Chris Grey
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chrisgrey.bsky.social
Chris Grey
@chrisgrey.bsky.social
Emeritus Prof of Organization Studies, Royal Holloway University of London, ex-Prof Warwick & Cambridge. FAcSS, FRHistS. Now mainly Brexit analysis including Brexit & Brexitism Blog. Author Brexit Unfolded (Biteback, 2021, 2023). Elsewhere @chrisgreybrexit
Pinned
So it's now 7 years since the vote to leave the EU. For a detailed account & analysis of what happened from the day after that, see my book, "Brexit Unfolded: How no one got what they wanted (and why they were never going to)" (2nd, updated, edition 2023): www.bitebackpublishing.com/books/brexit...
Reposted by Chris Grey
Superb as always from @chrisgrey.bsky.social following the threads linking Brexit to: the UK’s particularly dire Covid pandemic, enemy (Russian) influence in UK politics, economic weakness (hence higher taxes and/or lower spending) and anti-immigration obsession devoid of compassion or common sense
Brexit reminders. New post on my Brexit & Brexitism Blog. Brexit may not be in the headlines, but many current news stories carry reminders of it, including the Hallett Inquiry report, the Gill scandal, the Budget & the latest net migration figures: chrisgreybrexitblog.blogspot.com/2025/11/brex...
November 29, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Reposted by Chris Grey
By popular request, have added a new section to my list of Reform councillors who have gone - those who have left council posts but remained a councillor.

Additions to the list very welcome!

buff.ly/aAKCrlg
November 28, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Reposted by Chris Grey
Since the Nathan Gill conviction, a lot of people seem to be waking up to Putin's meddling in British politics

Here's a handy primer from me and @goldbergradio.bsky.social

A Beginner's Guide to Russian Influence: Brexit and Beyond

@bylinetimes.bsky.social
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/a...
A Beginners Guide to Russian Influence: Brexit and Beyond
Podcast Episode · Byline Podcast · 29/11/2025 · 31m
podcasts.apple.com
November 29, 2025 at 12:23 PM
A reminder of my new blog post on Brexit reminders
Brexit reminders. New post on my Brexit & Brexitism Blog. Brexit may not be in the headlines, but many current news stories carry reminders of it, including the Hallett Inquiry report, the Gill scandal, the Budget & the latest net migration figures: chrisgreybrexitblog.blogspot.com/2025/11/brex...
November 29, 2025 at 10:20 AM
He lives in a French chateau, it seems. The Gaul of these people is breathtaking.
David Coburn, former leader of UKIP Scotland & mentioned in WhatsApp messages sent between Gill and his handler answers "no" when a journalist asks him if he took money to give a speech to promote pro-Russian campaigners.

The video of him outside his chateau is lol

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Former Brexit Party MEP denies taking payment from pro-Russian campaign
A prominent former MEP for Nigel Farage's old party denies taking bribes in a pro-Russian campaign.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 28, 2025 at 8:13 PM
Populist Right: 'We're not racist, we just want immigrants to integrate & contribute.'
Immigrant gains BA, MA, works for charities, marries a 'Brit', becomes Brexit-supporting, lockdown-sceptic Tory MP, then Deputy Speaker of HoC.
Populist Right: 'People born abroad shouldn't be allowed to do this.'
November 28, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Reposted by Chris Grey
Brexit reminders. New post on my Brexit & Brexitism Blog. Brexit may not be in the headlines, but many current news stories carry reminders of it, including the Hallett Inquiry report, the Gill scandal, the Budget & the latest net migration figures: chrisgreybrexitblog.blogspot.com/2025/11/brex...
November 28, 2025 at 7:24 AM
This is a very timely discussion from John Mahon of @ukandeu.bsky.social. There are all sorts of claims about who these emigrants are & why they are leaving the UK (not least from Goodwin et al) & a lot of anecdotes. So, as Mahon says, we could really do with some proper research evidence.
🔃 "For public policy reasons and Treasury planning, it would be much better if we knew something about these citizen-emigrants."

✍️ John Mahon makes the case for having a better understanding of the British nationals leaving and returning to the UK

ukandeu.ac.uk/who-is-emigr...
Who is emigrating from the UK? - UK in a changing Europe
John Mahon makes the case for having a better understanding of the British nationals leaving the UK. He argues that the cost to the state of British nationals leaving or returning to the UK varies, so...
ukandeu.ac.uk
November 28, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Brexit reminders. New post on my Brexit & Brexitism Blog. Brexit may not be in the headlines, but many current news stories carry reminders of it, including the Hallett Inquiry report, the Gill scandal, the Budget & the latest net migration figures: chrisgreybrexitblog.blogspot.com/2025/11/brex...
November 28, 2025 at 7:24 AM
Reposted by Chris Grey
‘Speaking outside his chateau in France, former Brexit Party and UKIP MEP Coburn answered "no" when a BBC journalist asked him whether he had ever been paid to give a speech to promote pro-Russian campaigners.’

Great work from @BBCWales. Keep going
November 28, 2025 at 6:28 AM
A truly fantastic journalist, whose coverage of UK news, including of course Brexit, has been outstanding. I'm looking forward to her 'Dear Britain' book.
So, my dear German followers...some News "in eigener Sache"!
Und bitte nicht schreien, 😚....ich bleibe in London !
Annette Dittert war für die ARD als Korrespondentin in verschiedenen Ländern, über viele Jahre geprägt hat sie aber vor allem die Berichterstattung aus Großbritannien. Nun verabschiedet sie sich von der ARD, aber nicht aus London
November 27, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Reposted by Chris Grey
1/5 It was entirely predictable that The Telegraph would jump on @DavidOlusoga’s Empire series to fight its right wing culture war for control of our public history. Let’s see what they’ve done:
November 27, 2025 at 8:28 AM
Reposted by Chris Grey
Net migration fell sharply agaim to 204,000 in the year to June 2025, having been 344k in 2024 and 848k in 2023. But falling immigration has been the biggest secret - and it is time for the media and political debate to catch up with this change
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cn...
UK net migration fell to 204,000 in year to June - live updates
Net migration, the difference between those entering and leaving the country, was 345,000 in 2024 according to revised figures.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 27, 2025 at 9:36 AM
I really don't get this revelation of specific bits and pieces in the last few hours before the budget (youth minimum wage, sugar tax on milkshakes etc. being other examples). It's happening so much that it is presumably a deliberate strategy - but what is that strategy?
BREAKING: Tourist tax to be introduced across England.

The money raised is intended to be invested in local transport, infrastructure and the visitor economy to attract more tourists

news.sky.com/story/touris...
Tourist tax to be introduced across England
The new visitor levy will allow mayors to impose a "modest" charge on overnight stays to invest in local transport and infrastructure.
news.sky.com
November 25, 2025 at 8:27 PM
And note this about the Reith Lectures - it is not about news reporting
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
November 25, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Reposted by Chris Grey
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
November 25, 2025 at 9:26 AM
This report refers to "New analysis by the House of Commons library", but there's no link to it and I can't seem to find it on the HOCL website: can anyone help?
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
Brexit costing UK up to £90bn in lost tax revenue , new analysis shows
Exclusive: Britons also up to £3,700 worse off, leading to calls for the Labour government to improve relations with the EU
www.independent.co.uk
November 25, 2025 at 10:43 AM
It's interesting, but I don't think it properly grapples with what Gill did. Effectively, it's saying he was a good apple who inexplicably turned bad, as if this, and the particular form it took, had nothing whatsoever to do with the parties he belonged to or anyone else in them. 1/2
An interesting piece and the first one to properly grapple with what Nathan Gill did by a figure from within Reform

gawaintowler.substack.com/p/the-deep-b...
The Deep Betrayal of Nathan Gill
A Personal Reckoning
gawaintowler.substack.com
November 25, 2025 at 9:11 AM
Reposted by Chris Grey
🚨 LSE Assistant Professor in Political Science 🚨

We’re hiring a tenure-track assistant professor - any area of empirical political science - to join our wonderful Government Dept @lsegovernment.bsky.social

Any questions, please reach out to me

📣 Please share! 📣

jobs.lse.ac.uk/Vacancies/W/...
November 25, 2025 at 8:38 AM
Reposted by Chris Grey
Sen. Mark Kelly has released a statement.

"If this is meant to intimidate me and other members of Congress from doing our jobs and holding this administration accountable, it won't work. I've given too much to this country to be silenced by bullies..."
November 24, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Reposted by Chris Grey
P.Kyle on R4 Today this morning saying that the "Brexit Deal" had cost the UK massively. The Brexiteer fantasy that there was a magical Brexit deal if only they'd looked at the end of the Rainbow as he plans to do.
Trade folk (including myself) are unconvinced there is much of a growth dividend for Rachel Reeves from agreements with India, EU, and US. Just as there's no evidence of positive impact from independent UK trade policy since 2021. www.politico.eu/article/rach...
Rachel Reeves hopes trade deals can save Britain’s budget. Economists aren’t convinced.
With a difficult budget looming, the chancellor has increasingly turned her gaze overseas.
www.politico.eu
November 24, 2025 at 12:28 PM
Reposted by Chris Grey
Except that’s not true.

Gill was the head of Reform UK in Wales only a few years ago - in 2021.

Gill was constantly seen by Farage’s side since his first election - as a UKIP MEP - in 2014.

Reform must come clean with their Russian connections.
Reform UK's Zia Yusuf calls Nathan Gill 'ancient history'
The party's head of policy says he has never met Nathan Gill, who served as the leader of Reform UK in Wales in 2021.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 24, 2025 at 7:31 AM
Reposted by Chris Grey
NEW: This is worth your time.

@thenerve_news has the receipts.

A comprehensive timeline of Nathan Gill & Nigel Farage’s pro-Kremlin influencing activities & 2 other MEPs, David Cobourn & Jonathan Arnott.

Please read & share.
November 23, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Reposted by Chris Grey
I do think it's worth addressing that the intellectual lodestar of this government is a gibbering idiot.
There are some truly unhinged bits in the piece about Glasman, as to be expected when dealing with Glasman, but seriously what the actual? That's...one hell of a conflation of terminology.
November 23, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Reposted by Chris Grey
This is very good. Reeves needs to set out her views both on the strategic purpose of the tax system (and the role of the state) as part of a plan to deliver fiscal consolidation. That requires both more political and communications skills than she’s displayed thus far. But we can live in hope.
Here’s this week’s column, in which I beg the chancellor to go big this week - on both headroom and narrative - so that by next year, if she’s still here to deliver it, the budget will be boring, because we all know the plan 🙏🏻
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Rachel Reeves, please, let’s make budgets boring again | Heather Stewart
Budgets need to be reassuringly dull with no repeat of this year’s long, drawn-out and chaotic buildup
www.theguardian.com
November 23, 2025 at 4:08 PM