brexit referendum. The 7 PMs before that held office for 42 years, going back to Harold Wilson’s return to power in 1974 (and he had already been PM previously for 6 years 1964-70)20 Jul 2026 07:25 +0000at://did:plc:ryfdeym7aar2siojsxy2pyru/app.bsky.feed.post/3mr2rbu3nfs2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/richardcorbett.bsky.social/post/3mqzstkoihk2lRanking the World Cup teams by goal difference (not counting extra time goals or penalty shootouts): Spain +12 France +10 Argentina +9 England +7 Mexico +7 Brazil +7 Belgium +6 Switzerland +619 Jul 2026 22:20 +0000at://did:plc:ryfdeym7aar2siojsxy2pyru/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqzstkoihk2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/richardcorbett.bsky.social/post/3mqyhhujbdc2fLots of hypocrisy from those calling for Burnham to call an early election. From Churchill in 1940 to Burnham tomorrow = 19 PMs: - 12 came to office mid-term - 7 after a parliamentary election The team winning a majority in the Commons is free to change its captain19 Jul 2026 09:24 +0000at://did:plc:ryfdeym7aar2siojsxy2pyru/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqyhhujbdc2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/richardcorbett.bsky.social/post/3mqqkvqsd422v#England So close yet again. 2022 - a missed Kane penalty against France in quarter-final 2018 - fail to beat Croatia in semi-final. And before that: see my account of everything that went wrong after 1966: https://richardcorbett.org.uk/england-and-world-cups-another-episode-in-a-lifetime-of-heartbreaks/16 Jul 2026 06:04 +0000at://did:plc:ryfdeym7aar2siojsxy2pyru/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqqkvqsd422vhttps://bsky.app/profile/richardcorbett.bsky.social/post/3mqo5cho6522q“Step by step to Rejoin EU” Horizon research ✅ Erasmus exchanges ✅ N.Ireland in single market ✅ EU military mobility project ✅ EU agri-food standards ✅ Gibraltar in Schengen ✅ EU Ukraine Support Loan ✅15 Jul 2026 06:55 +0000at://did:plc:ryfdeym7aar2siojsxy2pyru/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqo5cho6522qhttps://bsky.app/profile/richardcorbett.bsky.social/post/3mqjci6uilk2o13 Jul 2026 08:45 +0000at://did:plc:ryfdeym7aar2siojsxy2pyru/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqjci6uilk2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/richardcorbett.bsky.social/post/3mq7ywde6qc2mThe report of the Ethics & Integrity Commission is welcome. The follow-up should also draw inspiration from what the European Parliament did after the Qatargate scandal - see my article in this New Statesman special supplement: https://www.newstatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/21/TheReportCIPRsupplement9Feb2024.pdf09 Jul 2026 16:00 +0000at://did:plc:ryfdeym7aar2siojsxy2pyru/app.bsky.feed.post/3mq7ywde6qc2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/richardcorbett.bsky.social/post/3mq7q5zacgs2wFarage v the Establishment in Clacton09 Jul 2026 13:23 +0000at://did:plc:ryfdeym7aar2siojsxy2pyru/app.bsky.feed.post/3mq7q5zacgs2whttps://bsky.app/profile/richardcorbett.bsky.social/post/3mq2swwhizk2iFarage decision to resign as an MP, but immediately seek reelection in the ensuing by-election, is an attempt to short-circuit the Parliamentary Standards investigation into his rule-breaking before it concludes Taxpayer will pay cost of by-election Words like arrogance & hypocrisy spring to mind07 Jul 2026 14:29 +0000at://did:plc:ryfdeym7aar2siojsxy2pyru/app.bsky.feed.post/3mq2swwhizk2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/richardcorbett.bsky.social/post/3mq3c3nfdec2eAfter FIFA capitulates to Trump on allowing a suspended USA player to play, we now have FIFA appointed referee gifting Argentina (whose right wing President Milei is a Trump devotee) a dubious victory against Egypt.07 Jul 2026 19:01 +0000at://did:plc:ryfdeym7aar2siojsxy2pyru/app.bsky.feed.post/3mq3c3nfdec2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/richardcorbett.bsky.social/post/3mq2swwhizk2iFarage decision to resign as an MP, but immediately seek reelection in the ensuing by-election, is an attempt to short-circuit the Parliamentary Standards investigation into his rule-breaking before it concludes Taxpayer will pay cost of by-election Words like arrogance & hypocrisy spring to mind07 Jul 2026 14:29 +0000at://did:plc:ryfdeym7aar2siojsxy2pyru/app.bsky.feed.post/3mq2swwhizk2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/richardcorbett.bsky.social/post/3mpycpvl2ss2gEU and UEFA both condemn FIFA capitulation to Trump, and its threat to fair play, integrity, and the independence of sporting authorities from political interference. The transatlantic rift between Europe and the US grows.06 Jul 2026 14:34 +0000at://did:plc:ryfdeym7aar2siojsxy2pyru/app.bsky.feed.post/3mpycpvl2ss2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/richardcorbett.bsky.social/post/3mpvw245mak2yNEW PODCAST from the Bruegel think tank in Brussels, in which I discuss, with Rebecca Christie & Heather Grabbe, UK-EU relations and the prospects for Britain returning to the EU. [contains quote post or other embedded content]05 Jul 2026 15:42 +0000at://did:plc:ryfdeym7aar2siojsxy2pyru/app.bsky.feed.post/3mpvw245mak2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/richardcorbett.bsky.social/post/3mpbgf2tw2k2hI’m fed up with politicians saying we need to “respect” the result of the 2016 Brexit referendum. A decision by a narrow majority 10yrs ago, that turned out to be a costly mistake, does not have to be “respected”. If a democracy cannot change its mind it ceases to be a democracy.27 Jun 2026 12:08 +0000at://did:plc:ryfdeym7aar2siojsxy2pyru/app.bsky.feed.post/3mpbgf2tw2k2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/richardcorbett.bsky.social/post/3mph44gouwk2pFor something different: my take on how Ukraine will fit into the EU institutions and the issues that will have to be addressed for that: @feps-europe.eu https://feps-europe.eu/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/FEPS-Policy-Brief-Institutional-aspects-of-Ukrainian-Accession-to-the-EU.pdf29 Jun 2026 18:20 +0000at://did:plc:ryfdeym7aar2siojsxy2pyru/app.bsky.feed.post/3mph44gouwk2p