Chris Wilkins
@mrchriswilkins.bsky.social
Communications and strategy advisor. Media commentator. Former Downing Street Director of Strategy and serial Tory SPAD. Politics, International Relations & National Security.
Reposted by Chris Wilkins
The plan says that "A dialogue will be held between Russia and NATO, mediated by the United States." This implies that both Russia and the Trump administration don't see the US as part of NATO in any real sense. That should deeply alarm every other NATO state.
November 21, 2025 at 10:06 AM
The plan says that "A dialogue will be held between Russia and NATO, mediated by the United States." This implies that both Russia and the Trump administration don't see the US as part of NATO in any real sense. That should deeply alarm every other NATO state.
Reposted by Chris Wilkins
The UK has the most progressive tax system in the developed world, argues @jburnmurdoch.ft.com
As @duncanrobinson.bsky.social wrote for @economist.com, the Tories created "an unbelievably progressive tax system".
on.ft.com/3JPv6dP
economist.com/britain/2025...
As @duncanrobinson.bsky.social wrote for @economist.com, the Tories created "an unbelievably progressive tax system".
on.ft.com/3JPv6dP
economist.com/britain/2025...
November 21, 2025 at 10:14 AM
The UK has the most progressive tax system in the developed world, argues @jburnmurdoch.ft.com
As @duncanrobinson.bsky.social wrote for @economist.com, the Tories created "an unbelievably progressive tax system".
on.ft.com/3JPv6dP
economist.com/britain/2025...
As @duncanrobinson.bsky.social wrote for @economist.com, the Tories created "an unbelievably progressive tax system".
on.ft.com/3JPv6dP
economist.com/britain/2025...
With Nigel Farage currently on track to be the main beneficiary
Brexit has caused almost twice as much damage to the UK economy than estimated by official forecasts, according to new paper from a group of experts including a senior Bank of England economist
Brexit Hit to UK Economy Double Official Estimate, Study Finds
Brexit has caused almost twice as much damage to the UK economy than estimated by official forecasts, according to new paper from a group of experts including a senior Bank of England economist.
bloom.bg
November 21, 2025 at 10:44 AM
With Nigel Farage currently on track to be the main beneficiary
Complete madness that the UK seems all too keen to replicate
The White House just blasted this out under the headline "Good News You May Have Missed"
November 19, 2025 at 10:11 PM
Complete madness that the UK seems all too keen to replicate
“Delighted?” Ok then… I fear they have no idea what they’re doing.
November 17, 2025 at 12:47 PM
“Delighted?” Ok then… I fear they have no idea what they’re doing.
100% this. Media is not the same as comms.
Part of the problem here is they keep hiring comms people from newspapers who know how to pitch stuff to their former colleagues - but these tricks don't work anymore.
This does seem to be a relevant question. Reading the Sun and Guardina pieces side by side it is hard to believe they are describing the same policy. That kind of spin might have worked in 1990s but in a social media ecosystem where anger goes viral is is likely to generate own goals
November 17, 2025 at 9:00 AM
100% this. Media is not the same as comms.
Reposted by Chris Wilkins
In a similar vein, Theresa May should have stuck to her social care policy. She'd already taken the hit for it, so she might as well have at least addressed one of the most intractable problems in British politics
Reeves should risk it all on one last roll of the dice.
Raise income tax, break the triple lock, slay the deficit, spend the money on the things she believes in.
It may not work - but better than waiting for doom to overtake her.
open.substack.com/pub/edrith/p...
Raise income tax, break the triple lock, slay the deficit, spend the money on the things she believes in.
It may not work - but better than waiting for doom to overtake her.
open.substack.com/pub/edrith/p...
Reeves in Zugzwang
Incremental politics no longer works
open.substack.com
November 17, 2025 at 8:39 AM
In a similar vein, Theresa May should have stuck to her social care policy. She'd already taken the hit for it, so she might as well have at least addressed one of the most intractable problems in British politics
Reposted by Chris Wilkins
If someone has travelled thousands of miles, paying everything they own to an exploitative people smuggling gang, risking their life in a deadly channel crossing, I do not want to be the person who takes their last valuables – a mother’s necklace? A gift? – from them. And nor should the rest of us.
November 17, 2025 at 8:52 AM
If someone has travelled thousands of miles, paying everything they own to an exploitative people smuggling gang, risking their life in a deadly channel crossing, I do not want to be the person who takes their last valuables – a mother’s necklace? A gift? – from them. And nor should the rest of us.
The biggest divide in British politics atm isn’t left vs right or open vs closed. It’s action vs inaction. Voters just want a govt that does something. Not sure they always care very much what that is. But have an idea and stick to it. A long way of saying, I think @igmansfield.bsky.social is right
Reeves should risk it all on one last roll of the dice.
Raise income tax, break the triple lock, slay the deficit, spend the money on the things she believes in.
It may not work - but better than waiting for doom to overtake her.
open.substack.com/pub/edrith/p...
Raise income tax, break the triple lock, slay the deficit, spend the money on the things she believes in.
It may not work - but better than waiting for doom to overtake her.
open.substack.com/pub/edrith/p...
Reeves in Zugzwang
Incremental politics no longer works
open.substack.com
November 17, 2025 at 8:41 AM
The biggest divide in British politics atm isn’t left vs right or open vs closed. It’s action vs inaction. Voters just want a govt that does something. Not sure they always care very much what that is. But have an idea and stick to it. A long way of saying, I think @igmansfield.bsky.social is right
Reposted by Chris Wilkins
After several years of chaotic populism voters hoped for some calm efficiency.
Instead the govt became obsessed with being in permanent campaign mode despite a huge majority.
Starmer was elected to provide boring competence. This is the opposite.
6/6
Instead the govt became obsessed with being in permanent campaign mode despite a huge majority.
Starmer was elected to provide boring competence. This is the opposite.
6/6
November 15, 2025 at 9:55 AM
After several years of chaotic populism voters hoped for some calm efficiency.
Instead the govt became obsessed with being in permanent campaign mode despite a huge majority.
Starmer was elected to provide boring competence. This is the opposite.
6/6
Instead the govt became obsessed with being in permanent campaign mode despite a huge majority.
Starmer was elected to provide boring competence. This is the opposite.
6/6
A sensible Labour MP speaks.
The Prime Minister said in September that we are at a fork in the road. These asylum proposals suggest we have taken the wrong turning.
The idea that recognised refugees need to be deported is wrong.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
The idea that recognised refugees need to be deported is wrong.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Asylum system in UK ‘out of control’ and dividing country, home secretary says
Shabana Mahmood to unveil new proposals modelled on Denmark’s controversial system
www.theguardian.com
November 16, 2025 at 6:44 PM
A sensible Labour MP speaks.
Reposted by Chris Wilkins
Won't happen. But at some point a UK government is going to have to make a big decision to scrap the triple lock, and I suspect when they do it will prove to be far more popular than expected. Leadership rather than government by polling.
Reeves should risk it all on one last roll of the dice.
Raise income tax, break the triple lock, slay the deficit, spend the money on the things she believes in.
It may not work - but better than waiting for doom to overtake her.
open.substack.com/pub/edrith/p...
Raise income tax, break the triple lock, slay the deficit, spend the money on the things she believes in.
It may not work - but better than waiting for doom to overtake her.
open.substack.com/pub/edrith/p...
Reeves in Zugzwang
Incremental politics no longer works
open.substack.com
November 16, 2025 at 1:42 PM
Won't happen. But at some point a UK government is going to have to make a big decision to scrap the triple lock, and I suspect when they do it will prove to be far more popular than expected. Leadership rather than government by polling.
Reposted by Chris Wilkins
Shabana Mahmood on the BBC this morning talking about desperate people fleeing war and persecution as being given a "golden ticket" and "handouts" and saying she's got a "moral mission" to take them away from them
Indistinguishable from the rhetoric of Reform www.adambienkov.co.uk/p/shabana-ma...
Indistinguishable from the rhetoric of Reform www.adambienkov.co.uk/p/shabana-ma...
Shabana Mahmood and the Politics of Extortion
Labour's strategy of telling its supporters to back Reform-style policies, or get a Reform Government, is the politics of the protection racket and it is not going to work
www.adambienkov.co.uk
November 16, 2025 at 9:25 AM
Shabana Mahmood on the BBC this morning talking about desperate people fleeing war and persecution as being given a "golden ticket" and "handouts" and saying she's got a "moral mission" to take them away from them
Indistinguishable from the rhetoric of Reform www.adambienkov.co.uk/p/shabana-ma...
Indistinguishable from the rhetoric of Reform www.adambienkov.co.uk/p/shabana-ma...
Good as ever from @luketryl.bsky.social Part of the Labour Party’s troubles, I think, is that they simply never seemed to understand why they won. As a result, they‘ve never developed a theory of government. Failing to understand why they won is why it went wrong pretty much from day one.
Starmer's promise to stop the chaos & offer a politics that treads more lightly struck a chord with voters in the General Election. I wrote for
@politicshome.bsky.social about why breaking it, especially through this week's infighting is electoral kryptonite www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti...
@politicshome.bsky.social about why breaking it, especially through this week's infighting is electoral kryptonite www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti...
Labour's Traitors tribute act will have voters switching off
The briefing war this week turned what was Westminster bubble chat into a national story. From a public opinion perspective, it was a disaster.
www.politicshome.com
November 16, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Good as ever from @luketryl.bsky.social Part of the Labour Party’s troubles, I think, is that they simply never seemed to understand why they won. As a result, they‘ve never developed a theory of government. Failing to understand why they won is why it went wrong pretty much from day one.
Reposted by Chris Wilkins
‘Government sources said rules that mean most asylum seekers are not allowed to have jobs will not change.’ It’s absurd that the govt chooses to continue with a rule that puts asylum seekers in a situation of dependency, then attacks then for needing ‘handouts’ www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
UK government set to make support for asylum seekers ‘discretionary’
Home secretary expected to change system to deny help to those who can work or who have assets
www.theguardian.com
November 16, 2025 at 7:56 AM
‘Government sources said rules that mean most asylum seekers are not allowed to have jobs will not change.’ It’s absurd that the govt chooses to continue with a rule that puts asylum seekers in a situation of dependency, then attacks then for needing ‘handouts’ www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Reposted by Chris Wilkins
This contribution to the volume of human misery is yet another policy from Labour based on a false premise, in this case that refugees are overly attracted to Britain. It will increase bureaucratic limbo, thus making worse the problem of "cohesion" it purports to solve.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
UK set to limit refugees to temporary stays
Shabana Mahmood is expected to say the era of permanent protection for refugees is over, in major changes to the UK's asylum and immigration system.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 15, 2025 at 8:47 AM
This contribution to the volume of human misery is yet another policy from Labour based on a false premise, in this case that refugees are overly attracted to Britain. It will increase bureaucratic limbo, thus making worse the problem of "cohesion" it purports to solve.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Yep. Which is entirely what all the objections to RedBird buying the paper were really all about - trying to orchestrate it so that Marshall could take over instead.
GB News investor and Spectator owner Paul Marshall is in the running to buy the Telegraph now that the RedBird takeover plan has collapsed, the Guardian reports.
Hard to see this being anything other than a disaster for public discourse in Britain if that goes ahead.
Hard to see this being anything other than a disaster for public discourse in Britain if that goes ahead.
November 16, 2025 at 12:04 AM
Yep. Which is entirely what all the objections to RedBird buying the paper were really all about - trying to orchestrate it so that Marshall could take over instead.
Correct. This is despicable.
If you're cheering Trump on then you have no right to call yourself a patriot.
You absolute moron.
You absolute moron.
November 15, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Correct. This is despicable.
I actually don’t think there’s been nearly enough outrage at the orchestrated nature of the attack on the BBC over the past week. Here @arusbridger.bsky.social sets it out in its full detail. It’s well worth a read. We should be angrier about this.
This is the real threat to BBC impartiality. A weekend read by me setting the shambles of the last fortnight in proper context www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/media/...
The real threat to BBC impartiality
The BBC has suffered a week of mistakes, resignations and the threat of a $1bn lawsuit. But the biggest risks of bias are in the boardroom, not the ne...
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
November 15, 2025 at 11:41 AM
I actually don’t think there’s been nearly enough outrage at the orchestrated nature of the attack on the BBC over the past week. Here @arusbridger.bsky.social sets it out in its full detail. It’s well worth a read. We should be angrier about this.
Reposted by Chris Wilkins
Do you want your taxes to increase? No thanks.
Do you want financial chaos? No thanks.
Do you want public services and investment to collapse? No thanks.
Do you understand trade-offs? People like me are sick of politicians...
Do you want financial chaos? No thanks.
Do you want public services and investment to collapse? No thanks.
Do you understand trade-offs? People like me are sick of politicians...
November 14, 2025 at 10:59 PM
Do you want your taxes to increase? No thanks.
Do you want financial chaos? No thanks.
Do you want public services and investment to collapse? No thanks.
Do you understand trade-offs? People like me are sick of politicians...
Do you want financial chaos? No thanks.
Do you want public services and investment to collapse? No thanks.
Do you understand trade-offs? People like me are sick of politicians...
Good
NEW: Lisa Nandy to look again at political appointments to the BBC’s board as part of charter renewal discussions.
She said concerns have been raised over the appointment of Sir Robbie Gibb, a Conservative first appointed to the board by Boris Johnson.
She said concerns have been raised over the appointment of Sir Robbie Gibb, a Conservative first appointed to the board by Boris Johnson.
November 14, 2025 at 9:14 AM
Good
Reposted by Chris Wilkins
Deportations actually _increase_ housing prices because they shrink the construction industry.
The reduction in new houses being built swamps effects from lower demand
The reduction in new houses being built swamps effects from lower demand
November 13, 2025 at 10:52 PM
Deportations actually _increase_ housing prices because they shrink the construction industry.
The reduction in new houses being built swamps effects from lower demand
The reduction in new houses being built swamps effects from lower demand
Reposted by Chris Wilkins
To be honest I think “I’m going to give a press conference to tell the whole nation over their breakfasts about the absolute need for something big on tax, then just drop the idea 10 days later” may actually be more stupid than anything Truss and Kwarteng did.
November 14, 2025 at 8:32 AM
To be honest I think “I’m going to give a press conference to tell the whole nation over their breakfasts about the absolute need for something big on tax, then just drop the idea 10 days later” may actually be more stupid than anything Truss and Kwarteng did.
This would be a great reform. They should do it. I remember encountering the ‘write-round’ process when I first worked in government and thinking then it was a crazy way to run a modern administration.
Exclusive:
As part of the Whitehall delivery drive, the Labour government is looking at overhauling the 'write-round' process that has been used by Cabinet for years
Frustrated insiders say it creates needless delays and are pushing for a shake-up
It'll be major reform if they go for it
As part of the Whitehall delivery drive, the Labour government is looking at overhauling the 'write-round' process that has been used by Cabinet for years
Frustrated insiders say it creates needless delays and are pushing for a shake-up
It'll be major reform if they go for it
Whitehall Decision Making Procedure Could Be Overhauled To Stop Delays
The government is considering scrapping Whitehall's 'write-round' process as part of its bid to speed up decision making, PoliticsHome understands
www.politicshome.com
November 14, 2025 at 9:10 AM
This would be a great reform. They should do it. I remember encountering the ‘write-round’ process when I first worked in government and thinking then it was a crazy way to run a modern administration.
Reposted by Chris Wilkins
Well if there were any doubts that they’re making it up as they go along, this will put them to rest. www.ft.com/content/6cbb...
Starmer and Reeves ditch Budget plan to increase income tax rates
Chancellor explores alternative ways to raise revenue to fill fiscal hole estimated at up to £30bn
www.ft.com
November 13, 2025 at 10:57 PM
Well if there were any doubts that they’re making it up as they go along, this will put them to rest. www.ft.com/content/6cbb...