David Frost Hit With ‘Cold Hard Facts’ About Real Impact His Brexit Deal Had On The Economy

Posted on 24/03/2025 by Boris Clair

A Liberal Democrat slammed former chief Brexit negotiator Lord David Frost today by pointing out the real economic impact of the UK leaving the EU.

Britain’s economy is floundering right now, so the government is expected to unveil further cuts to public spending in this week’s Spring statement, while also cutting the civil service.

Frost, a former Tory cabinet minister, initially tried to blame the UK’s poor economic performance on Keir Starmer.

But BBC presenter Jo Coburn quickly suggested the problems could all be traced back to our EU departure – and the Lib Dems’ Munira Wilson said excessive regulation was introduced by Brexit.

Politics Live host Coburn said: “Arguably Brexit was the issue that led to far more civil servants being needed, more bureaucracy and far more regulation.”

“I would question that,” Frost, who led the UK’s Brexit negotiations, instantly replied. “Some things were done in Brussels we now need to do for ourselves, but that is a tiny number.

“The problem the government has gone into this extra regulation.”

He also slammed Labour’s employment law bill will “massively, massively increase the bureaucracy, and costs the employers face”.

Liberal Democrat MP Munira Wilson claimed this was overlooking the real impact of Brexit.

Asked if she agreed with Frost, Wilson said: “Absolutely not. We know that Brexit has massively hurt our economy, and actually everybody wants growth.

“The best way we can kickstart growth is by negotiating a far better deal with our European friends and neighbours at a time of great economic insecurity.”

She said this would help “cut the red tape that David is so desperate to cut” – and pointed to businesses in her own constituency who are spending huge sums to overcome Brexit bureaucracy.

Frost replied: “Anybody can come up with anecdotes about extra paperwork. The important thing is to look at the macro-picture, what’s happening to the economy.”

“It is not just anecdotes!” Wilson cut in. “We know that our exports to the EU are down £27bn, we know that four out of 10 British goods that were on European shelves before Brexit are not there anymore.

“How is that anecdote? That is cold hard fact that your hard Brexit is damaging our economy.”

She claimed if the government are “serious about growth” they would look at renegotiating an EU deal which cuts the “red tape and starts to get money into our economy so we can invest in our public services that your Conservative government let on its knees.”

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An overused term on social media, but @munirawilson SCHOOLS Lord Frost on #Brexit here – and it is glorious!

DF: \"Anyone can come up with anecdotes.\"

MW: \"These are not anecdotes, but cold hard facts. Your Brexit is damaging our economy that your gov’t left on its knees.\" ~AA pic.twitter.com/VDT0rwd1nN

— Best for Britain (@BestForBritain) March 24, 2025

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An overused term on social media, but @munirawilson SCHOOLS Lord Frost on #Brexit here – and it is glorious!

DF: “Anyone can come up with anecdotes.”

MW: “These are not anecdotes, but cold hard facts. Your Brexit is damaging our economy that your gov’t left on its knees.” ~AA pic.twitter.com/VDT0rwd1nN

— Best for Britain (@BestForBritain) March 24, 2025

Patrick Schwarzenegger Shares His Take On The White Lotus’ Most ‘Insane’ Sex Scene Yet

Posted on 24/03/2025 by Boris Clair

This article contains major spoilers for the latest episode of The White Lotus.

Patrick Schwarzenegger has weighed in on the outrageous scene in this week’s episode of The White Lotus.

In what’s sure to become one of the Emmy-winning series’ most talked-about moments ever, the latest instalment of The White Lotus saw one of the Ratliff brothers performing a sexual act on his brother after a night of partying.

The episode picks up the following morning, with both Patrick Schwarzenegger and Sam Nivola’s characters having flashbacks to what went on between them as the day unfolds.

Speaking to Screen Rant, Patrick said that this marks a turning point and a moment when everything “definitely switches” for his character, Saxon.

Patrick Schwarzenegger as seen in the latest episode of The White Lotus

Asked how he reacted when he first read the script, he admitted: “It was a page-turner. I was waiting to see what was going to happen – and then when I read that, my mouth was kind of on the floor.

“I knew a little bit [about what to expect between the brothers], because during some of the audition scenes, it had some references to some stuff.”

He then recalled: “I remember reading it for the first time with my fiancée. We read it out loud and then I looked and was like, ‘did that say what I thought it said?’. But yeah, it’s a hilarious, absurd, insane scene.”

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Patrick went on to describe the moment as a “total power shift for him and his character”.

“He’s on the other side of what he would be doing to someone else before,” he claimed. “And, it’s something that totally changes him. He’s totally flustered, it’s this kind of internal conflict.”

In a separate video feature for HBO, Patrick said that at the beginning of the episode, “what I’m feeling that morning is total confusion, disgust of myself and just like curiosity of what that means for everything that I stand for. It definitely changes the dynamic.”

He continued: “Saxon is always the dominant one, but there’s definitely a sense of [him] being more insecure – and Chelsea and Chloe [Aimee Lou Wood and Charlotte Le Bon’s characters], they start to bully him.”

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When the “Bold Glamour” filter on TikTok was created in early 2023, people were shocked by how seamless it looked, and that it wasn’t glitching like other face-altering filters. Despite everyone admiring its technological improvement, it led to an uproar online and offline, with celebrities like Katherine Heigl showing the shocking difference it made.

It’s been widely reported that filters on social media can create a disconnect between online and real life and lower one’s self-esteem. The issue doesn’t just affect teens — it can negatively affect anyone. The curation of social media leads many people to use filters in order to receive positive feedback, which then reinforces the belief that we should be relying on them, explained Natalie Buchwald, a therapist and founder of Manhattan Mental Health Counseling.

You can, of course, still use filters and have a healthy self-image, but experts advise considering the reasons you use filters in the first place.

“While occasional use of filters doesn’t inherently indicate low self-esteem, dependence on them can be problematic,” Buchwald said. “Maintaining a healthy self-image involves recognizing one’s intrinsic worth without relying on digital enhancements.”

Long-term exposure to a filtered image of yourself may create issues in your self-image, even leading to seeking cosmetic surgery to achieve that image of yourself. “Often called ‘Snapchat dysmorphia,’ it describes individuals seeking cosmetic surgery to replicate their filtered selfies. This can manifest in body insecurity and dysmorphia,” Buchwald added.

HuffPost spoke to three influencers who regularly use beauty filters to understand why and how these filters affect their self-esteem.

“I’m super open about beauty standards, filters and treatments on my page. I use beauty filters pretty often! Most of the time, while filming on TikTok I’m using one because of ease, and sometimes TikTok automatically puts them on your face.

“I prefer filters that don’t make me look like a completely different person. I try to remind myself that skin texture, blemishes, redness, undereye bags are all normal. Most things you see online are very unrealistic and you shouldn’t compare yourself to them.

“Filters did change how I saw myself. Social media is so unrealistic, so when you look at yourself in a mirror and you don’t have a smooth foundation filter on, it will look different. A few years back when the filters were heavier, I would wear a lot more makeup in real life to really smooth out my skin or contour my face, and I also ended up getting lip filler and Botox done because I was comparing myself to a filter that made my lips bigger or my skin smooth. Seeing myself with plumper lips or no wrinkles has influenced the treatments I’ve done. I still get minimal lip filler to this day. I’ve always been super transparent about getting procedures done online, even back then. Now I’m pretty confident in myself with or without makeup.

“Looking at the ‘perfect’ version of yourself can make you a bit critical of your natural features. Generally, being a content creator can make you critical about yourself and your appearance; with or without filters, I’m staring at my face all day long editing videos. This often will make you notice things most people probably don’t see.

“If social media removed beauty filters, it wouldn’t affect my content at all! I’m super open on my page, with and without filters, and always will be. I think I might put a little bit of makeup on before I film some of my content to make myself more presentable than I do now, but I would be totally fine with that. I think it would make social media a healthier space for everyone, including myself.”

“I use beauty filters occasionally when filming my TikTok videos, usually ones that enhance smoothness subtly without drastically changing my features. Without a filter, I feel just as confident. For me, it’s less about changing how I look and more about maintaining a particular style, visually.

“I wouldn’t say I’m addicted to using filters. They don’t necessarily make me criticize myself, but more aware of how different enhancements can affect one’s perception. I don’t rely on them to define my self-image.

“Filters can certainly influence beauty standards and make people more self-critical. I think that’s all a byproduct of being on social media. Unless people are openly mentioning they are using filters, it’s hard to tell. As consumers, we may assume these creators are like this in real life, too.

“Personally, using filters hasn’t influenced me to get cosmetic treatments, but I can see how constant exposure to ‘perfect’ images can create unrealistic expectations, which is why I make it known to my audience when I use beauty filters, rather than hide the fact that I am using them. I do have lip filler, and in hindsight, I may have been influenced by the ‘perfect’ images we see on social media.”

Stella Dadini, influencer and business owner

“I use filters that smooth out the skin very often. I initially started using them out of curiosity, and now it has become a habit — I do it automatically. Honestly, I have no issue with how I look without filters. The only reason I use light filters is because I used to have acne, and it used to bother me.

“I have created content without a filter many times, and I have no problem with that, nor does it make me uncomfortable.

“I wouldn’t say filters make me critical of my natural features, just that I liked how my skin looked without blemishes and acne marks when I had acne. Many women have been influenced by filters, trying to achieve this smooth image in real life. I know from some doctor friends that people ask to look like their filtered selves [via medical intervention]. However, that has never happened to me.”

What’s the best way to navigate filters?

Of course, users aren’t necessarily to blame; the platforms have to take responsibility, noted Buchwald. “Similar to how certain posts are highlighted as #Advertisement, the social media platforms need to demand users who edit their photos to add a similar #filtered tag to avoid skewing the public perception of what is normal.”

There may be some changes soon on that front, as TikTok is said to be banning face-altering filters like “Bold Glamour” for teen use, as these can have dramatic effects on the self-esteem of impressionable young people.

“Young people and parents saw the benefit in being authentic online and recognised the positive impact of belonging and connecting online,” wrote Christine Grahn, head of public policy and government relations for TikTok in Europe, in a recent newsroom statement.

Comparing yourself to online filtered images can trigger social comparison, explained Buchwald. “This can lead to feelings of inadequacy and diminished self-worth, as one’s unfiltered reality may not match the enhanced images presented online. It’s a competition where no one can win as there’s always ‘something else you can improve,’ which can be a very toxic mentality to have about your self-image.”

There are ways to combat negative self-image created by one’s online presence. Buchwald recommends a few different ways; seeking professional advice like therapy to foster self-acceptance, mindfulness practices and spending time in nature as a way to ground yourself and distance yourself from the bubble of the online world. Finally, avoid consuming content that makes you feel bad about yourself or even limit your social media usage until these feelings don’t consume you.

Interviews have been condensed and edited for clarity and length.

Help and support:

Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393.
Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI – this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill).
CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) offer a helpline open 5pm-midnight, 365 days a year, on 0800 58 58 58, and a webchat service.
The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email help@themix.org.uk
Rethink Mental Illness offers practical help through its advice line which can be reached on 0808 801 0525 (Monday to Friday 10am-4pm). More info can be found on rethink.org.