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The Bear

@bearlypolitics.co.uk

30K followers 4.2K following 1.5K posts

Politics, power, propaganda - explained without the spin. Author of Bear Necessities of Politics and Power and editor of BearlyPolitics.co.uk 🐻

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The Bear @bearlypolitics.co.uk · Sep 2

📌 Notice 📌

If you’re looking for my longer form posts, you can now find them on bearlypolitics.co.uk.

🐻

Bearly Politics | The Bear | Substack

Welcome to Bearly Politics! I'm The Bear, your slightly exasperated guide to the strange world of modern politics. Here, I attempt to tackle the absurdities of power, with claws sharpened by satire an...

bearlypolitics.co.uk

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The Bear @bearlypolitics.co.uk · 5h

But this does not translate to the articles assertion that dependents don’t have to speak any English “at all.”

Why does this feel a bit like posturing and gaslighting to me?

www.gov.uk/uk-family-vi...

Family visas: apply, extend or switch

Get a family visa for the UK, live with your spouse or relative - eligibility, proof, renewing, financial and English language requirements.

www.gov.uk

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The Bear @bearlypolitics.co.uk · 5h

To successfully apply for a dependent visa, family members do, in fact, need to pass an English test at the A1 Level on the Common European Framework Reference for Languages Scale (CEFR).

Are there exceptions? Yes, listed below.

Knowledge of English
You may need to prove your knowledge of the English language when you apply.
When you do not need to prove it
You do not need to prove your knowledge of English or take a test if one of the following is true:
• you're applying as a child
• you're applying as an adult coming to be cared for by a relative
• you've been in the UK on a family visa for 5 years and you're extending it as a partner or parent
• you're over 65
• you have a physical or mental condition that prevents you from meeting the requirement

You also will not need to prove your knowledge of English if you're a national of one of the following countries or territories:
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Australia
• the Bahamas
• Barbados
• Belize
• the British overseas territories
• Canada
• Dominica
• Grenada
• Guyana
• Jamaica
• Malta
• New Zealand
• St Kitts and Nevis
• St Lucia
• St Vincent and the Grenadines
• Trinidad and Tobago
• USA

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The Bear @bearlypolitics.co.uk · 5h

Just a point to add to this.

In a Times article mentioning the same issue, it notes about dependents of migrants that:

“At present they do not have to speak any English at all.”

Which isn’t the case - at all.

The tougher language requirement will not apply to family members who come with migrant workers, known as dependants.
Separate changes will require them to learn a standard of English equivalent to GCSE.
At present they do not have to speak any English at all. The government has not said when the changes for dependants will be introduced.

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The Bear @bearlypolitics.co.uk · 5h

I get the nuance, but point was about the politics of the headline:

if you cheer this as a cultural purity test, could you pass it yourself?

Whether it hits “some graduates” or all visas, the message comes across the same - raise the bar for migrants beyond what many Brits could clear.

The Bear @bearlypolitics.co.uk · 14h

When I see announcements like this, I have to ask - how many of the people out there who are so vehemently anti-migrant would actually pass English at an A-Level standard?

Migrants will need A-level standard English to work in UK
Passports
Fast Track
My hote of
Passports ePassports
UK Border

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Reposted by The Bear

the Buell 🐈‍⬛ @thebuell.bsky.social · 21h

I just added all the @bearlypolitics.co.uk approved accounts. Maybe this will ease the boredom.

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The Bear @bearlypolitics.co.uk · 23h

Stem 100% saam.

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The Bear @bearlypolitics.co.uk · 1d

BREAKING NEWS

In a move that has shocked absolutely no one with basic arithmetic skills, populist right wing party trying to win votes with fantasy economics traipses around in fetching hair shirt after all their policies are found to be economic fantasy.

Reform UK
Reform UK abandoning manifesto pledge of £90bn in tax cuts, deputy leader admits
Richard Tice says party will concentrate on cutting civil service and scrapping net zero once in government

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The Bear @bearlypolitics.co.uk · 1d

Hi All,

A very intense week ahead of me, so I’m going to be a bit more quiet than usual.

Hope everyone has a fabulous week.

🐻

a bear is sitting on a couch using a laptop with the words the scenario below it

Alt: a bear is sitting on a couch using a laptop with the words the scenario below it

media.tenor.com

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The Bear @bearlypolitics.co.uk · 2d

Quick scone etiquette question (no, not about in which sequence cream goes, that’s been answered):

Which goes on first - cheese or apricot jam?

Scones - one with jam and cheese, and one with cream and jam, side by side.

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The Bear @bearlypolitics.co.uk · 2d

Oh, it gets even worse than that…

I just made these.

Trouble.

It’s coming.

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The Bear @bearlypolitics.co.uk · 2d

My updated go-to sources for the best news, analysis and political commentary - now including @thenerve.news

(You can tell I’m having an admin heavy weekend)

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The Bear @bearlypolitics.co.uk · 3d

Just brilliant by @thenerve.news - I can just imagine Stewart Lee running around on bypasses snatching flags.

Well done that man.

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THE NERVE @thenerve.news · 3d

🔗 Read the full piece

www.thenerve.news/p/stewart-le...

Stewart Lee: The thugs have taken my flag. So I’ve taken theirs

What do you do with a lot of cheap banners hanging from motorway bridges once you’ve torn them down?

www.thenerve.news

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The Bear @bearlypolitics.co.uk · 4d

Only a pleasure, Simon.

Bear Hats Off GIF

Alt: Bear Hats Off GIF

media.tenor.com

The Bear @bearlypolitics.co.uk · 4d

Quick timing question for everyone following both here and on bearlypolitics.co.uk - when should Bearly Newsworthy go out each week?

Friday, Saturday or Sunday morning?

Have a lovely weekend!

🐻

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The Bear @bearlypolitics.co.uk · 4d

Thank you very much, I do appreciate it.

🐻

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The Bear @bearlypolitics.co.uk · 4d

They do seem rather on the back foot with this one, don’t they?

Almost as if the scrutiny over a man who took bribes from Russia having ties to Reform is… making things a touch uncomfortable.

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Reposted by The Bear

Zack Polanski @zackpolanski.bsky.social · 4d

Ever since I finished Question Time, Reform have massively been on the attack.

Including a rant from Richard Tice entirely designed to distract from Reform and Russia.

Everyone should know about Nathan Gill, the bribes from Russia and the link to Reform.

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The Bear @bearlypolitics.co.uk · 4d

Evangelical 'King's Army' group disrupts traffic in historic LGBTQ+ London district

A right-wing, evangelical group calling itself the King's Army blocked traffic on Old Compton Street in Soho while chanting anti-LGBTQ+ slogans.

www.thepinknews.com

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The Bear @bearlypolitics.co.uk · 4d

Yeah, I’m sorry, these black shirt clad evangelicals can fuck right off.

Evangelical, right-wing 'King's Army' group disrupts traffic in historic LGBTQ+ London
district

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The Bear @bearlypolitics.co.uk · 4d

Bingo!

It’s the moustache and fast talking.

It does things to me.

🐻

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The Bear @bearlypolitics.co.uk · 4d

Honestly, did this man just need a few days off or something? Because I’d personally just have called in a sickie.

The Times & Sunday Times @thetimes.com · 4d

Sébastien Lecornu returns as French PM four days after quitting

www.thetimes.com

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The Bear @bearlypolitics.co.uk · 4d

Not being close enough to US politics (I don’t own a hazmat suit nearly hazmatty enough), can someone please explain - in UK terms - who this man is, whose photo looks like it should appear next to “Generic White Man” in the dictionary?

The Bulwark @thebulwark.com · 4d

Mike Johnson is now calling #NoKings a "hate America rally"

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The Bear @bearlypolitics.co.uk · 4d

Bearly Newsworthy: The Things They Told You To Be Angry About This Week

This week's digest of the UK's most performative outrage - lovingly filtered so you don't have to doomscroll.

www.bearlypolitics.co.uk

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The Bear @bearlypolitics.co.uk · 4d

Oh look - Farage.

In the US - again. This time slagging off UK teachers. Next thing you know he’ll be there having a go at our vicars, doctors and nurses.

This man seriously, seriously dislikes Britain, doesn’t he?

This feels like a guaranteed entry into next week’s issue of Bearly Newsworthy.

Nigel Farage
Nigel Farage accuses teachers of
'poisoning our kids' on race issues
Exclusive: Reform UK leader's remarks at event for private US college criticised as 'grossly irresponsible' by NEU leader

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