Latest news with #MunichConference
New Statesman
18 hours ago
- Politics
- New Statesman
The public doesn't like Brexit. Has anyone told the media?
Illustration by Michael Villegas / Ikon Images Such were the headlines that you'd imagine the EU reset to be the Suez Crisis, Munich Conference and loss of the Thirteen Colonies all rolled into one. 'STARMER'S SURRENDER' howled the Mail in all caps, like a furious text from your dad. 'DONE UP LIKE A KIPPER', agreed the Sun, which knows a good pun about fishing regulations when it sees it. The Telegraph instead used a picture of Starmer greeting Ursula von der Leyen to justify its more-in-sorrow-than-in-anger effort, 'Kiss goodbye to Brexit'. I'm not going to quote the Express. I just don't have the word count. Not everyone was quite so hysterical. The Guardian led with Starmer's claim that the deal 'puts Britain back on the world stage', and left suggestions of surrender from little-known opposition leader Kemi Badenoch to the subheading. The FT even flirted with positivity. But browsing the newsstands that morning, you could be forgiven for thinking that the only person who backed the deal – which would, among other things, make holidaying in Europe a whole lot less annoying – was Keir Starmer. You'd get the same impression from the BBC. One surprising group who might disagree with this rather downbeat assessment were the actual British electorate. According to YouGov, reported a visibly baffled Times, there was backing for the deal, including overwhelming support for the youth mobility scheme. ity scheme that everyone had confidently predicted would be its most controversial element. Another YouGov poll, just days earlier, had found that 66% of the public support, and just 14% oppose, a closer relationship with Europe so long as it didn't involve re-joining the EU, single market or customs union – pretty close to overwhelming support. Over half (53%) were in favour of undoing Brexit altogether. Remember when newspapers cared about the will of the people? How times change. The traditional explanation for why newspapers are so out of touch with their readers was that the press don't merely reflect public opinion but attempt to shape it. Owners and editors have, in every sense, different interests to the general public: it's not as if the range of press opinion in the 20th century reflected the range of public opinion either. There's also the problem that reliance on advertising – an industry inevitably keener on some bits of the public than on others – has pushed papers in certain directions, too. But there's another thing which has kicked in these last few years, which I'm not sure everyone has internalised: the general public and newspaper readers are not the same thing. They never perfectly aligned, of course; but now the group that reads newspapers is a fraction of the public as a whole. How small a fraction is surprisingly hard to pin down. Claimed national newspaper circulation slid by a third, from around 11 million copies a day in the early 1990s to around 7 million by 2020. Exactly what's happened since is hard to know, as a bunch of the main papers have since stopped reporting the figures – but sales of those which still do so have fallen by half. In five years. We can probably assume that those which keep the numbers to themselves don't do so because sales are surging. Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month Subscribe However many people are still buying papers, something we know about them is that they are not a representative slice of the country as a whole. According to a 2024 Ofcom report, just 10% of 16-24 year olds today get their news from newspapers (rising to 24% including online). Even among the 35-44 group, a distinctively generous definition of young, those numbers were just 19% and 32% respectively. Once you hit retirement age, though, things look much rosier for the subscriptions department. Among 65-74 year olds, it's 33% (45% including online); among the over 75s, it's 47% (53%). It's not a big leap to assume that the issues explored and positions taken by newspapers are likely to reflect this ageing readership. This is not to say younger people are not engaged with the news: but they get theirs from relatively new online or social media, sources which are by definition more fragmented. It's harder to tell what they're reading, what they're interested in or what they think. But the agenda of politics, the sense of what the nation cares about, still has to emerge from somewhere – and in the absence of an alternative, it's still set by the newspapers. Broadcast producers scan the front pages every morning. Ministerial teams use them to determine which stories they need a line on. Old fashioned print media is in decline everywhere but in the mind of the nation's political class. The result is that our leaders are getting a very warped sense of what the average voter thinks, reads and cares about. This may, if you squint, explain rather a lot. Not just why ministers are still being exhorted to defend a Brexit the nation no longer supports, but why benefits for older people are treated differently to ones for those of working age or children. Every day, MPs are told that these are the real issues facing the newspaper readers of Britain. The problem is that is not the same thing as 'the voters'. [See more: Robert Jenrick is embarrassing himself] Related
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Opinion - Vance impresses at Munich Security Conference reprise
Vice President JD Vance rather bravely accepted an invitation to appear before an international audience that the Munich Security Conference convened in Washington this week. He had every reason to expect that his audience would be overwhelmingly hostile — not only toward the Trump administration's policies, but toward him personally. Many in attendance had also attended the February conference in Munich. On that occasion, Vance seemed to have only harsh words for Europe. 'When I look at Europe today,' Vance said, 'it's sometimes not so clear what happened to some of the Cold War's winners.' He added, in an apparently deliberate slip of the tongue, 'when I look to Brussels … EU commiss — commissars warn citizens that they intend to shut down social media during times of civil unrest the moment they spot what they've judged to be quote 'hateful content.'' Vance went on to criticize several countries, including Germany, for its police raids against citizens 'suspected of posting antifeminist comments online;' Sweden for a judge who convicted 'a Christian activist for participating in Quran burnings' and 'chillingly' argued that there were limits to the country's support for free expression; and Scotland, whose government warned its citizens 'that even private prayer within their homes may amount to breaking the law.' 'Free speech,' the vice president stated, 'is in retreat.' He added, 'if you're running in fear of your own voters there is nothing America can do for you.' Small wonder he alienated his heavily European audience. Nevertheless, in anticipation of his second round with the Munich Security Conference, Vance chose not to give a set-piece address, with which his stable of speechwriters could have provided him. Instead, he accepted the risk of an interview, a so-called 'conversation,' with Wolfgang Ischinger, formerly the chairman of the Munich Conference and Germany's ambassador to the U.S., who had been unhappy with the vice president's comments in Munich. Vance's clear purpose was to soften the harshness of his Munich speech. But at the same time, he had to hew to President Trump's line, which has hardly been Europe-friendly, especially with regard to defense spending and trade. Vance somehow managed to meet both objectives. In contrast to his haranguing of the Europeans in Munich, he stressed that America not only shared Europe's values, but had drawn those values from Europe, saying that 'we are on one civilizational team' that could not be pried apart. He explained that 'all of us, including especially the United States … have to be careful that we don't … actually undermine the very democratic legitimacy upon which all of our civilization rests … It's not Europe bad, America good.' On Ukraine, Vance walked a fine line between criticizing Russia's 'full-scale invasion' and trying 'to understand where the other side [Russia] is coming from.' He asserted that Trump's mediation efforts reflected his 'strategic realism,' bemoaning the reality that both sides 'hate each other so much.' But he also said that Russia was 'asking for too much' in terms of Ukrainian concessions. Nevertheless, not everyone in the audience was comfortable with what still appeared to be Vance's reluctance to take sides as opposed to offering full-throated support for Ukraine. Ischinger did not press Vance on the Trump administration's ongoing support for Israel's Gaza operation, but he did ask about the negotiations that Washington has begun with Tehran. 'So far, so good' was Vance's assessment of the talks. Vance outlined three options for dealing with Iran. The first and preferred option was to reach an agreement that would eliminate the weapons program. The second, which Vance did not outline explicitly, was a military response. The third was Iran developing a nuclear weapon, something he immediately asserted was not going to happen. Vance did appear willing to tolerate Iran having 'nuclear power' but he added that 'you can't have the kind of enrichment program that allows you to get to a nuclear weapon.' He also stressed that if Iran obtained a nuclear weapon, other countries in the region would follow suit, which would undermine the nonproliferation regime that he vigorously supported. When Ischinger offered to end the session, Vance joked that while his staff was nervous about his schedule, he was prepared to take several more questions. And when Ischinger finally ended the interview, Vance still had more to add, stressing yet again the values that America and Europe jointly shared. It was a strong performance. Vance came across as intelligent, articulate and polished. He did not try to avoid answering Ischinger's often pointed questions. Indeed, one attendee asserted that former Vice President Kamala Harris would never have agreed to such a substantive give-and-take with an interviewer as experienced as Ischinger. Moreover, it was clear to many participants that if Vance becomes the 2028 Republican presidential nominee, he could be an especially formidable candidate. Dov S. Zakheim is a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and vice chairman of the board for the Foreign Policy Research Institute. He was undersecretary of Defense (comptroller) and chief financial officer for the Department of Defense from 2001 to 2004 and a deputy undersecretary of Defense from 1985 to 1987. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
09-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Vance impresses at Munich Security Conference reprise
Vice President JD Vance rather bravely accepted an invitation to appear before an international audience that the Munich Security Conference convened in Washington this week. He had every reason to expect that his audience would be overwhelmingly hostile — not only toward the Trump administration's policies, but toward him personally. Many in attendance had also attended the February conference in Munich. On that occasion, Vance seemed to have only harsh words for Europe. 'When I look at Europe today,' Vance said, 'it's sometimes not so clear what happened to some of the Cold War's winners.' He added, in an apparently deliberate slip of the tongue, 'when I look to Brussels … EU commiss — commissars warn citizens that they intend to shut down social media during times of civil unrest the moment they spot what they've judged to be quote 'hateful content.'' Vance went on to criticize several countries, including Germany, for its police raids against citizens 'suspected of posting antifeminist comments online;' Sweden for a judge who convicted 'a Christian activist for participating in Quran burnings' and 'chillingly' argued that there were limits to the country's support for free expression; and Scotland, whose government warned its citizens 'that even private prayer within their homes may amount to breaking the law.' 'Free speech,' the vice president stated, 'is in retreat.' He added, 'if you're running in fear of your own voters there is nothing America can do for you.' Small wonder he alienated his heavily European audience. Nevertheless, in anticipation of his second round with the Munich Security Conference, Vance chose not to give a set-piece address, with which his stable of speechwriters could have provided him. Instead, he accepted the risk of an interview, a so-called 'conversation,' with Wolfgang Ischinger, formerly the chairman of the Munich Conference and Germany's ambassador to the U.S., who had been unhappy with the vice president's comments in Munich. Vance's clear purpose was to soften the harshness of his Munich speech. But at the same time, he had to hew to President Trump's line, which has hardly been Europe-friendly, especially with regard to defense spending and trade. Vance somehow managed to meet both objectives. In contrast to his haranguing of the Europeans in Munich, he stressed that America not only shared Europe's values, but had drawn those values from Europe, saying that 'we are on one civilizational team' that could not be pried apart. He explained that 'all of us, including especially the United States … have to be careful that we don't … actually undermine the very democratic legitimacy upon which all of our civilization rests … It's not Europe bad, America good.' On Ukraine, Vance walked a fine line between criticizing Russia's 'full-scale invasion' and trying 'to understand where the other side [Russia] is coming from.' He asserted that Trump's mediation efforts reflected his 'strategic realism,' bemoaning the reality that both sides 'hate each other so much.' But he also said that Russia was 'asking for too much' in terms of Ukrainian concessions. Nevertheless, not everyone in the audience was comfortable with what still appeared to be Vance's reluctance to take sides as opposed to offering full-throated support for Ukraine. Ischinger did not press Vance on the Trump administration's ongoing support for Israel's Gaza operation, but he did ask about the negotiations that Washington has begun with Tehran. 'So far, so good' was Vance's assessment of the talks. Vance outlined three options for dealing with Iran. The first and preferred option was to reach an agreement that would eliminate the weapons program. The second, which Vance did not outline explicitly, was a military response. The third was Iran developing a nuclear weapon, something he immediately asserted was not going to happen. Vance did appear willing to tolerate Iran having 'nuclear power' but he added that 'you can't have the kind of enrichment program that allows you to get to a nuclear weapon.' He also stressed that if Iran obtained a nuclear weapon, other countries in the region would follow suit, which would undermine the nonproliferation regime that he vigorously supported. When Ischinger offered to end the session, Vance joked that while his staff was nervous about his schedule, he was prepared to take several more questions. And when Ischinger finally ended the interview, Vance still had more to add, stressing yet again the values that America and Europe jointly shared. It was a strong performance. Vance came across as intelligent, articulate and polished. He did not try to avoid answering Ischinger's often pointed questions. Indeed, one attendee asserted that former Vice President Kamala Harris would never have agreed to such a substantive give-and-take with an interviewer as experienced as Ischinger. Moreover, it was clear to many participants that if Vance becomes the 2028 Republican presidential nominee, he could be an especially formidable candidate. Dov S. Zakheim is a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and vice chairman of the board for the Foreign Policy Research Institute. He was undersecretary of Defense (comptroller) and chief financial officer for the Department of Defense from 2001 to 2004 and a deputy undersecretary of Defense from 1985 to 1987.
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Turner shares what's next for Ukraine, NATO summit and Delphi pensions
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — Congressman Mike Turner sat down with 2 NEWS to discuss what's coming next for the Miami Valley — and how the international spotlight will be on Dayton in just a few short months. Congressman Turner has been busy in the first few months of 2025, from attending the Munich Conference, to preparing for the upcoming NATO summit happening in Dayton. Turner is also working to push ahead with legislation for the Delphi pensions. Dayton is cleaning up downtown ahead of NATO assembly in May 2 NEWS spoke with Turner about all of this and more. Upon returning from Munich, Turner told 2 NEWS about the progress made to end the war in Ukraine and reaching a peace deal. 'This is a fight between authoritarianism and democracy,' said Turner. 'We need to stand for democracy, and bring this thing to an end without allowing Russia to continue what is really been just a murderous aggression against the Ukrainian people.' While he was there, Turner also met with NATO delegates from the other nations, who expressed their excitement for May's NATO summit happening here in the Miami Valley. The Parliamentary Assembly will be held in Dayton this spring to celebrate 30 years of the 1995 Dayton Peace Accords. Turner's team has led a three-year long planning process in preparing Dayton for it's upcoming visitors. 'For me personally, it's going to be great to show off Dayton, Ohio, to show people the aviation heritage that we have, the work that's being done at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base,' said Turner. A major concern at an event of this scale is security — something that Turner says this area is more than prepared for. 'I think the Dayton Police Department has done a great job,' said Turner. 'The security plan being put in place I think is going to keep everybody safe.' Portion of downtown Dayton becoming 'NATO Village' in May Turner also touched on plans to continue forward with legislation to reinstate millions of dollars for the Delphi retirees. Something lawmakers have tried since 2012, Turner says this time he's confident it'll go through. 'We have two of the most important senators that before were opposed to it, they now see the injustice,' said Turner. 'We've had to try and find the money elsewhere to put back into their pensions. We think we found it and we're going to be able to do this.' Turner also told me that the new Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno shares the support former Senator Sherrod Brown had for the legislation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Zelenskyy: Events in Munich boosted Europe and sped up important processes for Ukraine
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes that the Munich Conference gave Europe an impulse and sped up important processes for Ukraine. Source: European Pravda with reference to Interfax-Ukraine Quote from Zelenskyy: "Everyone has told me that what happened in Munich has boosted absolutely everything. And America being that fast, very fast…fast in everything. And it seems to me that Europe lacked speed." Details: Zelenskyy said he sees a positive in the "speeding up" of processes set by the events at the Munich Security Conference. The president said one sign of this faster pace is the summit of leaders being summoned in Paris by French President Emmanuel Macron. Quote from Zelenskyy: "There will definitely be a report on what they propose, how they see it. So, all processes have sped up very much." More details: Volodymyr Zelenskyy added that the Munich Conference also changed signals coming from Ukraine. Quote from Zelenskyy: "I believe that Ukraine has done this, this was my main mission. And I believe that we have fulfilled this mission." Background: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine is interested in signing an agreement with the United States regarding the use of natural minerals, but only after the agreement is revised to reflect the country's key interests. Support UP or become our patron!
