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Paolozzi at 100: exhibition highlights the revolutionary work of Britain’s leading pop artist

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 13, 2024

However, his work crossed a range of creative styles including paper collage, lithography, silk screen, textiles, murals and ceramics.

Key Points: 
  • However, his work crossed a range of creative styles including paper collage, lithography, silk screen, textiles, murals and ceramics.
  • Paolozzi’s influence on the 20th century artworld was immense and he helped shape several art movements with his unique insights.
  • For this work Paolozzi is considered an early pioneer of pop art and is often called the father of British pop art.
  • This exhibition is a testament to the breadth of his work and a true celebration of one of Britain’s greatest artists.

Paolozzi the pop artist

  • Paolozzi was appointed as a teacher at the Central School of Arts and Crafts from 1950 to 1955.
  • This approach can be seen in one the show’s highlights, the “tear sheets” in Take-off, one of the original 45 collages from his Bunk Pop Art series.
  • There is an ongoing debate about whether these collages were the first truly pop art works or simply pieces in Paolozzi’s many scrapbooks that were categorised after the pop art movement had been defined.

Silk screen printing as a new art form

  • Paolozzi’s exploration and use of silk screen print making techniques as an art form was ahead of other contemporary artists such as Andy Warhol, who latterly was exhibited beside him at the Museum of Modern Art in New York (1968).
  • One of the most striking examples of his silk screen work in the exhibition is As is When (1965).
  • Paolozzi exploits the unique colour separation properties of silk screen printing and includes quotes from the Viennese philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein’s writing.


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Blane Savage does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

European Parliament elections 2019: results and analysis

Retrieved on: 
Saturday, June 22, 2019

Friday, June 21, 2019This briefing paper analyses the results of the 2019 European Parliament elections, focussing on both the UK and EU-wide results. It also analyses the repercussions for the EU, in terms of the balance of forces within the new Parliament and its impact on the forthcoming appointment process for the top jobs in the EU, including the European Commission Presidency.

Key Points: 


House of Commons Library

European Parliament elections 2019: results and analysis

  • This briefing paper analyses the results of the 2019 European Parliament elections, focussing on both the UK and EU-wide results.
  • Elections to the European Parliament (EP) were held across the European Union between 23 and 26 May 2019.

Article 50 and the European Parliament elections in the UK

  • One key consideration was a desire to avoid UK participation in the EP elections on 23-26 May 2019.
  • In seeking two extensions to the Article 50 period in March and April 2019, the Government initially intended that the UK would still leave the EU before the date of the EP elections in order to avoid the UK taking part.

Reallocation of UK seats in European Parliament

  • The issue of UK participation in the EP elections was further complicated by the envisaged reallocation of UK EP seats after Brexit.
  • EU legislation adopted in 2018 reallocated 27 of the UKs 73 EP seats to other Member States, with 46 left over for potential new Member States.

The EP elections in the UK

  • These were the Brexit Party, led by former UKIP leader Nigel Farage, and Change UK set up by former Labour and Conservative MPs who wish to remain in the EU.
  • The Conservative party did not publish a manifesto but said it was the only party that could get Brexit done.

UK results

  • The Brexit Party came first in the UK, winning 32% of the popular vote in Great Britain, and taking 29 seats.
  • The Conservatives and Labour won the fewest seats since the UK joined the EU, four and ten.

EU wide results

  • The two largest Political Groups in the European Parliament, the centre-right European Peoples Party (EPP) and the centre-left Socialists & Democrats (S&D) both suffered losses across the EU.
  • Both the Polish and Hungarian Governments have faced calls for EU-level investigations into their respect for the rule of law and EU values.

The New Parliament

  • Thechart below shows the changing balance between Political Groups compared to the outgoing EP.
  • Between them the pro-EU Political Groups (EPP, S&D, Renew Europe Greens-EFA) hold 513 seats (68%).

Post Brexit EP

  • Following Brexit the size of the EP will be reduced to 705 MEPs, and the 27 reserve MEPs will take up their seats.
  • This will benefit the two Groups without UK MEPs, the EPP and ID Groups, both of which will gain 3 MEPs.

Election of Commission President and other top EU jobs

  • Under Article 17 (7) TEU it also elects the European Commission President after the candidate is proposed by the European Council.
  • These include EP President, President of the European Council, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security and President of the European Central Bank.


  • Commons Briefing papers CBP-8600