Sign in

Robin Potter

@robinpotter.bsky.social
1.2K followers 1.3K following 256 posts

Academy Associate, UK in the World Programme @chathamhouse.org. Former Labour staffer and civil servant. Substack: open.substack.com/pub/robinjpotter

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by Robin Potter
Robin Potter @robinpotter.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
New from me on Substack, on the importance of vocal government support for a civil aid organisation facing threats and intimidation for fulfilling the UK’s international legal commitments
robinjpotter.substack.com
The RNLI delivers the UK’s international legal responsibilities. It should be defended
A piece this week reflecting on the lack of vocal government support for a civil aid organisation facing threats and intimidation for fulfilling the UK’s international legal commitments.
042
Robin Potter @robinpotter.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
New from me on Substack, on the importance of vocal government support for a civil aid organisation facing threats and intimidation for fulfilling the UK’s international legal commitments
robinjpotter.substack.com
The RNLI delivers the UK’s international legal responsibilities. It should be defended
A piece this week reflecting on the lack of vocal government support for a civil aid organisation facing threats and intimidation for fulfilling the UK’s international legal commitments.
042
Robin Potter @robinpotter.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Offending footage from 5:45 onwards - worth a watch Danny Tommo appears to commit an offence UK has inadequate maritime policing capability
youtube.com
LIVE: Tracking Migrants in the English Channel #DannyTommo #PatriotPlatform
YouTube video by Danny Tommo
030
Reposted by Robin Potter
Emma Yeomans @yeomans.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Worrying scenes in the Channel today, for all interested in asylum policy and maritime tactics. A small boat from Normandy spent more than 30 hours at sea. Those on board now on their 2nd rescue vessel as Border Force forced to play cat and mouse with far-right activists who have their own boat.
1042174958
Reposted by Robin Potter
Jessica Elgot @jessicaelgot.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Started watching Sky’s War Game last night where Michael Gove is the PM during the Russian attack and I’m afraid it is just very difficult to watch it without thinking of this, one of the great cartoons ever published
541632391
Robin Potter @robinpotter.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Some extracts from Rogers’ speech in London that apparently prompted HMA Washington to ask her advice on combating the radical right www.state.gov/releases/und...
011
Robin Potter @robinpotter.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Increasing the UK’s strategic autonomy through deepened relationships with other like minded powers need not come at the expense of the US alliance Too often think London has viewed it through zero sum logic, but it should recognise the old US led order is changing perhaps irrevocably
ft.com
Ursula von der Leyen backs Canada’s ‘associate membership’ bid
European Commission president says EU and Canada ‘see the world with the same eyes’
000
Reposted by Robin Potter
Phil Tinline @philtinline.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Precisely. Far too much sophisticated lobbyist-brained fatalism going round here atm. "Oh but it's difficult." "What if Washington gets angry." "Defining terms is tricky." "It'll probably be fine." What do you think you're being paid for?
1387
Robin Potter @robinpotter.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Feel like the UK is lagging behind on some weird old wavelength compared to Canada and Australia on democratic resilience Big tech funding local journalism, strict donor limits, algorithmic controls on social media, compulsory voting - take your pick!
031
Reposted by Robin Potter
Will Jennings📉🗳️ @drjennings.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
OMG
2537464
Reposted by Robin Potter
Euan Healey @euanhealey.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
If I was the Prime Minister the Home Sec, the Chief Constables of Hampshire, Kent and the Met, and the head of MI5 would all be in pieces on the floor of my office. I would be pinning medals on RNLI volunteers and I would be at the Pakistan U19 game. Where is Andy Burnham?
715146
Reposted by Robin Potter
Amy Borrett @amyborrett.ft.com · 08/09/2026
Britain’s state-owned electricity system operator has awarded Palantir a £21mn contract without inviting rival bids, arguing critical processes are too reliant on its tech to run a competitive procurement process Latest for @financialtimes.com: as.ft.com/r/7fe6c0b7-2...
as.ft.com
Britain’s grid operator gave Palantir contract without inviting rival bids
Neso cited a legal exemption that removes the requirement to consider other suppliers if dependencies leave no alternative
29368217
Robin Potter @robinpotter.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Would slightly modify this to say it is both - was keen to get across the extent to which I think gov are treating as a good faith policy problem There are policy levers on media, policing, rebuilding civic and associational life, but does also require politicians willing to pick a political fight
010
Robin Potter @robinpotter.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Mainstreaming of hate and extremism is a political problem, not a policy problem The extreme right will never be satiated by deliverism on boats and hotel numbers
022
Reposted by Robin Potter
H I Sutton @covertshores.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
The incredible volunteers of the RNLI
634742
Robin Potter @robinpotter.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
Interesting to see the shifts at the Tele under Axel Springer ownership
010
Robin Potter @robinpotter.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
My take UK claims to bases in Cyprus, also applies to Falklands: "In an era of renewed contest between states and an unreliable hegemon in the United States, the ability to defend norms, alliances, and claims of sovereignty requires both a reserve of strategic power and the capacity to wield it."
britainsworld.org.uk
Defending the British Overseas Territories
The Memorandum | No. 17.2026
000
Robin Potter @robinpotter.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Was disappointing to hear Burnham’s instinctive reach for Defra as an unimportant department at his first PMQs Echoed with Steve Reed’s ‘department for angry farmers’ comment on the record at a lobby lunch Food systems and climate adaptation going to be critically important areas in years ahead
120
Robin Potter @robinpotter.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
What’s interesting about this is Rajan’s apparent lack of insight of why it remains mass market - because Today isn’t linear TV “Rapid and accelerating decline” is not borne out by the facts - 9M tune in to Radio 4, about the same as 2006 Overall linear radio audience is actually growing
100
Robin Potter @robinpotter.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
I know at the moment this is a very fringe cause predominantly championed by Brexiteers But the UK should think more seriously and deeply about how it structures co-operation with Canada and Australia
020
Robin Potter @robinpotter.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Why are policy people frequently also keen transport fans (Asking for a friend)
000
Robin Potter @robinpotter.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
A classic from my childhood Have we just forgotten how to do this stuff?
youtube.com
Sparklers, Handle With Care Trailer - BBC Two 2004
YouTube video by Cookie's Classics
000
Robin Potter @robinpotter.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Not sure we should have got to the point that this was necessary Where was the public information campaign in the spring? Should have had something ready to roll after summer 2025 Or preparedness work on the ground with communities to help them plan for greater risks in their local area?
3101
Robin Potter @robinpotter.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
In Latvia there’s a civil protection app run by the fire service that can send people push notifications with guidance on live risks in their area Not sure there’s many signs yet of UK government gripping what’s required as risk profile facing communities rapidly shifts
0167
Reposted by Robin Potter
Arthur Snell @snellarthur.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
My LinkedIn is full of an endless stream of UK diplomats announcing they’ve left govt service. This due to extreme cuts to foreign aid and diplomacy (much of it spearheaded by Olly Robbins). It’s hard to look at the world today and think “this is a good time to be losing experienced diplomats.”
9483108
Robin Potter @robinpotter.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
As I wrote for @lbc.co.uk this week, we need to look at models used by our near neighbours in Europe Nearly all have trained and organised civil protection units and specialised wildlife prevention volunteers to supplement full time fire services Especially as we now cannot rely on armed forces
lbc.co.uk
We cannot rely on the armed forces to bail us out of every emergency | LBC
The government should enable community preparedness rather than emphasising individual responsibility, writes resilience analyst Robin Potter
121
Reposted by Robin Potter
Rachel Sylvester @rachelsylvester.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
New Scandinavian wings at Wandsworth and Pentonville jails have seen a 45% fall in assaults, 57% drop in self harm and halving of staff absence rates - fascinating results from trial into a more rehabilitative approach to prisons observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
observer.co.uk
‘Scandi wings’ offering pianos, pool and tea parties coul...
A unit in London’s Wandsworth prison has been transformed using methods from Sweden and Norway that prioritise rehabilitation over retribution
531490582
Reposted by Robin Potter
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
It's the economy, stupid. Diminishing graduate employment outcomes are downstream from low productivity. Other countries' expansions of higher education 'have not produced the same outcome'.
ft.com
To fix education, fix the economy first
Weak educational outcomes often owe more to economic performance than education policy
26724
Robin Potter @robinpotter.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
This is nuts Soho home to many legendary pubs - star and garter, blue posts, coach and horses, old coffee house to name a few Would be a death knell
020
Robin Potter @robinpotter.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Good piece this
theconversation.com
Count Binface: why Britain’s ‘joke’ election candidates deserve to be taken seriously
Satirical candidates are part of a longstanding tradition in British politics.
010
Robin Potter @robinpotter.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Fond memories of Grant’s appearance at the daily N10 press conference where he encouraged people to write in with any issues on flight refunds and cancellations Cue a deluge of correspondence with officials roped in from all corners of the department and a months long battle to clear the backlog
020
Robin Potter @robinpotter.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
Also useful to be part of some kind of cross border co-operation on civil emergencies with our nearest neighbours perhaps
civil-protection-humanitarian-aid.ec.europa.eu
EU deploys wildfire support to face multiple fires across Portugal and France
As Europe is fighting wildfires in several Member States, the Commission is swiftly mobilising assistance via the EU civil protection mechanism. France and Portugal have activated the mechanism.
000
Reposted by Robin Potter
Adam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
Reform UK donor and Farage ally George Cottrell carried a fake Swiss passport under the name ‘Oscar Drewitt’. Cottrell was hired under the name by the future Reform treasurer Mehrtash A’zami. A’zami later vetted Cottrell’s mother's donations to Reform, now the subject of a police investigation
bylinetimes.com
‘Posh George’, Two Passports, and a Fraudulent Identity: Convicted Fraudster and Nigel Farage Funder's Connections to Reform UK’s Murky Financial Structures
Why did Reform UK change from being a privately-owned company to a non-profit company limited by guarantee in 2025? Nafeez Ahmed investigates a fraudulent identity used by George Cottrell – and how hi...
751227615
Robin Potter @robinpotter.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
So much to unpack here. Long on conjecture and short on facts. But anyway here’s that “military-civilian imbalance” and “profligate military”..
201
Reposted by Robin Potter
Lizzie Dearden @lizziedearden.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
At a press conference on Thursday, the head of UK Counter Terrorism Policing, Laurence Taylor, said the threat from extreme-right wing terrorism was rising and had been a key driver of the decision to raise the national terror threat level from substantial to “severe” in May
3311125
Robin Potter @robinpotter.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
More strategic communications from the police on foreign interference by hostile states Good - about time!
021
Reposted by Robin Potter
Lizzie Dearden @lizziedearden.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
Russia is inflaming the debate on immigration in Britain as part of “increasing ambitions to disrupt our way of life”, counter-terror police and experts say It has directly and indirectly paid right-wing influencers to spread messages that align with its political goals inews.co.uk/news/putin-i...
inews.co.uk
How Putin is inflaming immigration tensions to spark disorder in Britain
Counter-terror leaders reveal the tactics Russia is using to sow division in the UK
1001572865
Robin Potter @robinpotter.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Comms from London’s Met Police on rise of foreign state proxy attacks Inclusion of Starmer arsonists, and reference to ‘El Money’ directly implicates a hostile state - Russia Even if short of legal threshold for attribution, government could still politically attribute - clearly call taken not to
youtu.be
The rise of foreign state proxies: confronting the growing threat facing the UK
YouTube video by Metropolitan Police
130
Robin Potter @robinpotter.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
Round-up of my recent activity with some extra thoughts over on Substack 👇
robinjpotter.substack.com
Security briefings, defending territories, and national conversations
Hello!
010
Robin Potter @robinpotter.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
Thinking this myself the other day Little diversity in most of the senior Westminster team
021
Robin Potter @robinpotter.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
Hostile states are targeting the UK's political stability and societal cohesion. Sabotage, intimidation, hostile reconnaissance, cyber-attacks and disinformation campaigns are increasing. A new prime minister must inform the public and build a societal response. My latest for @chathamhouse.org 👇
chathamhouse.org
Will the UK’s next prime minister finally have a ‘national conversation’ on defence?
The Defence Investment Plan recommits the UK to a national conversation on defence and security. The failure to deliver one so far undermines public trust and leaves the UK vulnerable to hybrid threat...
020
Reposted by Robin Potter
Hush-Kit aviation news, history & satire @hushkit.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
Spent years building up a big following on Twitter, essential for publicising my aviation blog, which I live from. Desperate to leave it & publicise on nicer platforms, but I have too few follows. If you want to help me escape, do give this a share. Much obliged. My blog here: hushkit.substack.com
A Sea Harrier FA.2 facing the camera on a post that says: Spent years building up a big following on Twitter, essential for publicising my aviation blog, which I live from.  Desperate to leave it & publicise on nicer platforms, but I have too few follows. If you want to help me escape, do give this a share. Much obliged. My blog here: hushkit.substack.com
9300268
Reposted by Robin Potter
Bennett School of Public Policy, University of Cambridge @bennettschool.cam.ac.uk · 23/06/2026
New research by @dianecoyle1859.bsky.social, Jun Du & Xiaocan Yuan highlights how Manchester’s strong productivity growth has been fuelled by attracting high-value foreign investment & channelling it into knowledge-intensive sectors such as digital, R&D & professional services. shorturl.at/rT3SM
046
Reposted by Robin Potter
Chatham House @chathamhouse.org · 21/06/2026
Keir Starmer’s time as prime minister has been consumed by foreign affairs. Any new prime minister will face a relentless deluge of international issues and challenges.
bit.ly
Any UK prime minister faces deep foreign policy challenges – whether Starmer, Burnham or another
Whoever is leading the country must deal with a fundamental shift in the UK’s most important relations – with the US and Europe – in an increasingly dangerous world.
283
Reposted by Robin Potter
Peter Taylor @ptrtlrwrts.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
HYDRATION BREAK
Ken Clarke necking a whiskey when he was Chancellor during his Budget speech
07414
Reposted by Robin Potter
Dreadnought Holiday @dreadships.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
Whilst I still can't find any mention of gunfire in the COLREGS as a valid alternative to five blasts on the horn (though god knows many skippers have felt like it), I do have sympathy with any officer of the watch faced with a yachtie who thinks two degrees is "an obvious change of course"
bbc.co.uk
Russian warship fires warning shots near UK-registered yacht in Channel
The retired couple tell BBC Newsnight they tried to show the warship they had changed course in the English Channel before the shots were fired.
4031143
Robin Potter @robinpotter.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
Interesting to contrast comms and attribution in defence sphere (John Healey: "Putin, I say this: we see you, we see your activity") vs home affairs (silence) Also a marked contrast to e.g., the Skripal poisoning response Struggle to believe BBC and FT uncovered info that Met and MI5 unaware of!
101
Reposted by Robin Potter
Katie Martin @katie0martin.ft.com · 15/06/2026
a lot of people out there need to take the threat from Russia a LOT more seriously
413835
Robin Potter @robinpotter.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
Proxies, drones, and collusion with organised crime are now key vectors of asymmetric state threat toward UK and other Western European nations Intimidation of political and military targets, sabotage of critical civilian infrastructure more likely than conventional attacks in a future crisis
ft.com
Arson targeting Keir Starmer properties originated in Russia
Handler was affiliated with a pro-Kremlin hacktivist group
132