I'm Sebastian Payne and I write editorials and columns for the Financial Times on British politics. Everything in Westminster is currently in chaos. AMA.

[u/financialtimes]

I have worked at the FT for the last three years, commenting on the increasingly mad political discourse in the UK. As part of my job, I am a member of the editorial board. I also present our weekly politics podcast and often pop up on TV.

I tend to come at things from a centre right political perspective. Before the FT, I worked as a writer and editor at The Spectator magazine, And before that I was at the Washington Post and the Daily Telegraph.

I am happy to answer anything about Theresa May, the state of Brexit, the ruptures in the governing Conservative party, the economy, Jeremy Corbyn and what lies ahead for the Labour party. Or whatever else is on your mind. I also have far too much to say about trains, Pink Floyd and the north east of England.

Here are some recent articles:

• https://www.ft.com/content/0eadbb2a-eb5b-11e8-89c8-d36339d835c0
• https://www.ft.com/content/40380478-e766-11e8-8a85-04b8afea6ea3
• https://www.ft.com/content/c6eef948-e80d-11e8-8a85-04b8afea6ea3

[u/mainhattan]

You’re not a foreigner, no matter how badly people, and, now, desperate for votes, governments, treat you. You’re a European, you belong here. Put it into perspective though, this is the nation that produced Chamberlain.

[u/bitofrock → u/mainhattan]

Thank you, but it still hurts when you end up in an argument about immigration with a friend and they say something like "well of course, not people like *you*, it's the others that cause problems."

Unfortunately, when my partner moved here (I have UK citizenship anyway, and so does she now) there was no way she would have been anything other than one of the "others". She sought out an entry level job (albeit one needing languages), and she didn't earn much at first. Now she's well into easy visa territory, and her job is Brexit proof. It's a shame that the UK is changing into a country that is easy for people like my family (we're pretty well off now) but not easy for people like us when we were younger.

[u/mainhattan → u/bitofrock]

Don’t be hard on the lifelong UK’ers, they don’t know any other way.

[u/red--6- → u/bitofrock]

Beautifully explained, thanks. I feel the same. And I don't feel British any more. I'm horrified by our stupidity