Evie Aspinall
@EvieAspinall_
Followers
4K
Following
4K
Media
243
Statuses
2K
Director of the British Foreign Policy Group (@thebfpg). Formerly UN Women and Future Leaders Network. Views my own.
Joined March 2019
A man overheard me on the phone to my boyfriend last night lost trying to find my hotel. He didn’t try and make small talk. He told me to stay on the phone. And then he walked 2 feet in front of me, for a whole 10 minutes, so he could point out my hotel to me. (1/2).
841
8K
235K
That’s how you do it. In what could have been a scary situation he did everything right. I felt so safe. Massive thank you to that man (2/2).
156
2K
146K
The fact you can have 10,000 people in a stadium before you can have in-person lectures epitomises how poorly university students have been treated during the pandemic.
76
7K
57K
I absolutely refuse to believe the Princess of Wales was sat on photoshop the night before Mother's Day frantically editing a photo with her kids. And incredibly odd for her to take the blame for this.
Princess of Wales apologises for confusion over the family photograph issued by Kensington Palace and says "I do occasionally experiment with editing". For more on this and other news visit
253
4K
55K
Finding out Matt Hancock had resigned via a random drunk girl going round and telling all the tables in a bar, is absolutely how I wanted to find out. Iconic behaviour.
81
2K
51K
When I leave a female friend, we tell each other to message when we get home. I used to be pretty blasé about it but since the murders of Sabina Nessa and Sarah Everard I worry until a friend has says they’re home. Women live in fear of their lives and most men don’t even realise.
138
3K
19K
How can the Education Secretary announce there won't be any school exams but not announce what they're going to do instead? Use predicted grades? Sit them later in the year? Who knows? But just leaving thousands of young people drowning in uncertainty seems incredibly unfair.
258
4K
19K
This isn’t even Leah Williamson’s full time job. She just captained England to the Euros final and she’s still training to be an accountant. Fund women’s football.
93
1K
16K
Ngama has been in the UK since she was 11. She can't return to Cameroon where homosexuality is illegal. GB Boxing backed her visa application, to no avail. Heartwarming that the Refugee team has won a medal, heartbreaking how her story reveals the cruelty of the UK refugee system.
Cindy Ngamba's name gets etched in the Olympic record books. @CindyNgamba beat French Davina Michel to reach the 75kg boxing semi-finals, becoming the first ever athlete from the IOC @RefugeesOlympic Team to secure an Olympic medal. Read more: (Photo
52
3K
16K
We all have the same 24 hours a day and Molly Mae can't even use those to come up with her own book title
44
660
12K
PSA: You can get ice cream as your 'snack' in the Sainsburys meal deal. Magnums, twisters, cornettos, the lot. I just had a magnum as a mid afternoon snack and life has never been better.
74
383
10K
Universities offering students thousands of pounds to defer their places until next year is a stark reminder that they could afford to offer this for disadvantaged students every year, if only they prioritised people over profit.
8
623
5K
Under 23s pay the exact same as over 23s for rent, food and bills. The fact that it’s even up for debate whether they deserve equal pay for equal work is absurd.
9
342
4K
@PoliticsForAlI Politicians shouldn’t be discouraging citizens from engaging in politics. It’s a fundamental part of democracy. Disgraceful.
17
149
3K
One of the biggest unsung heroes of Eurovision are the stage crew. While we’re all watching the slightly awkward intros, they frantically change entire sets in just seconds. Genuinely one of the most impressive parts of the show. #Eurovision2023
5
371
2K
The fact that we're on the verge of a second lockdown/ sharply increased restrictions and yet University campuses are still reopening is absolutely baffling (and completely reckless). A thread.
19
364
2K
School closures don't mean teachers stop working. My brother-in-law has spent his whole weekend frantically preparing for online lessons, which are particularly hard when teaching young children. Teachers aren't taking the easy option, they just don't want to kill your family.
13
252
1K
I’ve never messaged him. I’ve never even matched with him. This isn’t sweet, it’s stalkery and it’s creepy af.
41
30
1K
Everyone like ‘she’s just studying’, is clearly oblivious to the hard work required to train to be accountant. It’s not a low key commitment. Female footballers have to plan so hard for their futures while their male counterparts earn millions.
20
42
875
They've had weeks to prepare for the worst case scenario (this) so you'd think they'd have some concrete solutions before announcing cancellations. Or maybe I'm giving them too much credit.
15
33
690
For many woman who work 9-5 jobs, a Tier 2 lockdown in winter means that they won’t be able to see anyone during the week because meeting friends in a park in the dark after work isn’t just unappealing, it’s unsafe. The mental health consequences this will have are profound.
6
65
670
Bet uni students are super hyped they can now go back to uni for like 10 days, just in time to sit their exams and then pack up their rooms. What a fantastic uni experience.
6
34
649
This format is terrible. 30 minutes in and I can't tell you anyone's policies on anything - they're not being given enough time to actually explain their policies and in turn it's descending into a shouting match. Less questions, longer answers, more discipline needed. #ITVDebate.
14
54
602
The implicit assumption in this that privately educated students are brighter than state school students is gross. Increasing diversity at Oxbridge doesn’t mean the brightest are leaving for the US, it means the brightest are getting a chance at Oxbridge regardless of background.
4
84
564
@SkyNewsBreak Not good enough. Many universities are already claiming they’re at full capacity now and so they won’t accept students who have to appeal. For too many this will be too little, too late.
3
65
539
While well meaning, responses to this talking about rape alarms, self defence classes and men crossing the road just paper over the cracks. Violence against women is systemic, it requires deep-rooted structural chances to society, not small behavioural changes from women.
6
48
499
Contrary to the wild claims in this thread Oxford and Cambridge do not use IQ tests for admissions. Don't let these weird claims put you off applying.
8
55
496
And to the 6/7 men who have used this tweet as an opportunity to send abusive messages into my dms, all you’ve done is prove my point. Women are right to be scared and people like you are the reason why.
4
12
400
Please do not be put off applying to Oxbridge by tweets like this. Oxbridge have some of the most generous bursary schemes of any UK Universities and it is genuinely affordable for the vast majority of UK students!.
17
79
405
To everyone replying ‘people are dying, there are bigger issues’ did you know it’s possible to have multiple concerns at once? Worrying about students and worrying about the elderly/ vulnerable are not mutually exclusive.
10
20
384
For those asking, unless you’re a blonde who was walking around the upstairs of pergola in Paddington I’m afraid this wasn’t about you. But good on you for living your best lives x.
2
4
382
This is unacceptable. If there wasn't space, the offer shouldn't have been made. Students will now have turned down other Universities to accept their place at Cambridge and the idea that their offer could be taken away will add additional stress. Make space. Honour the offer.
Cambridge University has introduced an “over-subscription” clause to its offers, allowing it to withdraw places if too many students meet its entrance criteria
5
55
374
It's far from diplomatic but thoroughly enjoying the pettiness of TFL continuing to publish this.
It appears that TfL has published the latest figures for how much different embassies owe in Congestion Charge payments. America owes Britain £14m. Togo owes us £40.
3
19
361
For context: Lower grade requirements are for foundation years for those who have had their education severely disrupted or disadvantaged. If successful on the course, they go on to standard Cambridge degrees. This is a positive and innovative step towards widening participation.
1
75
347
Substantively what does ‘keeping universities open’ even mean?? Students were already primarily learning online, most social events are banned and many students are isolating. For most students, unis being ‘open’ just means they have to continue to pay extortionate rent prices.
2
70
335
@BBCBreaking We must get justice for Sarah, we must make our streets safe for women, we must not let this happen again. #ReclaimTheseStreets.
12
21
308
The fact the government didn’t think to mention what will happen to the 2 million University students in the UK shows how little regard the government has for young people and precisely why we need political mobilisation of young people. Absolutely absurd.
2
34
316
Daily reminder that no A-level student 'missed their offer', an algorithm robbed them of it. #HonourTheOffer.
1
58
281
@PoliticsForAlI The Government aren’t even trying to hide their hatred of young people anymore.
6
13
253
Now's the time to put your money where your mouth is @Cambridge_Uni (and others) #HonourTheOffer of state school students who have been downgraded. Now is the time to commit to Widening Participation, to supporting state school students and to stand up for what is right.Let's go!.
1
63
248
Imagine being a 20 year old today. You're finally graduating Zoom university with tens of thousands of pounds worth of debt, the economy is tanking, and now one of the best grad schemes is being scrapped at a time when young people's employment prospects were already poor. Bleak.
1
25
245
@PoliticsForAlI @thetimes I’m “raging” about how he’s treated young people throughout the pandemic and the fact he’s oblivious to how his treatment of them has directly contributed to this.
0
5
217
Adulthood is realising socks are actually a decent Christmas present. Good quality socks are surprisingly expensive and you can literally never have too many pairs of socks.
1
9
227
Thrilled to have been awarded 80/100 for my Masters Thesis and a distinction overall!! Another degree down ✨
19
1
211
Daily reminder that Oxbridge is not synonymous with "rich, upper-class private school kids". Whilst going to Oxbridge subsequently confers privilege on students, many students worked hard against the odds to get there. Diversity can't just be boiled down to 'not-Oxbridge'.
2
27
200
In possibly the most surreal experience of my life, I’m currently on the train to Cornwall surrounded by the UK’s top journalists. Very excited for the next few days and honoured to have the opportunity to represent the UK’s youth at the @G7 summit over the next few days!.
6
3
200
Some of the hardest working people I know are also some of the poorest. The idea that hard work makes you rich is a scam designed to demonise the poor and allow the rich to keep getting richer.
4
11
190
Denying loans to students with lower Alevel grades will reverse all progress made on access and inclusion. While many careers continue to require degrees, it’ll close so many doors for students from poor performing schools and disadvantaged backgrounds. We cannot let this happen.
5
38
189
@PoliticsForAlI @thetimes If this includes excluding young people from working, purely because they’re lower down the priority list thats just straight up ageism. We can’t allow this to happen.
13
7
161
@ShaunBaileyUK Women’s right not to live in safety should not be contingent on their relationship to you or any other man. They deserve rights, respect and safety as individuals.
4
6
168
@AndrewRTDavies It's an attempted coup. It is in no way equivalent to any of the events of Brexit. Downplaying a terrorist act for personal political point-scoring is not a good look.
4
9
146
Can we please stop referring to Kim Leadbeater purely as ‘Jo Cox’s sister’. Yes she’s carrying an incredible legacy but she’s also a brilliant and amazing woman in her own right which we should recognise.
0
14
165
Warwickshire County Council have named one of their gritters Professor Chris Gritty and this is the 2021 content we need.
0
10
160
5. Boris doesn't want Universities sending students home so when lockdown hits, students will be forced to isolate away from their loved ones with people that may have only met a few weeks before. This has the potential to be incredibly distressing and terrible for mental health.
1
16
154
Tl;dr Universities reopening in this weird hybrid form is a massive danger to student mental health and to wider public health and in the end 'partying students' will be scapegoated for a surge in cases that has already begun, whilst having a truly terrible experience themselves.
2
29
145
My grandfather used to call Christmas Eve Eve, Christmas Evie. Growing up it was my favourite day of the year and now he’s passed it’s a lovely memory and an opportunity to remember him. So Merry Christmas Evie everyone, appreciate your loved ones and cherish the time you have x.
2
3
144
2. Students (esp. Freshers), separated from their family, will need to make new friends. No matter how hard you try to socially distance events and lectures, outside of formal settings students will still socialise and social distancing in small student housing will be difficult.
1
9
137
AstraZeneca are the only vaccine producer selling at cost price. They’re the only ones who care about people over profit. Difficulties in production can’t be helped and the aggressiveness of the EU’s attack on AstraZeneca, who are trying to do good, doesn’t sit right.
2
22
143
Calling all 18-29 year olds, a day early but the NHS booking system now let’s you book your Covid booster! If you don’t want a Christmas Eve or New Years Day slot, I’d act fast.
10
59
146
Forcing students to lockdown in cramped student accommodation and away from loved ones is a serious mental health risk, especially for first-years who will be locked down with people they've only known for a few weeks.
PM says universities will be asked not to send students home in the event of a Covid-19 outbreak, so as to avoid spreading the virus.
3
24
141
I have nothing to promote but long reign random drunk girls on nights out, the heroes we need x.
2
0
131
It’s ok to believe that a national lockdown is desperately needed and also be deeply distressed about the prospect. A third lockdown isn’t going to be easy especially for young people and those living alone.
0
23
142
A few years ago I had the privilege of chairing Cambridge University’s Jo Cox Memorial Lecture. Afterwards I had dinner with Jo’s family and I can honestly Kim Leadbeater is one of the most impressive and inspiring people I’ve ever met. Batley and Spen would be lucky to have her.
1
16
132
The majority of my friends at Cambridge were convinced their offer was a mistake. After 3 years many of us left with crippling anxiety and zero self confidence. Almost everyone vastly underestimated themselves, but I guess nuance doesn’t make such a good tweet.
0
6
136
Still 7.7% higher than their state school admissions.
Covid-19 vaccine developed by the University of Oxford is 70% effective, large scale trial shows
0
12
135
6. Students will inevitably get Freshers Flu in the first few weeks and demand for coronavirus tests will therefore soar. Test and trace is already at four times capacity.
2
18
128
Genuinely think lockdown would be better mentally than the constant uncertainty of regularly changing tiers.
2
2
136
@PoliticsForAlI @thetimes Further proof that Wayne Couzens was not just ‘one bad apple’ but that there is an institutional and systemic problem in the police.
1
5
131
@BBCBreaking This is so long overdue. Twitter and Facebook allowed him to spread misinformation and abuse for years. They’ve been complicit and now they’re just covering their tracks.
19
4
122
The fact me and my boyfriend spent months doing the same few laps of the local park just to see each other, while the man mandating us to do this was off sleeping with his aide, is precisely why this is a public issue and why I’m so thoroughly pissed off.
2
7
120
What Kirstie Allsopp doesn’t realise is that young people don’t pay for Netflix, we all just scrounge off our parents’ accounts.
5
2
120
7. Students will, in a bid to prevent loneliness and make friends, bend the rules. They will then be landed with huge fines that they can't afford and the possibility of expulsion, which will have significant repercussions on their lives.
1
10
115
4. Just because (most) students are young does not mean its safe if they catch the virus. Many students have health conditions and staff members are often older and more at risk. This will literally put lives at risk.
2
8
116
Getting people to practically beg for freebies with hashtags like #PrettyPleasePLT and #OHPOLLYplease during the middle of a pandemic when millions of people have lost jobs/ are struggling to make ends meet feels a little crass tbh.
0
9
121
Because of Marcus Rashford fewer children in this country are going hungry. He’s done more than enough to be an English hero.
0
19
120
@BBCBreaking This will literally cost hundreds of thousands of lives, particularly in developing countries. European lives are not more valuable than lives in the rest of the world.
8
2
117
8. Many students rely on part-time jobs to fund their studies. Many of these jobs no longer exist and with Universities financially, students will struggle to get financial support from their unis as well, making life incredibly difficult for low-income students.
1
14
109
Thrilled to announce I've been selected as the UK's Head Delegate to the G7 Youth summit. Today we met with @10DowningStreet G7 Sherpa @JonathanBlackUK and I'm looking forward to working closely with government and representing young people on the international stage! #Youth72021.
Tomorrow sees the launch of @Youth7UK - one of our #G7UK engagement groups which will gather youth leaders from 🇬🇧🇺🇸🇨🇦🇩🇪🇫🇷🇮🇹🇯🇵🇪🇺 to ensure the voices of young people are heard as we #BuildBackBetter from coronavirus.
13
1
118
Sadly today my nan was one of the 59. To most she's just another statistic flashing across the news but people aren't numbers, they have lives, families and loved ones. I know lockdown sucks, but lives are at stake, we can't rush straight back to normal. It isn't worth it.
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says a further 59 covid-19 deaths have been recorded since yesterday taking the total number of deaths in the country to 1,762.
21
8
107
Daily reminder that fines are inherently classist. £800 is a month’s earnings for some. For the wealthy it’s less than a price of a new Gucci handbag. Fines allow the rich to continue to break lockdown rules while trapping poorer people in their homes.
Fines of £800 for anyone attending a house party of more than 15 people to be introduced in England from next week
3
22
110
1. Reopening University campuses involves over two million students (plus staff), moving across the UK spreading the virus across the country.
1
10
104
I'm under no illusions, having experienced 'Zoom University' I know it's shit.But moving millions of people across the country right now is incredibly dangerous for staff, students and local residents alike and the experience students receive, esp. if lockdown hits, will be awful.
3
4
95
@EveningStandard Women's sexual history has no place in court. Grace was murdered and she deserves justice, that's all that matters. Disgraceful reporting.
0
4
106
@BBCBreaking 50% of US Presidential impeachments ever in history have been against Trump. Damning!.
3
7
100
That’s a wrap!! The last week has been so surreal and but so amazing - from meeting the Prime Minister to hanging out in Joe Biden’s lodge and doing national media interviews, it’s been a privilege to represent the UK’s youth at this year’s G7! @UKFutureLeaders
6
5
109
He’s a 10 but he doesn’t immediately drop everything to scroll Twitter whenever there is a political crisis.
1
6
103
Very excited to announce I've been appointed as the new Director of @TheBFPG. It's been a fantastic few years working at the organisation and I'm thrilled to now be taking over the reins.
17
4
98
Coupled with the rise in national insurance contributions which will disproportionately affect the young, this is just further proof of how little this Government cares about young people.
0
16
94
Every time there is a cabinet reshuffle I think about how much better politics would be if departments were run by people with actual experience in that field. A former Doctor as Health Secretary, a teacher as Education Minister….
2
7
97
Why the JD Vance appointment is so difficult for the UK. A quick 🧵.
7
19
101
3. Small University towns particularly, such as Cambridge, do not have the space and infrastructure for students to return and have so far got through the pandemic supporting only locals. Populations in these cities will soar when students return, putting whole cities at risk.
2
8
91