A massive thanks to everyone who has written to their MP about Ofcom - they are appearing before the Parliamentary Committee *now* and facing some great, challenging questions: parliamentlive.tv/event/inde…

I don’t think Europeans fully appreciate what is happening to the European Union right now. The EU is under an extraordinary, multi-front assault, both from outside and from within. And I struggle to think of another period in its history when so many powerful actors had an interest in weakening it simultaneously. Russia has spent years waging hybrid warfare against Europe. Weaponised migration, sabotage, cyberattacks, coordinated disinformation campaigns, bot networks and political interference. The objective is clear: undermine trust in democratic institutions, deepen social divisions and weaken European unity. China has different motivations, primarily economic and geopolitical. A fragmented Europe is easier to pressure, easier to negotiate with individually and less capable of defending its economic interests. And then there is the United States. Perhaps the most disturbing development of all. Under Trump and MAGA, a country that helped rebuild the old continent and then spent decades supporting European integration now has an administration openly hostile to much of what the EU represents. Its own National Security Strategy even calls for cultivating resistance to Europe’s current political direction. Think about that for a moment. Meanwhile, within Europe, parts of the far right and far left amplify these divisions, whether through ideological alignment, political opportunism or outright sympathy for authoritarian regimes. This doesn’t mean Russia, China and MAGA are all following some jointly coordinated master plan. They don’t have to. Their interests increasingly overlap, and Europe’s internal divisions make their work considerably easier. What makes this particularly alarming is what is actually at stake. For all its flaws, the EU remains one of the world’s most consequential projects built around liberal democracy, the rule of law, individual freedoms and cooperation between nations. At a time when authoritarianism is gaining ground and even longstanding democracies are showing disturbing tendencies, that matters enormously. Europe is far from perfect. Its bureaucracy, indecision and inability to act decisively are real problems. But the answer cannot be to retreat into 27 competing nation-states, each too small to meaningfully influence a world increasingly dominated by continental powers. Quite the opposite. Europe needs deeper integration, stronger common institutions, genuine strategic autonomy and the political courage to defend its interests and values. Because fragmentation is precisely what so many external actors want. And perhaps that’s the central irony of our time: people are being deliberately manipulated into believing that the reverse is true — that national identity and sovereignty can only be protected by weakening European cooperation. In reality, a divided Europe is less sovereign, less secure and far easier for outside powers to pressure. Therefore the very thing that will make Europe stronger is the thing its adversaries are working hardest to prevent. A united Europe is a geopolitical power. A divided Europe is a collection of countries waiting to be played against one another.

Italy is ensuring that Russian terrorists can now enter the entire EU even more quickly. Italy shortens visa processing times for Russian citizens As announced by the Italian visa center in Moscow, the Italian consulate will now issue tourist visas within 45 days—down from the previous 60 days. Just four months ago, in June, the processing time had been extended to 60 days due to high demand. Notably, Italy issues more visas to Russian citizens than any other EU country: last year, it granted 161,000—accounting for one-quarter of all Schengen visas issued. Once a Russian national enters Italy with a valid Italian Schengen visa, they are free to travel to other Schengen countries, provided they remain within the visa's validity period and adhere to the 90-day rule (90 days within any 180-day period). There are no systematic border controls between Schengen countries.

One of Putin's closest envoys sharing a meme of the USA and Russia attacking the UK and EU — 'Together'. Can we all see what is happening yet? 🤬

Watched 45 minutes of #bbcbreakfast and still no mention of ITV documentary about Reform. What a surprise, would normally have a 10 minute speech by Mason if this was about Labour.

RT @RafaMorgan64: Wake up!!! We are fighting for this. 🇪🇺

Russia has a clear interest in seeing looting and disorder on the streets of France and Italy. This is part of its multidimensional shadow war against the West.

His Daddy owns GB News.

Winston Marshall isn’t just “an ex-Mumford & Sons member turned podcaster.” He’s the son of Paul Marshall, a co-owner of GB News FFS. When you’re platforming him on Brexit and Labour politics, that family media connection is material context — especially for a channel that regularly criticises the BBC. Why omit it?

Former Head of MI6 Sir John Sawers, "Russia was very keen that the Leave campaign should succeed and that Britain should leave the European Union" "Because that would marginalise Britain as a global player and weaken Europe in general" "That's the strategic opportunity the Russians spotted, and the leaders of the Leave campaign fell into it" My view: Former MI6 chief Sir John Sawers says Russia saw Brexit as a way to weaken Britain and divide Europe, and that the Leave campaign’s leaders walked straight into the opportunity. So let’s remember who sold it: VOTE LEAVE • Boris Johnson — political figurehead • Michael Gove and Gisela Stuart — campaign committee co-convenors • Matthew Elliott — chief executive • Dominic Cummings — campaign director • Daniel Hannan — leading Brexit advocate • Priti Patel, Iain Duncan Smith, Chris Grayling, John Whittingdale and Theresa Villiers — senior Conservative campaigners • David Davis, Liam Fox, Dominic Raab, Steve Baker and Douglas Carswell — prominent Leave campaigners LEAVE. EU • Nigel Farage — leading political figure • Arron Banks — co-chairman and major funder • Andy Wigmore — communications director GRASSROOTS OUT / LABOUR LEAVE • Peter Bone and Tom Pursglove — Grassroots Out co-founders • Kate Hoey — Grassroots Out co-founder and Labour Leave campaigner • Graham Stringer, Kelvin Hopkins and Roger Godsiff — Labour Leave campaigners • Sammy Wilson — prominent DUP Leave campaigner They promised Brexit would make Britain stronger. Sawers says Russia saw the opposite opportunity: a Britain marginalised and a Europe weakened.

Thankyou ! Thankyou ! Thankyou ! Thankyou ! for someone finally making this point after 10 years ! "If we were allowed to vote, all the British citizens living in Europe - in Brexit, a vote directly affecting us - maybe Brexit wouldn't have gone through" @bbcquestiontime

Of all the people who could cast some light on this subject, BBC Newsnight chose…Putin’s former spokesman?

Labour held their seat in Holborn, Reform came fourth and yet this is how the BBC announced it.

Given all the polls, Reform trailing the Tories was a bigger deal than them beating Lib Dems. But the BBC couldn't put a positive spin on that bit

In today’s Vatnik Soup, we introduce an Italian journalist and political commentator, Marco Travaglio (@marcotravaglio). He’s best known for being the most prominent pro-Russian voice in Italy and for spreading Russian disinformation almost every day on Italian TV. 1/22

And this is *exactly* why we need independent journalism, folks. And the only hope of that is if people pay for it. This is not news, it's propaganda.

EXCLUSIVE Reform MP Sarah Pochin asked a question about the impact second homes have on rural areas, just 48 hours before buying a £800k second home in Wales… Full story in pinned tweet:

Jensen Huang told CBS News that AI executives like Dario Amodei and Sam Altman promote doomsday scenarios to escape existing legal liabilities. Huang said the public should read between the lines: AI developers aren’t asking for stricter oversight. They’re lobbying to be exempt from existing laws covering product liability, enforcement of contracts and unauthorised access. I made the same point when the first security incident was reported. Jensen said that existing laws already cover computer misuse, damage caused by software and system failures. Promoting fear of existential threats is a deliberate public relations tactic because it helps companies replace corporate liability with laws written specifically for AI and approved by governments. Those laws protect developers from responsibility when their systems fail or cause harm. Politicians reinforce this protection by invoking competition between countries. Ted Cruz uses the AI race against China to excuse harms before they happen, saying that regulatory delays will leave the United States behind its foreign rivals. I described this as giving tech companies a get out of jail free card for every harm they cause and every law they break in the name of a so-called race against China. Cruz said if there are going to be killer robots, he wants American killer robots. That treats the prospect of harm as acceptable provided America produces the technology first. By presenting AI development as an urgent national security priority, politicians give tech companies permission to bypass safety standards, disregard environmental damage and avoid legal accountability. Huang’s statements deserve scepticism because he has his own commercial interests. However, his assessment of executives’ motives is accurate. Tech developers and politicians manufacture fears of existential threats and competition over national security to replace normal legal liability with specially written regulations that protect their power.

Quite sickening Arrested on Sunday 13 September 2026 on suspicion of assault and engaging in controlling or coercive behaviour Farage refers to them as Dan Thomas's personal difficulties and says he is sure he will come out of them before too long........ On the very weekend Labour announce work on misogynistic behaviors and improvement to rape case prosecution. - So much for 'law and order' and protecting women - he treats the subject with disdain. x.com/GBNEWS/status/21019941…

Jim Ratcliffe has lost confidence in the world’s 3rd largest innovation economy with two fifths of Europes high growth young companies. Ignorant and ill-informed this tax exile deserves no air time bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm04…