Reposted by Charlotte O'BrienHelen Lovatt @helenlovatt.bsky.social · 02/10/2026The interpretation of hope at the end of the Pandora myth is much disputed: but this is a good one. Also, it is my sister’s middle name. 032
Reposted by Charlotte O'BrienCharlotte O'Brien @cobrien.bsky.social · 02/10/2026“Hope is the warrior emotion” 🔥🔥🔥 0105
Charlotte O'Brien @cobrien.bsky.social · 24/09/2026Ah, but judges are simply chosen for their exceptional capacity for 'legal reasoning' (per Reed), and women have taken themselves out of the mix, because 'life choices' (per Sumption). I guess only white men have judge brains. 020
Charlotte O'Brien @cobrien.bsky.social · 23/09/2026'Thuggery' somehow does not seem quite serious enough to name what we are seeing in the increasing violence of anti-migrant hate-spinning. Thugs steal your lunch-money. These guys want to steal your humanity. 051
Reposted by Charlotte O'BrienMic Wright @brokenbottleboy.bsky.social · 23/09/2026NEW | I’m not surprised, but I am livid. BBC NEWS, ‘DANNY TOMMO’ AND THE DINGHY ATTACK THAT DISAPPEARED While the rest of the media – even the very worst parts – report on Daniel Thomas’ actions, BBC News fails to give its audience the facts. brokenbottleboy.substack.com/p/bbc-news-d...brokenbottleboy.substack.comBBC News, ‘Danny Tommo’ and the dinghy attack that disappearedWhile the rest of the media – even the very worst parts – report on Daniel Thomas’ actions, BBC News fails to give its audience the facts. 72972426
Charlotte O'Brien @cobrien.bsky.social · 15/09/2026New profile pic in honest concession to the relentless march of time and all it has wrought upon me. Wrinkles and all. 090
Charlotte O'Brien @cobrien.bsky.social · 11/09/2026Sure, sure, obsessively trying to kill people makes for a ‘turbulent life’ 130
Charlotte O'Brien @cobrien.bsky.social · 10/09/2026It finally happened! Been offered a dentist appointment at two-thirty. 170
Reposted by Charlotte O'BrienRoland Pierik @roleo.eurosky.social · 08/09/2026The number of cases of cervical cancer reported in Scotland among women given the HPV vaccine at 12-13 years of age is now zero. Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero. www.bbc.com/news/article...bbc.comNo cervical cancer cases in fully HPV-vaccinated women in ScotlandA study published by Public Health Scotland finds that the HPV vaccine is "highly effective". 6461302289
Reposted by Charlotte O'BrienSteve Peers @stevepeers.bsky.social · 19/08/2026What happens if a UK government removes benefits from EU citizens in breach of the withdrawal agreement? My analysis of the likely EU response to Reform Party policy, if ever enacted - eulawanalysis.blogspot.com/2026/08/what...eulawanalysis.blogspot.comWhat happens if a UK government removes benefits from EU citizens in breach of the withdrawal agreement?Professor Steve Peers , Law School, Royal Holloway University of London Photo credit : Martin Robson , via Wikimedia Commons ... 20187104
Charlotte O'Brien @cobrien.bsky.social · 20/08/2026opting out of social security coordination rules would also mean stopping people (including British nationals! In the UK!) getting bens which are paid by another country. So, it would not be a coherent position. 010
Charlotte O'Brien @cobrien.bsky.social · 20/08/2026the whole WA is dissolved), is to earmark some money for Brits to return to the UK and 'immediately draw benefits'. No discussion of which bens. All in all, no clear distinction between types of benefits - soc sec/social assistance/SNCBs etc which would suggest it's all for the chop. *HOWEVER* 100
Charlotte O'Brien @cobrien.bsky.social · 20/08/2026in the claim '58% of foreigners on benefits' have EU settled status, but I would guess that (if it is based on anything) it includes soc sec. Also, the curious solution, expecting the EU to pull the plug on UK nats' benefits (which as your analysis states, they won't/can't unless 110
Charlotte O'Brien @cobrien.bsky.social · 20/08/2026I like that the question almost implies I have 'insider' knowledge of Reform plans! 😂 The proposal is, shall we say, imprecise. But the line 'All non-CTA citizens lose access to British benefits' is so broad, it sounds like it includes social security. No indication of where the '58%' fig comes from 100
Reposted by Charlotte O'BrienCharlotte O'Brien @cobrien.bsky.social · 14/08/2026Judicial review, or judicial blessing ceremony? When @lewisgrahamlaw.bsky.social suggested co-authoring a case note on Jwanczuk, in which the UKSC underlines its distaste for human rights based challenges to primary social security legislation, I figuratively bit his hand off. 295
Reposted by Charlotte O'Brienrightsnet @rightsnet.org.uk · 14/08/2026Many thanks Charlotte ... have shared: www.rightsnet.org.uk/now/post/72296 021
Charlotte O'Brien @cobrien.bsky.social · 14/08/2026Coming out in the LQR early next year, but pre-pub version available on SSRN here: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....papers.ssrn.comNo Legal Standards for Adjudicating the Proportionality of Primary Social Security Law<span>Case note commenting on the UK Supreme Court's recent judgment in </span><i>R (Jwanczuk) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions </i><span>[2025] 021
Charlotte O'Brien @cobrien.bsky.social · 14/08/2026All of which overlooks the point that the Human Rights Act creates strong duties of judicial review, which are in danger of being shrugged off, while the Court adopts an extremely dubious approach to disability discrimination. So - we do not hold back, as the quotes in the image in the OP indicates 120
Charlotte O'Brien @cobrien.bsky.social · 14/08/2026We keep coming back to the UK Supreme Court's problematic framing of social security as a matter of 'politics' rather than law, hence the striking line in Jwanczuk that "There is no proper basis, consistent with the separation of powers, on which to overturn Parliament’s judgement". 120
Charlotte O'Brien @cobrien.bsky.social · 14/08/2026He is kind, clever, patient and precise - making jointly dissecting this case rewarding even while the judgment itself is troubling. 100
Charlotte O'Brien @cobrien.bsky.social · 14/08/2026Judicial review, or judicial blessing ceremony? When @lewisgrahamlaw.bsky.social suggested co-authoring a case note on Jwanczuk, in which the UKSC underlines its distaste for human rights based challenges to primary social security legislation, I figuratively bit his hand off. 295
Reposted by Charlotte O'BrienLewis Graham @lewisgrahamlaw.bsky.social · 10/08/2026New case note from me and @cobrien.bsky.social on the Supreme Court's judgment in R (Jwanczuk) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions [2025] UKSC 42. Commentary is coming in the Law Quarterly Review next year, but is available to read and download on SSRN here: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....papers.ssrn.com<p>No legal standards for adjudicating the proportionality of primary social security law: <i>R (Jwanczuk) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions </i>[2025] UKSC 42</p><span>Case note commenting on the UK Supreme Court's recent judgment in </span><i>R (Jwanczuk) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions </i><span>[2025] 063
Reposted by Charlotte O'BrienLisa O’Carroll @lisaocarroll.bsky.social · 10/08/2026 Sweden accounts for 12% of all post Brexit residency refusals across the EU member states, even though UK nationals in Sweden makes up only 1.55% of the total population of WA beneficiaries in EU member states. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...theguardian.comBritish widow, 78, told to leave Sweden under Brexit rules after living there for 21 yearsAuthorities say application to stay was made too late, as UK officials say Sweden takes ‘stricter approach’ than other EU countries 1147
Charlotte O'Brien @cobrien.bsky.social · 07/08/2026Thanks! When I looked back at it yesterday my first thought was ‘how naive I was to be worried about the *Remain* side’s take on free movement, given what happened’. But on reflection I think that paved the way to where we are now. 010
Charlotte O'Brien @cobrien.bsky.social · 06/08/2026StOp trYing To uSe YouR eviDencE to Make the WorlD a BeTteR pLacE 010
Charlotte O'Brien @cobrien.bsky.social · 06/08/2026Scientists be like:static.klipy.comDo Not Press PriestALT: Do Not Press Priest 030
Charlotte O'Brien @cobrien.bsky.social · 06/08/2026Scientists be like:static.klipy.comDo Not Press PriestALT: Do Not Press Priest 0112
Charlotte O'Brien @cobrien.bsky.social · 06/08/2026The more I see of Goodhart, the more vindicated I feel about criticising the Cameron government’s huge reliance upon his source-free rhetoric as evidence in their free movement of persons’ report in the balance of competences review: ukandeu.ac.uk/camerons-ren...ukandeu.ac.ukCameron’s renegotiation and the burying of the balance of competencies review - UK in a changing EuropeMany UK politicians are engaged in a collective charade on the subject of EU renegotiation and reform. Following UKIP’s dramatic wins in... 5358
Charlotte O'Brien @cobrien.bsky.social · 06/08/2026Just had to stop myself making a Scylla and Charybdis reference, dammit. Why must popular culture steal my esoteric references?! 050
Charlotte O'Brien @cobrien.bsky.social · 06/08/2026Also: "I can't give you any pain relief because there wouldn't be any point". I. Was. In. Active. Labour. 1280
Reposted by Charlotte O'BrienMadeleine Sumption @msumption.bsky.social · 05/08/2026If you're looking for some light summer reading, there's still time to snap up your copy! bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/trade/what-i...bristoluniversitypress.co.ukWhat Is Immigration Policy For?What Is Immigration Policy For?; This book explores what immigration policy seeks to achieve and why so many people end up unhappy with the outcome. Drawing on decades of research and examples from hi... 056
Reposted by Charlotte O'BrienLiam Thorp @liamthorp.bsky.social · 03/08/2026Andy Burnham correctly points out in an interview that small boat crossings are massively down this year compared with last. The comments in the post are filled with people suggesting he is lying about this very clear, data-evidenced fact. It’s almost as though they don’t want it to he true… 711102225
Reposted by Charlotte O'BrienGreg Jenner (Historian) @gregjenner.bsky.social · 20/07/2026Zelenskyy hasn’t just defied odds by surviving the Russian invasion, he’s already onto his 5th British PM! 311714
Charlotte O'Brien @cobrien.bsky.social · 17/07/2026Thanks so much! Blinking in disbelief - just need to persuade people it’s going to be worth reading now… ❤️ 000
Charlotte O'Brien @cobrien.bsky.social · 16/07/2026Ooh, brilliant - can’t wait to read it! (Yes, I was def inspired by the ‘punishing the poor’ literature and crimmigration in the proposal) Congratulations - when is it out? 110
Charlotte O'Brien @cobrien.bsky.social · 16/07/2026But did she drink all of Daddy’s beer and eat all the food in the cupboards? 010
Charlotte O'Brien @cobrien.bsky.social · 16/07/2026Massive shout-out to the A-MAZ-ING people who read the proposal and advised me along the way, especially @colinyeo.bsky.social, @drproudman.bsky.social, Zoe Forbes and Rebecca Tomlinson. YOU ROCK! ❤️ 020
Charlotte O'Brien @cobrien.bsky.social · 16/07/2026PS: Working title: "Tainted Law" - but will revisit once it's written! 250
Charlotte O'Brien @cobrien.bsky.social · 16/07/2026BUP publish a select range of general non-fiction; this project relied on the incredible support of FIVE anonymous peer reviewers (some quotes on first post, some below). Watch this space – and to those supportive of the ideas and the mission, please *let’s help change the brutalising discourse*! 150