Andrew Neil - 'This is not a good time for Western leadership' | SpectatorTV

The second round of France’s election did not prove so successful for Marine Le Pen, whose party fell to third place with the leftist New Popular Front (NFP) emerging as the dominant force. Andrew Neil Chairman of the Spectator speaks to Freddy Gray about who the key characters on the left are, and why, despite losing in this round of elections, this could mean Marine Le Pen goes on to win the Presidential election in 2027.
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[@realitykicksin8755]

Europe has a strong right wing undercurrent. Not just radical but also centered. Europe is sick of the immigration crimes.

[@Likeaworm]

These polices that breed this undercut will keep being pursued. The establishment and left doesn’t realize that they are creating a monster.

[@BraveInstance]

Toni Kross commented on mass immigration the other day. Auslander Raus is a popular song over there. Even the Germans with all their WW2 guilt are starting to have enough.

[@gusgone4527]

More right minded than "wing." Like London, Paris has been infested with immigrants and has many no-go-areas.

[@debbiedion5731]

The eu demon bred this and happily took billions to do it😡

[@unwokeneuropean3590]

The modern left will create the ultimate darth vader right. If they don't take care of the conservatives sooner or later they will suffer by the real ultra right... With a tiny moustache leader at it again. When it happens, we could all blame the left.

[@theringmaster886]

Eastern Europe seems to be the only place standing up for "Western" values and people.

[@ciaronsmith4995]

Serbia's biggest ally is Iran. Look it up.

[@marysmik9812]

Precisely. The West forgot what is a value of freedom.

[@ciaronsmith4995]

Serbia's biggest ally.....is Iran.

[@alen2773]

eastern europe does not even hold western values

[@MoniHaack]

@@ciaronsmith4995 Serbia is not Eastern Europe.

[@SuperHeadman1]

Young people celebrating by setting fires and clashing with the police, they did the same last week when they lost the first round.

[@pulsey2001]

Israelites… They will learn the same lesson.

[@Candolad]

Spoiled brats who can't accept losing.

[@Bluglug]

@@pulsey2001, what Israel has to do with it?

[@mrmanontherock]

Did you see one video on KZbin?

[@mrmanontherock]

​@@Candoladthey won

[@thisisobviouslynotmyrealname]

the failure of the center parties in Europe to address the immigration problem will fuel both far left and far right political forces

[@marysmik9812]

They wanted to please everyone but it didn´t work. I blame their greed to get as many votes as possible. 😁

[@_Stroda]

Is it the right or the left that tends to have an issue with immigration? Clearly, it's the right. It's also the policies of 'the right' that have contributed most to declining birth rates in Europe. Policies in countries like the UK that have focused on older generations, that have pushed the costs down to younger generations. And aging populations are costly. So, what is it that the right wants? Massive increases in government spending to support younger citizens (with regards to housing, education, the 'cost of living', etc.), to make parenting children more affordable, or.... High levels of immigration? Because the reality is that many countries in Europe, if they wish to remain in any way prosperous, need one of the above. People on the right need to either get over what is, in many cases, blatant xenophobia/racism, or accept that policies most would deem 'left wing' are necessary. They won't, though, will they? Because most right wing voters aren't all that well off, but they've bought into the lies and propaganda of actual elites (elites whose wealth and power is far beyond the 'elites' that the right often demonize, i.e. hard working professional types), and so they vote against their own interests. They vote against the interests of their countries.

[@inamoratog]

​@@_Stroda "many countries in Europe, if they wish to remain in any way prosperous, need one of the above." No, they don't. They need to destroy the managerial class that actually runs the country, that hides corruption behind a bloated welfare state. The same people who are importing millions more dependents for that welfare state every year so they can line their own pockets. Or I guess we could try importing even more people. Yes, mass movement of foreign peoples has resulted in genocide every other time we tried it, but let's give it another go! What's another continent reduced to poverty and another hundred million corpses in the face of 'progress', after all?

[@willx9352]

​@@_StrodaThere is a difference between legal, controlled immigration and illegal immigration.

[@jenniferlawrence2701]

@@_Stroda Left-Wing policies are even worse for birth rates. See the rapid decline of birthrates in the USSR and Eastern Bloc countries. Immigration from outside the EU is an economic negative. Your argument is based on a series of incorrect premises.

[@michaelpeacock6360]

France- NR got 37% of vote...not enough for Government...UK-Labour got 33% of vote...landslide... Democracy - what is good for?

[@nigelevans6873]

@peterholden3672 do you seriously feel there’s no value to comparing different electoral systems? Presumably then comparing what we’ve got to what we’ve got is the way forward? Ingenious!

[@andrewkinghorn5786]

Absolutely nothing. I'll say it again.

[@gusgone4527]

@peterholden3672 Because they both claim to be democracies!!!

[@proselytizingorthodoxpente8304]

@@gusgone4527 Thats because they both are

[@upthebracket26]

& yet the fascists in both countries couldn't get close to such a 'low' figure. Btw, the more people & parties in the election, the lower the winning vote share. yay for FPTP.

[@ReaLityBlue]

Western leadership is gone. People tired of endless wars triggering migration.

[@tombergins8215]

The West , USA in particular reminds me of the USSR (Soviet Union) 8 years before the collapse of Communism & the USSR itself. Senile Biden being American Leonid Brezhnev for starters.

[@simonaveline5542]

As if making the rich very rich and the rest of the people poor! whilst importing cheap labour so there children can't find a home or raise a family would have a backlash...

[@januarysson5633]

Politicians never think of consequences past the next election.

[@Magicspark2366]

I seriously think Europe is gong to hell in a hand basket. Any attempt to backtrack on the Brexit vote despite the smokescreen of `we want to re negotiate` will undoubtedly create chaos in the UK...our major cities are a tinderbox and sparks will fly!

[@abvmoose87]

Thats what female voting rights get you

[@j.umh1687]

Why would negotiating cause chaos?

[@Madoldcatlady]

@@j.umh1687 why negotiate? That’s not what the referendum was for and that’s not what the majority voted for. So to renegotiate rejoining, is a stab in the back, not to mention insanity, particularly considering the election results in France just now and the sorry state of Germany, both the two main EU countries, yet their economies tanking. You really think it’s a good idea to climb back onboard a sinking ship?

[@joce11]

​@@MadoldcatladyAgree but I've no doubt New Labour will try its hardest to get onboard the sinking ship to save globalisation. The EU doesn't exist for its people. It exists for globalists.

[@nickgood8166]

Delete the first 3 words!

[@Yahyaliye]

Could someone explain to me how blindly following US foreign policy, which Andrew Neil sees as problematic, has benefited the UK recently? The US pushed for NATO expansion to Ukraine from 2008, Merkel and Sarkozy warned against this as they knew how Russia would react, but US interests reigned supreme. Does Andrew think all the immigrants from Middle East fleeing US wars are beneficial? Hardly any end up in US compared to EU/UK for obvious geographical reasons. Germany committed economic suicide when it stopped purchasing cheap Russian gas, the AFD are as against this war as much as they are immigration. EU put tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles the day after the US. These cars go further than Tesla’s, are great build and are cheaper…And the list goes on. Post WWII the idea was EU foreign policy would be aligned with US interests in exchange for US military defence, preventing both extra-European actors and intra-European conflict. Has this really been necessary? I don’t recall needing US troops during the Falklands..instead here we are today as US empire vows to stay hegemonic following blindly a nation who is going to be led by a clearly mentally-incapable octogenarian or Trump who I actually think overall is the better candidate. Perhaps we should reopen the books and see how the world wars started and ask if we Really want to join the US in provoking the Russian bear into Nuclear Armageddon….

[@nellymoo635]

Quality of Chinese ev is questionable.

[@JakeGurney-k7p]

Fully agree, but does our insane world agree?

[@christophernunn943]

@@nellymoo635 Totally agree. It's on record their lower standards like everything else they make are well know for cars spontaneously combusting. Most of the Chinese industrial output is sub standard and cheap and the West is hooked on their junk. This has made China incredibly rich and powerful, ironically they are our enemies not our friends.

[@steecofarn]

Radical left, you mean extreme far left surely?

[@upthebracket26]

whats extreme about wanting to put workers & eldery people before rich people & russia?

[@orlandomontfort5101]

@@upthebracket26 Are you that naive or just stupid?

[@wiseonwords]

@@upthebracket26 - That's what they claim to care about. I see you believe their propaganda.

[@NorskInjustis]

He quoted Peter Sellers, so clearly we live in the 1960s, lol

[@Geoff-n1d]

@@upthebracket26because they don’t care , just like the Russian Trotskyites didn’t care it’s always about seizing power

[@michaelpower7326]

Far Left (Communism)

[@noodleppoodle]

Do you know what communism even means??? Actually a bit of communism would not be bad right now when most of the assets are in the hands of a tiny few and untaxed

[@campbell4show]

Marxist Communism*

[@LordFunzo]

@@noodleppoodle communal ownership? Who owns something when nobody does? Those with the authority to distribute assets own everything. 'Democratically elected' I hear you cry, maybe I wont distribute food to you unless you vote for me. 'Unjust' you say? 'Treason' I say, off to the goulag with you.

[@snakeplissken7671]

@@noodleppoodle Under communism, all assets are in the hands of a tiny few and they are untaxed. The government owns everything and pays no taxes. The people own nothing. It seems you are the one who does not understand what communism is. You need LESS communism to fix the problem you are talking about. The actual problem with western economies is that leftists have discovered you can print money to steal money from the people covertly through money printing (inflation). They then redistribute this money to their cronies and donors, which then gets funneled back to them to fuel their campaigns or pay insane salaries for nebulous "think tank" or board jobs which are just titles. A portion of that printed money is doled out to greedy voters who have their votes for sale to whomever gives them the most goodies; the whole time not knowing they are being paid with their own money. So it's a rampant theft/embezzlement/bribery scheme by people who are mostly leftists and commies. That's why you don't own anything and rich people own everything. It has nothing to do with a "failure of capitalism", it has to do with commies getting political power then looting everyone blind and seizing control of all of the assets. . .then they use that stolen asset power to assert their dominance even further for corporate communism/feudalism. A system we're all suffering under now. So yeah, your problem is that we have too much communism. Poisoning ourselves even further is not going to make the poison go away.

[@Madoldcatlady]

@@noodleppoodle well you don’t seem to know what fascist means. But as it now actually happens, there are actual commies in the French National Assembly and I believe one of them is on an extremist watch list as being a threat to the security of France. I know it’s said often, but you really couldn’t make this stuff up! Btw.., have you got one example where communism has been successful? Just one will do. Even a successful example of socialism would be good, and I don’t mean ones that use a free market economy.

[@Madoldcatlady]

I live in France and it’s been astonishing to hear the ridiculous fear-mongering coming from young socialists. They actually believed music concerts would be prohibited. Art too. We’d have pogroms and the like. One of my daughters acquaintances, is the child of a pair of teachers, one for history, the other English, and the things he’s been claiming should LePen win are the most far-fetched, conspiratorial bunkum I’ve ever heard. I can only imagine his parents have helped him come to these conclusions about RN, which also makes me wonder just how much of their own factually incorrect opinions overflow into their classes. Also, when the voting prospectus was posted, the quantity of candidates in left-wing parties, that were teachers or held positions in teaching faculties, was tremendous. Subtle and not so subtle left-wing brainwashing goes on all the time in schools.

[@MrBannystar]

A lot of leftists come out with the same stupid hyperbole for a lot of things. It's always societally more acceptable to be an ignorant lefty than an informed righty.

[@drlobomalo]

It's amazing (?) how exactly the same phenomenon is occurring in the US with respect to Trump.

[@dogwklr]

21st century teachers are a poison to human advancement

[@marysmik9812]

We know that wealthy African students attended Western Universities, soaked with marxism, they came back home to Africa, made a revolution and killed half of their own nation.

[@sheridanpayne5347]

Yes, and the same scare-mongering is happening in America. Biden's crooked and corrupt administration is more evil than Al Capone, and yet they have the brass neck to say that, if Trump won, he would destroy democracy! Really, they are deranged!!

[@Tsukonin]

The National Rally is not "far-right", it's a fairly centrist or even leftist party compared to the more economically liberal anglosphere countries. It's not too different from Jacques Chirac's line pre-1980s.

[@iaindennis3321]

1 in 7 people in the UK voted Reform and they got 5 MP’s out of 650 - Democracy?

[@marysmik9812]

Exactly. The Labour party got 1 seat by 30 thousand votes while Reform needed 800 thousand for 1 seat.

[@nellymoo635]

@@marysmik9812 🙃

[@rodthewelder3360]

As a reform voter I totally agree with you but proportional representation rarely works to get a mojority Goverment. Then you get a hung Parliament.

[@IMAC1776]

The NR are significantly more popular in France than Starmer’s Labour Party is in Britain.

[@Alert64]

It was a stitch up between the far left and macrons party and the result defied democratic principles

[@justinf1343]

👏👏

[@nellymoo635]

Unfortunately its just the game.

[@williammunny4679]

Stop referring to the RN as ‘far right’

[@jake751]

OK. Faciasts

[@Madoldcatlady]

@@jake751 ooh… that was clever of you! Wow! I wonder how you came up with that retort. 🙄

[@tonywilliams7152]

It's their job

[@tomjc147]

@@jake751 ??? Google translate doesn’t work on this.

[@afterlate8866]

Le Pen’s economic policies - if you care to check - are actually Socialist.

[@jcal258]

“It’s time to punish Britains 5 million vaccine refuseniks.” - Andrew Neil

[@nmpolo]

When did he say this? As in was that a recent thing or back during the lockdowns etc?

[@marshallh9]

@@jcal258 The flabby jabber 😂😂

[@brendancorrigan]

​@@nmpoloYes, I wasn't aware of this. If it's true, I can't respect the man at all, kzbin.info/www/bejne/qHu2d5doiLWYb6ssi=1oHxFEubnsIhPmvt

[@Lord_Saruman]

Jabba the Jab w/o Leia lol

[@JakeGurney-k7p]

Andrew Neil the Boomersaurus Rex

[@gerhard7323]

Macron is about to embody the phrase, 'be careful what you wish for'.

[@anonnemo2504]

The likes of Maitlis and Campbell welcoming this result in France reveals them for the intellectual lightweights that they are, and that goes for much of the rest of the "chattering classes" in the UK too.

[@proselytizingorthodoxpente8304]

Despite their love of all things EU, they clearly have no interest in their politics

[@gerhard7323]

I'm amazed that these two have ANY credibility left at all. On the plus side, at least Maitlis doesn't have the blood of hundreds of thousands of dead Iraqis on her hands. I would say 'conscience', but Campbell obviously hasn't got one.

[@gerhard7323]

@mikesmith1485 Glad your similar comment to mine got through. Mine didn't.

[@brigitpimm8488]

So radical left not far left. I see.

[@januarysson5633]

What’s the difference?

[@richardenders6606]

@brigitpimm8488 - hard radical populist far left, try to keep up

[@brigitpimm8488]

@@januarysson5633 well it's always far right never radical right. Right?

[@januarysson5633]

@@brigitpimm8488 Is it? Umm…Okay.

[@PoliticalBetting-x6c]

@@richardenders6606 You are silly because you don't understand the words I made up...

[@sn4831]

"It's time to punish the unvaccinated." - Andrew Neil. The true fascist

[@ianmedford4855]

@@sn4831 100%. Pepperidge Farms remembers. This guy is a total scumbag.

[@gerhard7323]

Great recent Short showing Starmer being shown the pub door in Bath for this very reason. Utter humiliation.

[@jcal258]

Andrew Neil is a boob

[@Thermopylae2007]

If that's who you've got calling themselves conservative, that is really sad.

[@sn4831]

I never even knew that. They really are repulsive

[@nickgood8166]

Emily Matlis isn't a journalist, she's an activist.

[@Bungadin2845]

Yes…….but she did do a great interview with Prince Andrew

[@marysmik9812]

@@Bungadin2845 And even better in a famous interview with the Hungarian foreign minister Péter Szijjártó. She just fumed with rage pushing her multiculti point of view. 😂

[@georgethompson453]

A rather stupid one too!

[@Stoddardian]

RN literally got 3 million votes more than NFP.

[@unrealharry]

Every country needs PR - it’s simple and fair.

[@mralireza931]

So what? Do you even know how parliamentary elections work?

[@John.Doe.272]

And now the far left will run the country into the ground, and eventually the "right" will be voted in to fix the problem.

[@kanglongshankz3313]

@@mralireza931 I imagine they are implying the electoral system is flawed and not accurately representative of voters.

[@teriekwilliams2828]

@@unrealharry if elections that cannot produce clear outright majorities and can only form governments via backroom deals is your form of simple and fair go at it. PR in the UK will simply make 2010 to 2024 permanent. But again go at it.

[@DavidRobinson-rj2sp]

FRANCE HAS FALLEN.

[@andrewhotston983]

Mélenchon is FAR LEFT. Have the courage to say so, Mr Neill.

[@philipbrackpool-bk1bm]

Apparently he makes Corbyn look like a Thatcherite.

[@springwood1331]

Quite so

[@simonmc7875]

@@andrewhotston983 Hard Far Left... their manifesto is unbelievable. They are mental, if you read what they want to enact.

[@chrisohanlon69]

He did say that.

[@pepegalego]

Far left doesn't exist...didn't you know? There is only far-right, right, centre, left and more left...Keep up. Oh, and remember the left is everything you believe in, everybody else is far right.

[@maxnewson5704]

Thank the gods for Andrew Neil's historical knowledge of France. Compare and contrast with almost every other UK commentator's profound ignorance on the subject.

[@jacktanner7738]

France rushing headlong into oblivion. You can't blame LePen; she tried.

[@gerhard7323]

Le Pen probably dodged a bullet here, but maybe doesn't quite yet feel she has in the moment.

[@bronwenewens1198]

Agree

[@templarmalta9946]

Sharia and the religious right of islam will sort out the French left. It's only a matter of time.

[@Solidude4]

@@templarmalta9946 Nope. Muslims still tend to vote left wing because the racism of the right is just worse.

[@ciaronsmith4995]

Not really. Iranians in particular are awesome.

[@bronwenewens1198]

They are. Those in the West are foes of Islamism

[@shelleyscloud3651]

The only sensible & informed comment on Sunday’s results I’ve heard yet.

[@sye601]

The problem with AN is that he talks a good game....then gets proven to be on the wrong side of reality.

[@richardenders6606]

@@sye601 - agreed, strange isn't it? His boosting the proposed opening of GBNEWS for months and then flouncing off as soon as it actually did open never did make sense

[@ciaronsmith4995]

Just a fun fact. The logo on his shirt is of someone playing "Polo". That game was invented in Iran, by the Persians. Cheers!

[@richardgledhill6801]

A shirt his size would fit the horse!

[@ciaronsmith4995]

@@richardgledhill6801 Well yes, that's also true.

[@protocolsoftheridersofdurian]

The logo needs to be bigger.

[@peterjmcc1953]

This is a very wise overview by someone who really understands the situation. This is indeed a very difficult time for the Western nations. They are being shaken.

[@dannycbe949]

"Western leadership"...? Any actual examples of such a person?

[@davidcole8268]

Poor Andrew Neil - if they slap a wealth tax on him he’ll have to leave France and return to the UK😢!

[@user-iz9co4qf6z]

And you think Labour aren't thinking about a wealth tax?...

[@DonBean-ej4ou]

He might lose some weight.

[@Beach_comber]

He could move to Belgium. That's what loads of rich French did when the French government introduced a punitive 75% top rate of tax in 2014.

[@Diamondmine212]

No chance SIR Keir and cronies will slab a super tax on folk. AFTER of course the left have made sure their fortunes are safely tucked up in off shore accounts. 👍👍👍👍

[@stephenwood2172]

​@@user-iz9co4qf6zStarmer is bought and paid for by billionaires. Wouldnt worry about that!

[@juliancoulden1753]

The uk……,was ahead of the curve when we voted for Brexit

[@Cherrytune386]

🤬

[@cnrspiller3549]

We had better prepare ourselves for thousands of asylum seekers fleeing France... oh, wait.

[@davetalbot8256]

We don't get this with the BBC, ITV, SKY etc

[@donaldthomson9411]

I always enjoy listening to Mr Neil’s analysis and feel incredibly knowledgable and wise afterwards.

[@shelleyscloud3651]

Sow the wind, reap the whirlwind…..

[@janpetersen7440]

France is in a little more chaos today than yesterday - nothing new in that.

[@randybackgammon890]

French 'chaos' has worked pretty well for the common man in my expierence

[@PopularesVox]

Not really, it's the end of Macron's reforms to restructure the French economy by instigating cut backs in public expenditure. The French public finance is essentially controlled by the EU and any row back now will place severe strains on the EU budget which is already feeling the effects from a faltering German economy. By facilitating greater influence by the extreme Left within government, the effect will not only harm the French economy which is looking very weak, it will have serious repercussions throughout the European Union. If you think things are bad now, they are about to get a whole lot worse.

[@BrandyHeng007]

A nation can only be ruled by Fools if the Fools voted in the Fools. 🤡

[@richardenders6606]

@BrandyHeng007 - do people who wished to vote for le Pen last week and then changed their minds because some of the opposition withdrew meet your definition of Fools?

[@KJ-db7pt]

Absolutely correct stated relating to fools

[@aclark903]

@@richardenders6606 Fools say there is no God. That’s the Bible definition. And that is the problem with Europe- secularism. It’s inadequate to face Islam because the secular left continually underestimate the power of religion.

[@g3523jaen]

We are winning. We need more time. Le Pen RN party and allies got in 2022 16% and in 2024 37%. It takes time. We will win.

[@koala6016]

Ah yes, democracy is so annoying when you don't like the result.

[@Kiwiboy1929]

And Starmer wants to bring us back into the EU

[@mrbaker7443]

This time with London in charge…

[@nellymoo635]

What a clown.

[@SworBeyE16]

Alastair Campbell celebrating the apparent victory of French eurocommunism shouldn't come as a surprise whatsoever

[@oscarvi3232]

Don't have a lot of time for Andrew Neil, but I think he is on the money for this event. Freddie Grey, as ever, proves himself to be a consummate interviewer.

[@Dabhach1]

Am I the only one who thinks Andrew has had a pleasant lunch?

[@gerhard7323]

No. Andrew does too.

[@frankschmidt5932]

😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@alphabetaxenonzzzcat]

Don't worry Andrew - you won't get kicked out of France.

[@justinf1343]

Please stop using 'far right'.

[@isabelledetaillefer2726]

The Olympics will be a mess.

[@19squidgy75]

The French, always arguing with themselves , nothing has changed.

[@Isclachau]

Yes but this time it’s bad. Very bad

[@19squidgy75]

@@Isclachau Too many chiefs, not enough Indians, they will sought it out. Maybe if they concentrate more on France 🇫🇷 as opposed to foreign adventures, that could be a good start. End complicity in unnecessary foreign wars, at the behest of the USA 🇺🇸 make peace with former colonies, just be more French in France 🇫🇷

[@Isclachau]

@@19squidgy75 Well I agree but as Mr Neil says that time is not going to be now. Like him I fear for France for the first time in my life and I suspect Le Pen may be sitting pretty in the coming years.

[@jean-pascalheynemand3271]

They worship status quo.

[@19squidgy75]

@@Isclachau She will eventually become the leader, I don’t think that she will be as bad as the corporate media portray her to be. The incumbents will do and say anything to maintain their power, even if it is to create short term havoc. Once they taste the elixir of the public purse 👛 they find it hard to give up. A good government is one that is stable, and firming lose coalitions to prevent true democratic processes from occurring, is polar opposite to democracy. At the end of the day, if Le Pen makes a mistake, you vote her out.

[@ronharris7335]

Why do you call those that are not socialist far right

[@marysmik9812]

Because the EU is far left so everything else is on the right with this curved left optics.

[@tonywilliams7152]

Europe will look very very different by the end of this century. One way or another.

[@harryhill-es5jk]

Labour are going to do the same with nigel and the reform party labour wont stop the boat or mass illegal immigration and that what happpen in france

[@daviddorward7684]

Very clear and informed discussion. I particularly liked, as a historically minded Canadian, the references to the 4th. Republic and the disastrous governments/decisions which gave France and the world The Battle of Algiers and Dien Bien Phu.

[@alancooper9632]

What a fascinating interview on French politics . I can't believe I've listened to it being an Englishman, absolutely top hole.

[@marysmik9812]

My favourite commentator is Gavin Mortimer of The Spectator who lives in France. This morning he spoke with Mike Graham on TalkTV.

[@joewalsh4685]

French politics is like an ice hockey game, fighting more than playing.

[@MattieGorman]

Andrew Neil says this could be the end of the EU within a year or two? I have to say I was gutted when marine le pens national rally was clearly stitched up yesterday! But this analysis from Andrew neil has cheered me up no end👏

[@tonywilliams7152]

I hope so.

[@Jules-Is-a-Guy]

Outstanding discussion, thanks very much.

[@nathanielgordon5659]

France has been going south for a decade

[@atkinsjoe5754]

@@nathanielgordon5659 Since Mitterrand in the 1980s

[@foppo101]

France won't allow Fascist to take over.

[@jonathanayres6005]

Was 1999 peak strength of the West? Russia was dissolved as a power, China was not the industrial powerhouse, work force age was on average younger, the state was less authoritarian, mass migration was still relatively low and there was minimal threat of Islamic terrorism in the West.

[@bronwenewens1198]

It was the peak for Australia

[@Candolad]

At 21:15 Andrew Neil daid that to change the Constitution France would "need someone with authority". The only person who fits that description in my opinion is Marine Le Pen.

[@ansc6472]

The Islamic republic of France 🇫🇷

[@stephaniesurface8761]

Thanks Andrew Neil for an excellent comment. Wonder if you are going to move to Tuscany soon. Seems Italy with Meloni is the only stable place in Europe for the next few years. Germany also will have a rocky road in front of it next year…

[@davidcole8268]

@@stephaniesurface8761 Meloni a class act. The only western European leader with balls.

[@user-ru4ks1rb6s]

Capital is already fleeing France. Voters do not understand the consequences of their choice. That is the sad thing.

[@glenncrookes9775]

The Right Is Rising 🇬🇧🗽🇫🇷

[@xxczerxx]

I hate to say it but it feels like the ship has sailed to bring back any sense of the nation state or conservatism in any real sense in Europe. The current trajectory is going to further widen the wealth gap, kill all sense of culture and national pride in these nations, and further create festering tension between increasingly disparate communities. All the while, more people shift further right in desparation...my question is why did it have to come to this? Why could we never have reasonable discussions about this over the last decade?

[@richardgledhill6801]

Any sensible dialogue is seen as far right!

[@snorry84]

Apart from the tripe pro-EU propaganda, this was an interesting interview.

[@larrydugan1441]

"How can you govern a country which has two hundred and forty-six varieties of cheese"…?

[@lastshelter5550]

Can we really call France a democracy? Or even Britain? We both have millions of people not represented in their leadership

[@WallaseyanTube]

In the UK all the constituents are represented by their MP.

[@thegoodpimps]

You can’t be so toxic in a democracy that people vote against you. If there’s and in group and an out group the election ends up lost because the more votes you get the more votes the opponent gets.

[@colingourley1222]

I am an admirer of Andrew Neil. I have no idea why his This Week programme was axed by the BBC late on Thursday night. His insight is illuminating.

[@DeeClarke-lg1hp]

Loving the 2005 Ashes print.

[@Steve-xl1en]

lol that was the first thing that got my attention

[@stevev238]

Andrew's breadth and depth of knowledge in political history is second to none, and results in more depth of analysis than we find elsewhere. Arguably the best British editor in my lifetime.

[@zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz161]

Cheers to you sir, your knowledge of french politics is impressive 👍 Macron has been more destructive to France than all the former presidents of the Fifth French Republic combined. France is on a very bad course...

[@marysmik9812]

Globalists like Macron don´t bother France because they feel as the world leaders.

[@phyllisbiram5163]

A simply wonderful analysis from Neil, as politically astute as ever.

[@bazrax7932]

Watch The Day of the Jackal. A great film about the time Andrew is talking about the De Gaulle. It still holds up to this day.

[@edwinlemus8530]

"No able to government" the pain of democracy. Live with it.

[@wayneyd2]

Biden have brought that same craps here in the United States also.

[@evolassunglasses4673]

Capitalism and Socialism working together to keep Nationalism out.

[@presterjohn4123]

I wonder if Freddy does Dudley Moore impressions

[@DonPedroTheDude]

Arguably, the likely two years chaos could be worse than simply having cohabitation between RN and Macron.

[@michaelgilday]

Andrew Neil "If France goes south so does Europe." let's hope that happens then.

[@gusgone4527]

@peterholden3672 Sadly, before things get better they must get worse.

[@ianmedford4855]

Andrew Neil has fully participated in the destruction of western society. He's been on board with all of it, from the Trump bad, to "safe and effective", to Ukrainian flags, to disarming western populations, and all the rest. This dude is a clown.

[@mikepost8965]

Holden3672 still brits wishing harm on nations in the EU.

[@simony2801]

@@gusgone4527 that makes no sense, a strong and stable eu is Europe’s future.

[@mrbaker7443]

@peterholden3672If the continental neighbours literally went south the English Channel would be too wide for the refugee dinghies… 😂 Bit you have a serious point.

[@HMASJervisBay]

Why do they have trees along the Champs-Élysées? So the Germans can march in the shade.

[@williamtyndale1402]

Andrew please circle back and debate your belief on the rights of"refusenicks"

[@Bordeaux1979]

“Minister, Britain has had the same foreign foreign policy objective for at least the last 500 years, to create a disunited Europe. In that cause we have fought with the Dutch against the Spanish, with the Germans against the French, with the French and Italians against the Germans, and with the French against the Germans and Italians. Divide and rule, you see. Why should we change now, when it’s worked so well ?”

[@Insaanich1]

Wow. Good explanation 👏👏👍💕🙏 thank you 🙏

[@harrygmattin]

Best political video I’ve watched in a long time. What a fabulous understanding Andrew has and as far as I’m concerned, the BBC has never been the same since Andrew stopped doing This Week.

[@AbcDino843]

This is all too delightful to watch, including the Labour's "landslide" in Britain. Europe is decomposing itself.

[@richardgledhill6801]

Or even composting itself! A pile of manure🤣

[@jonathanwarne3480]

Thanks Andrew

[@Stoddardian]

The French right needs to start thinking about going full revolutionary.

[@Oxnaforda]

Well unlike the revolution of 18th century the majority of the people dont support the " revolutionaries" they are a minority and will remain so, as the fascists for the most part always have been. They cant win democratically

[@dpstrial]

As in the UK and maybe the USA, it's gone beyond the ballet box.

[@stephenwood2172]

You realise this can only mean Nazism?!

[@willmcgeady4618]

No, that is simply fascism. Do u even hear urself??

[@Stoddardian]

@@stephenwood2172 Yes, and?

[@Polemicist0]

Well, what a truly amazing surprise that the staunch Conservative Party supporting journalist / broadcaster, Mr Andrew Neil, said it was a "good thing" that the leader of Marine Le Pen's National Rally Party was unable to actually form a French coalition government.

[@nellymoo635]

Upside down world.

[@johnryan4454]

Neil is the most profoundly knowledgeable and insightful political commentator i have ever heard.

[@marysmik9812]

Really? I prefer Gavin Mortimer or Tucker Carlson.

[@chris.fyourman2648]

Andrew Neil knows his onions. Other journalists should take note

[@Greg_Bright]

He knows all food

[@Nnomadd]

I guess chaos is a low threshold for reporters

[@gameram6382]

This will be the uk in 3 years.

[@tonywilliams7152]

Nah. The brits are subjects and do as they are told.

[@johnkingston1337]

Guess we’ll see how long this far left coalition will last and whether the lack of a functioning government won’t just breed greater support for Le Pen in the upcoming presidential elections..

[@akashpaul6891]

add on top the fiscal situation in the western countries, the fall of an empire beckons

[@S41GON]

Globalist bros, I don't feel so good...

[@ChrisVaughan-gj7ve]

Always heartbreaking when the French get themselves in a right old pickle

[@sydshrimp]

Wow Andrew Neil! We would never have guessed!

[@derekspitz9225]

'The new popular front' or 'the popular new front' or the 'people's popular front'? They're all spliters. Ocelot's spleen anyone?