This is edition 2025/25 of the Ten@10 newsletter.
Welcome back. It's 2025 and 20 years since I started writing about politics and anything else that took my fancy. Thank to my VIP members for making this site what it is today. In July we will be having a 20th birthday celebration. Stay tuned for more announcements.
This is the Ten@10, where I collate and summarise ten news items you generally won't see in the mainstream media.
Enjoy!
1. Vance Blasts European Leaders Over Free Speech Stance
Thomas Cranmer
- 🔥 JD Vance criticized Europe's stance on free speech, immigration, and dissent at the Munich Security Conference.
- 🇺🇸 He highlighted concerns over Europe's retreat from fundamental values shared with the USA.
- 📵 Vance criticized EU censorship of social media and other forms of suppression like UK's arrests at abortion clinics.
- 🗳️ He condemned the cancellation of elections in Romania as a threat to democratic values.
- 🎙️ Vance also criticized US government pressure on social media to censor information, like the origins of the COVID-19 virus.
- 🇩🇪 He criticized the exclusion of Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) lawmakers from the conference.
- 🛡️ Vance emphasized Europe's need to increase defense efforts independently from the US.
- 🇪🇺 His speech drew strong criticism from European leaders, accusing him of interference in German elections.
- 🇬🇧 Lord Sumption countered Vance, arguing that the threat to free speech stems more from societal pressure than government actions.
- 🌍 Their clash underscores deeper transatlantic differences on democracy, liberty, and speech limits.
