Ian Birrell (@ianbirrell) 's Twitter Profile
Ian Birrell

@ianbirrell

Foreign correspondent, columnist, campaigner, co-founder @africaexpress, citizen of the world and a bit more besides...

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linkhttp://www.ianbirrell.com calendar_today10-05-2010 09:37:06

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'I escaped Luhansk and my pro-Russian parents, after secretly learning Ukrainian' - delighted to have helped this brave and patriotic teenager tell his amazing story to ⁦The i Paper⁩ inews.co.uk/opinion/escape…

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Jenkins, 2016: ā€œI find it staggering that the remain minority can accuse the Brexit majority of not knowing truth from lies…and could not have meant its vote.ā€ Jenkins, 2025: ā€œJust three in 10 people now approve of Britain having left the EU. People realise they were lied to.ā€

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The boy who came back: the near-death, and changed life, of my son Max . Do read this powerful, intensely honest and brilliant piece by ⁦Archie Bland⁩ theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2…

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As I wrote earlier this week, why is this government so hostile to people with disabilities and their families? inews.co.uk/opinion/why-do…

As I wrote earlier this week, why is this government so hostile to people with disabilities and their families?  inews.co.uk/opinion/why-do…
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And note the total lack of joined up thinking by ministers: trying to tackle surging demand for mental health services on one hand while callously fuelling it on the other hand

And note the total lack of joined up thinking by ministers: trying to tackle surging demand for mental health services on one hand while callously fuelling it on the other hand
Ian Birrell (@ianbirrell) 's Twitter Profile Photo

Badenoch may be useless but the Tories look doomed, whoever is in charge. My ⁦The i Paper⁩ column inews.co.uk/opinion/the-to…

Ron Filipkowski (@ronfilipkowski) 's Twitter Profile Photo

In other words, he promised repeatedly during the campaign he had a secret plan to end the war in 24 hours and he was just bullshitting everyone because he doesn’t have the first clue what to do, he gave away all negotiating leverage months ago, and his special envoy is a dope.

In other words, he promised repeatedly during the campaign he had a secret plan to end the war in 24 hours and he was just bullshitting everyone because he doesn’t have the first clue what to do, he gave away all negotiating leverage months ago, and his special envoy is a dope.
BRAVE1 (@brave1ua) 's Twitter Profile Photo

"Lifecycle for a military system used to be 40 years - now it can be 3-4 weeks". Learn how necessity pushed Ukraine to become a leader in drone warfare in a must-read piece by Ian Birrell on UnHerd, featuring commentary from Brave1's expert Oleh Donets. unherd.com/2025/05/inside…

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My The Times and The Sunday Times article today on the rumoured slashing of disabled children's rights. "Morally it's up there with breaking into a car and stealing a child's blue badge." #SEND thetimes.com/comment/column…

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ā€˜The future of Africa is going to come from investment, not aid. I don’t want freebies – I want Africa to develop with pride’ - Akinwumi A. Adesina, President of the African Development Bank theguardian.com/global-develop…

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Out now: 'Soledad', the latest track from Africa Express’ upcoming album BahidorĆ”, featuring lead vocals from Luisa Almaguer & Damon Albarn, released via World Circuit. šŸŽ§ Available now on all platforms. "We hope it makes you feel less Soledad." – Africa Express 🧔

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The city forced to move underground: Inside secret Kharkiv where schools, bars and ballet are being hidden beneath the ground inews.co.uk/news/world/bal…

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ā€˜Our performances here underground are a response to the whole world that we live, that we create art and we will continue to live. It shows that the Ukrainian people are very strong – physically, morally and emotionally’ - Antonina Radievska, Kharkiv ballet’s artistic director