Greg Hands

Strategic Adviser to Daniel Křetínský & the Energetický a průmyslový (EP) Group. Chair, GRID-UK. MP for Chelsea & Fulham, 2005-24. UK Govt Minister, 2011-24.

[James Heale @JAHeale]

☀️ Appropriate footwear for today’s heat found in the office

[Greg Hands @GregHands]

Great event and a great location!

An honour to be a panellist on the threats from technology to democracy & related issues last night in the famous PanAm lounge in Berlin.

I actually got applause for the line:

“The enemy isn’t Facebook. It’s Russia!”

[Greg Hands @GregHands]

Quite right.

And some countries have shown it is perfectly possible to allow the Brits to use the eGates.

As allow EU citizens to use ours.

[Simon Calder @SimonCalder]

EU entry-exit system.
The EES was never intended to contend with the British.
Most of the “third-country nationals” crossing Schengen frontiers are from the UK.
We add too much pressure in too many inadequate border locations.
Europe must pause and reflect
https://t.co/tGH6Dia6wV

[Greg Hands @GregHands]

@Damerella @londonto @nathansldennis @DavidGHFrost My God, I feel for you. It looks awful.

[Greg Hands @GregHands]

@RobCJournalist And a great piece it is - perfect balance on the issue, in my view.

Back in 1989, I studied in the Sudeten German archive in Munich and the Czech Communist Party archive in Prague.

Obviously quite diametrically opposite views!

[Greg Hands @GregHands]

I’ve spent a large part of my life in Germany and Czech(slovakia).

I have an interest in good 🇩🇪 🇨🇿 relations.

So I was pleased to be a Guest of Honour at the Sudeten German Day in Brno this weekend.

My undergrad dissertation in 1989 was on Sudeten German exile organisations

[Greg Hands @GregHands]

@RobCJournalist Thanks Rob, I read your piece yesterday many thanks!

[Greg Hands @GregHands]

It was good to be with my @CSU @cducsubt friends German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt & Stephan Mayer in marking the anniversary of the Brno Death March in 1945.

And to mark millions of people in this part of the world who lost their lives 1938-45, Jews, Czechs, Roma.

[David Frost @DavidGHFrost]

Well done to @GregHands for his consistent campaigning on eGates.

No one else seems interested, least of all the British Government and the responsible minister Nick Thomas-Symonds, despite the fact Keir Starmer announced it a year ago this week.👇

[Greg Hands @GregHands]

@DavidGHFrost @nedeye I have used them in Italy, in Milan airport, in April

[Greg Hands @GregHands]

The obvious thing to do is to let Brits use the eGates. Why?

✅ other EU & Schengen nations reportedly allow this, like Greece, Spain, Italy & Portugal.

✅ the U.K. allows Germans to use our eGates

✅ the Brits aren’t likely to be overstayers, illegal immigrants etc.

[Greg Hands @GregHands]

I enjoyed Thursday being on a panel at the @BCCGeV conference in London on improving 🇬🇧 🇩🇪 business relations, but…

✅ 🇬🇧 should be in 🇩🇪’s top 5 trade partners, not struggling to make top 10
✅ A big hurdle is actually getting into Germany. “It was easier to get into the GDR”

[Greg Hands @GregHands]

It’s Belfast!

[YouGov @YouGov]

What do you consider to be Britain's second city?

Manchester: 34% of Britons
Birmingham: 30%
Edinburgh: 12%
Liverpool: 3%
Glasgow: 3%
Cardiff: 2%
Leeds: 1%
Newcastle: 1%
Bristol: 1%

[Greg Hands @GregHands]

You know you’re in the Czech Republic when you find the minibar stocked with actual booze 🍷 🍻

Even in the simplest of hotels.

And the beer 🍺 is always cheaper than the water!

[Greg Hands @GregHands]

An honour to be formally elected onto the Council of the @BCCGeV, the British Chamber of Commerce in Germany, along with Michael Jungwirth CEO of @vodafone Germany.

I have been involved in 🇬🇧 🇩🇪 economic relations for 40 years, now with the @EPGroup6

Eine Ehre!

[Greg Hands @GregHands]

Bizarre that Labour figures arguing that they need to win the Makerfield by-election to “move on from our period of introspection and return to delivering for the British people ” (or something like that, Lammy on TV)

The by-election is entirely caused by Labour introspection!

[Greg Hands @GregHands]

It was definitely a good idea!

[Greg Hands @GregHands]

A smart move now is for Starmer to appoint Rayner to the vacancy at Health

✅ she might need the Cabinet salary (eg to pay the tax bill)
✅ turns a rival into a supporter
✅ outflanks Streeting
✅ confounds opinion that he is incapable of bold action.
✅ avoids wider reshuffle

[The Pioneer @ThePioneerDe]

„Starmer ist auf verschiedene Art und Weise der Schwächste.”
@GregHands, Ex-Staatsminister unter Rishi Sunak, im Morning Briefing Podcast mit @ChelseaSpieker. Sein Urteil nach sieben Premierministern, die er im Parlament erlebt hat. Labour verlor vergangene Woche über 1.400 Mandate — mehr als 70 Abgeordnete stellen sich gegen ihren Premier.

[Greg Hands @GregHands]

A smart move now is for Starmer to appoint Rayner to the vacancy at Health

✅ she might need the Cabinet salary (eg to pay the tax bill)
✅ turns a rival into a supporter
✅ outflanks Streeting
✅ confounds opinion that he is incapable of bold action.
✅ avoids wider reshuffle

[Greg Hands @GregHands]

What a missed opportunity!

I was one of a large group of former Energy Ministers (cross party) who wrote to the PM earlier this year, urging the Government to do more to exploit our own North Sea gas, rather than importing it from others.

Imports always create more emissions.