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alexandra hall hall

@alexhallhall

13 Dec

Amidst the row over the govt's perceived "One Rule for Us and One Rule for them" approach at home, I've been reflecting on the extent to which there's also a certain amount of "Do as I Say, Not as I do" in our international dealings as well..🧵

I thoroughly welcome focus in Govt's Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Dvlpmt and Foreign Policy on "championing human rights, democratic values, good governance, the rule of law, and open societies". I regard these as part and parcel of security: enlightened self interest.

In the FCDO's 2020 human rights report, Raab described "the mission of Global Britain as a force for good." Liz Truss's Chatham House speech last week, though heavy on trade, tech and security, also contained stirring words about supporting freedom loving countries and so forth;

Read 24 tweets

alexandra hall hall

@alexhallhall

11 Dec

Our dear leader shredded this morning on the US NPR comedy talk show "Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me": "The Brits first realised something was up with the party that wasn't a party when they saw pictures of Boris Johnson with his hair combed..."

"Why does he always look like he's been on a three day bender?". "Is that at the start or the end of the party?"

"Or do his parties always take place under helicopter blades?"

Read 5 tweets

alexandra hall hall

@alexhallhall

7 Dec

I sometimes feel we are prisoners in a "heads you win, tails I lose" situation. Brexit is the will of the people, even if it isn't anymore. We must respect the 2016 refdm for all eternity - though Brexiteers felt no such obligation to respect the 1975 refdm to stay in the EU🧵

If the EU acts reasonably in negotiations with us, it means we are winning, and must push for more. If in fact they are out to punish us, and are not playing fair, then we must be even tougher. If they back down, it shows being tough was right.

We are committed to the GFA and no hard border in Ireland. If we keep asserting this, then it's the fault of Ireland/EU if a hard border needs to be erected, tho' the circumstances in which this situation arose was purely due to our decision to leave the EU, SM and CU

Read 17 tweets

alexandra hall hall

@alexhallhall

7 Dec

https://twitter.com/AdamWagner1/status/1468242018996531210

Boris Johnson claims to admire Winston Churchill. Perhaps he's unaware that the Eurp'n Conv on Human Rights was supported by Churchill, who envisaged a ‘Council of Europe’ in the wake of WW2 & the Holocaust - an int'l org'n to promote democracy, the rule of law and human rights.

https://twitter.com/AdamWagner1/status/1468242018996531210

The Council of Europe set to work creating a human rights convention. Again, Churchill was an advocate, proclaiming: “In the centre of our movement stands the idea of a Charter of Human Rights, guarded by freedom and sustained by law.”

That ‘Charter of Human Rights’ of which Churchill spoke was named the European Convention on Human Rights. One of the key drafters was British Conservative MP and lawyer David Maxwell- UK was the first signatory to the Convention.

Read 4 tweets

alexandra hall hall

@alexhallhall

2 Dec

https://twitter.com/alexhallhall/status/1466097196156264467

With apols for R/T, there were obv many other things I could not have foretold (proroguing parliament; downplaying impact on GFA, now threatening to invoke Art 16 etc ) but if there was one other big factor which still astounds me, it was the threat to leave with no deal...

https://twitter.com/alexhallhall/status/1466097196156264467

It's simply mind boggling to recall that two years ago there was a serious prospect of No Deal happening; and that to prepare for that, 1000s of staff across Whitehall were deployed on an emergency basis to handle potential fallout

The risk of No Deal forced us to adopt the kind of crisis posture that typically occurs in response to a major terrorist incident, or natural disaster. But this was an entirely self-imposed situation.

Read 7 tweets

alexandra hall hall

@alexhallhall

1 Dec

I've had many ask why I took the job as Brexit Csllr, if I was as opposed to Brexit as my recent tweets now suggest? Or why I didn't just resign after the ref. I suspect I won't persuade many of my genuine intentions, and apols to those who've heard this before, but here goes...

First, as a professional civil servant, it was not my place to question the decision to hold the referendum, or how it was conducted, or the result. Whatever my personal views on the wisdom or otherwise of leaving the EU, I never felt I had a right to oppose it, while in govt.

Also, like many Remainers, I felt that like it or not, the results of the ref needed to be respected. I also had family members and friends who voted Leave - I disagreed (strongly) with their reasons but respected their right to have their views

Read 18 tweets

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