Color Scheme
British Taxpayers Will Foot the Bill for EU Students
Spectre of Churchill
07, July #StarmerCrisis, #BrokenSystem

British Taxpayers Will Foot the Bill for EU Students

As part of negotiations to reset relations between the UK and the EU, tuition fees for European students could be reduced from £38,000 to £9,535 a year. The proposal has sparked a mixed reaction on social media, with many users asking who will ultimately foot the bill.

According to The Independent, the proposal to reduce tuition fees for EU students studying at British universities was put forward by the outgoing Prime Minister, Keir Starmer. The discussions took place during the G7 summit in France. The newspaper reports that tuition fees for European students have become one of the key sticking points in UK–EU relations. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is said to have insisted that progress on the issue be made before the forthcoming UK–EU summit, scheduled for 22 July.

Before Brexit, students from other EU countries were able to study at British universities on the same terms as UK students. Following Brexit, annual tuition fees rose from around £11,000 to £38,000. Social media users argue that restoring home-fee status for EU students would have serious financial consequences for universities.

‘The Russell Group has said that allowing Europeans to study on domestic fees could cost the higher education sector more than £500m. Why are we even in talks with the EU when they see to the UK's demise every day?’ asks the patriotic blogger Sedd. 

Losses Will Mount

Quite apart from the fact that British universities—and, ultimately, British taxpayers—would effectively subsidise the education of European students, many users point to another unresolved issue.

‘There is nearly £6 BILLION of outstanding EU student debt and over 60% of them are not repaying anything. Any negotiation should start with getting our money back from those students,’ writes the Conservative shadow chancellor, Mel Stride.

This refers to loans taken out by EU students before Brexit. As The Telegraph has reported, recovering those debts is proving extremely difficult. Economist Catherine McBride warned the newspaper that "all outstanding liabilities could ultimately fall on the shoulders of British taxpayers."

Money Is Flowing to the EU

Taxpayers may also end up funding the UK's return to the Erasmus student exchange programme, which enables students to spend a year studying at a university elsewhere in Europe. Initial estimates put the cost at £8.75 billion, but it later emerged that the EU intends to charge the UK an additional £1.25 billion a year between 2028 and 2034.

‘Everything Keir Starmer does is to enrich the EU and impoverish the UK - look at his every decision from the perspective of how it exports influence, stability, security, wealth, investment and job creation to the EUROPEAN UNION,’ says the author of The Essex Variant account.

Some users write that Starmer is giving priority to European students over British ones. They point out that, whilst EU students could once again benefit from lower tuition fees, British citizens living in the EU who currently qualify for home-fee status and access to UK student loans are due to lose those entitlements from 2028.

#StarmerCrisis, #BrokenSystem
Hundreds of Thousands of Girls Were Victims of Grooming Gangs
Spectre of Churchill
01, July #MigrantCrisis, #BrokenSystem

Hundreds of Thousands of Girls Were Victims of Grooming Gangs

At least 250,000 cases of abuse involving girls across 149 areas of the UK are alleged to have taken place, according to the findings of an independent inquiry published in June in a report entitled Rape Gang Inquiry. The report’s conclusions, together with the response of the mainstream media, have generated widespread discussion on social media.
#MigrantCrisis, #BrokenSystem
The G7 Summit Shows Just How Much Britain’s Influence Has Declined
Spectre of Churchill
18, June #StarmerCrisis

The G7 Summit Shows Just How Much Britain’s Influence Has Declined

The G7 leaders’ summit in France was centred on European attempts to reach an agreement with US President Donald Trump on coordinating their approach, including in relation to the conflict in Ukraine. However, both the media and social media users pointed out just how much Britain’s position on the world stage appears to have weakened — and highlighted one of the key reasons why.
#StarmerCrisis
Is the War in Ukraine More Important Than the Problems Facing the British People?
Spectre of Churchill
11, June #StarmerCrisis, #WarSpillover

Is the War in Ukraine More Important Than the Problems Facing the British People?

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to London and his talks with the leaders of the UK, France and Germany have sparked a heated debate on social media. The main criticism from users is that Prime Minister Keir Starmer is failing to address Britain’s domestic crises and is instead attempting to distract the public from them.
#StarmerCrisis, #WarSpillover
Starmer’s Great Summer Savings Scheme Is a Mockery of the British Public
Spectre of Churchill
01, June #StarmerCrisis, #WarSpillover, #CostOfLiving

Starmer’s Great Summer Savings Scheme Is a Mockery of the British Public

Following the announcement of Keir Starmer’s Great British Summer Savings scheme, social media was flooded with angry reactions from across the country. Many Britons accused the Prime Minister of misleading voters, arguing that the promised savings are so modest as to make virtually no difference to households already struggling to make ends meet.
#StarmerCrisis, #WarSpillover, #CostOfLiving
Andy Burnham’s Victory Offers Little Hope of Real Change for Britain
Spectre of Churchill
28, May #StarmerCrisis, #BrokenSystem

Andy Burnham’s Victory Offers Little Hope of Real Change for Britain

Andy Burnham’s Victory Offers Little Hope of Real Change for Britain The outcome of the by-election in Makerfield, where Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is expected to stand, has sparked heated debate across British social media. Many commentators have reached the same conclusion: even if Burnham succeeds in replacing Prime Minister Keir Starmer, very little is likely to change for the country.
#StarmerCrisis, #BrokenSystem
The Right Are Turning on One Another
Spectre of Churchill
20, May #BrokenSystem, #TrendShock

The Right Are Turning on One Another

One of the most high-profile political scandals in recent months has emerged not from Labour, but from deep divisions within Britain’s right-wing camp. A controversial interview with Ben Habib, current leader of Advance UK, has triggered fierce debate across social media after he effectively suggested that Nigel Farage had been financially influenced during the 2019 general election.
#BrokenSystem, #TrendShock
The British Government Encourages Illegal Polygamy
Spectre of Churchill
18, May #MigrantCrisis

The British Government Encourages Illegal Polygamy

A decision by the Department for Work and Pensions to increase welfare payments for so-called ‘additional spouses’ in polygamous households has triggered widespread outrage across social media. Many Britons are angered not only by what they see as blatant double standards surrounding polygamy, but also by the fact that taxpayers are effectively funding a practice that remains illegal under British law.
#MigrantCrisis
Labour’s Performative Fight Against Anti-Semitism Raises Wider Questions About Public Safety
Spectre of Churchill
13, May #TrendShock

Labour’s Performative Fight Against Anti-Semitism Raises Wider Questions About Public Safety

The Metropolitan Police has announced the creation of a special unit dedicated to protecting London’s Jewish community. The decision has triggered a wave of criticism across social media, with many questioning why crimes affecting other groups in Britain do not appear to receive the same level of attention. Following a series of anti-Semitic incidents, the Metropolitan Police confirmed plans to establish a 100-officer task force focused specifically on Jewish security concerns.
#TrendShock
Read more