Niall Ó Conghaile
@nialloconghaile.bsky.social
8.9K followers 1.7K following 16K posts
🇪🇺 European. Views my own; RT = interest, not endorsement.
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nialloconghaile.bsky.social
I understand. We understand.

We understand the importance that Europe had in your lives and the sense of biting loss for many of you.

We understand what Brexit has done.

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nialloconghaile.bsky.social
Or is it uiur usual "Britons talk politics, Europeans serve the drinks" again?
nialloconghaile.bsky.social
And it's treaty law.

You're being held back at home by the personal option of your PM and a few others. That's all. You won't even work or vote to change that, but you expect us to risk European unity and change how Europe functions.

So, no, you do some work.
nialloconghaile.bsky.social
The laws don't need to be changed. As you've said above they're working for the European citizens and member states.

Brexit was done to Europe. The UK chose it collectively. You need to stop asking us to carry the load of your choice.
nialloconghaile.bsky.social
Indeed. As of today, these things are effectively being phased out. The only people who promote this are those who want Spain to reject unity and damage itself, like Reform.
nialloconghaile.bsky.social
This has been building and is now widespread on social media away from Bluesky.

It is an attempt to pass the cost of Brexit into us and to attack European unity.
nialloconghaile.bsky.social
As usual with your misinformation, you leave out the facts.

None of these are Schengen waivers;

New separate visa waivers are illegal precisely because they would destroy Schengen;

That's the point of European unity - we can travel border free.

Stop looking for benefits with no obligations
nialloconghaile.bsky.social
Fair enough Stephen. I note Reform coming on board now with these ideas. This was inevitable given how it has been pushed in the Anglophone press in Europe and the British press.
nialloconghaile.bsky.social
nialloconghaile.bsky.social
If you want to get away from exceptionalism and instead compete under the same fair rules as everyone else: #Article49 or #EEA

Meanwhile, #FBPE, it's not Europe's job to fix you choice. Get power, influence power.

Stop waiting for magical solutions

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a woman in a school uniform is holding a wand with a light coming out of it .
ALT: a woman in a school uniform is holding a wand with a light coming out of it .
media.tenor.com
nialloconghaile.bsky.social
nialloconghaile.bsky.social
So there is a need to respond to the lies that have been circulating about Europe, MSs and 90/180.

This is the visa waiver defined in law (2018/1806).

As you can see, the maximum visa waiver is 90/180 days. Britain qualifies for that.

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nialloconghaile.bsky.social
Indeed, it is against treaty law for countries to offer more.

And this is the situation you chose.

So frankly, you "campaign" is just one for benefits without obligations, on the same side as Reform, and spreading misinformation.
nialloconghaile.bsky.social
So we agree, there is no problem with our arrangements for Europe.

If you want to become part of Europe, you know what to do.

But you, like Reform, want to agitate against European unity, such as the 90/180 visa waiver, and no country has more.
Reposted by Niall Ó Conghaile
nialloconghaile.bsky.social
Reform is already spoiling for a fight with Bxl👇

It knows Brexit is a failure and wants to turn it into a Great Patriotic War again against the evil EUSSR.

The election of far-right governments is well-arrested to cause drops in investment.

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nialloconghaile.bsky.social
Entirely unsurprising that the Holiday Villa 'Ndrangheta have found politcal allies at last in the shape of Reform UK.

Reform really do hypocrisy very well.

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H/T @goodclimate.bsky.social & @rolandmcs.bsky.social
nialloconghaile.bsky.social
It's entirely correct. They're not residents, they're not registered as such, and they're not domiciled.

And either way, that applies to European citizens. There is no issue between us.

Naturally millions of people around the world want the same benefits without the obligations.
nialloconghaile.bsky.social
But that doesn't apply to non-Europeans.

It's like me demanding a vote in the Japanese elections
Reposted by Niall Ó Conghaile
brainburnnow.bsky.social
You can still move. It's harder, yes, but still achievable. Your absolute worst case is having to rely on the common travel area and being limited to relocating to Ireland.

While I haven't personally spent much time in Ireland, I'd still say that as "worst cases" go, 99.9% of immigrants envy you.
Reposted by Niall Ó Conghaile
travistagr.bsky.social
It’s at times like this I wish I had an EU passport so I could move, but of course that was taken from me against my will.
Reposted by Niall Ó Conghaile
The ECHR guarantees that new legislation cannot be applied retroactively to something that was permissible at the time it was done, in the place it was done.

Could the UK voting to leave the ECHR be deemed an act of war against the countries of origin of affected immigrants?
nialloconghaile.bsky.social
Not a act of war, but offensive in both senses.

It would effectively render Europeans defenceless, but it would also end cooperation on policing, defence, and a host of other areas.

(I should say, the Commission has not been brilliant at defending Europeans in the UK either)
nialloconghaile.bsky.social
"Repatriation" of British people is on the agenda. That's despicable, as you sayn

But i think we'll see them decry the entire Brexit settlement. If they do, they will tear up the protections for Europeans in the UK. Even without repatriation, they could make life intolerable
Reposted by Niall Ó Conghaile
irishdreamer.bsky.social
It’s only a matter of time before Farage moves to demanding people born here but if “Pakistani heritage” (for example) are asked to leave.

Because he knows his moronic, racist fans will lap it up.
Reposted by Niall Ó Conghaile
tamarainportugal.bsky.social
Despite their endless cut & pasting of EU flags, he/they are actually the biggest hindrance to a message of genuine pro-EU sentiment which is about being part of a wide community.
nialloconghaile.bsky.social
Chris's piece can be found here, plenty of interesting nuggets in it. I'm not convinced that Labour has turned a corner, they are at least getting the tactic right of calling about Brexit damage as Farage's Brexit damage.

That's hopeful.

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chrisgreybrexitblog.blogspot.com/2025/10/has-...
nialloconghaile.bsky.social
But like with membership of the Union, nobody is making the positive case.

There is, just about, a way back from Brexit.

Much harder from authoritarianism without adequate rights protections, separation of powers, or checks and balances.

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nialloconghaile.bsky.social
So, something has changed on the far right and in the centre.

Worth reminding ourselves of the parlous situation: 2 of 3 most popular UK parties have leaving ECHR as policy; one seems hostile; the UK constitution is inadequate in this area; leaving would destroy 🇪🇺🇬🇧 relations

Full stop.

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nialloconghaile.bsky.social
But shoring up the liberal and left sides of of LP is undermined by other cabinet actions.

It is worth saying, discussion of immigration, Europe and ECHR is undermined by the fact that many proposing want to get at immigrants, hurt people, not reform anything.

Should Labour be engaging?

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