Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 7hNow reading about the Duesseldorf Cow War Maybe time to wrap up work for the week? 010
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 10hThoughts and prayers with @vgravey.bsky.social as everyone talks about the Barnier staircase again 130
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 12hGood read, if underplaying how we need to act, rather than just hope, when it comes to having an informed and engaged debate 3187
Reposted by Simon UsherwoodSimon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 01/10/2026My blog on Burnham's "let's discuss the EU" move tl;dr might work, but needs more development www.open.ac.uk/blogs/EUatOU... @oupolitics.bsky.social @ou-gcsj.bsky.social @ukandeu.bsky.socialopen.ac.uk “And there are different options” | The European Union and the UK 52416
Reposted by Simon UsherwoodJack Kessler @jackkessler.bsky.social · 16hAt least Brexit had a theoretical deadline. Rejoin enjoys no such luxury. ✍️ www.linestotake.com/p/brexit-ref... 163
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 01/10/2026More interesting that Farage's approach is not to defend the SQ but attach costs of membership, and that he seems to be waiting for Labour to commit to re-accession rather than cutting ditching red lines off at the knees now www.theguardian.com/politics/liv... 341
Reposted by Simon UsherwoodUK in a Changing Europe @ukandeu.bsky.social · 01/10/2026"For a country on the EU’s doorstep and highly dependent on it as a trade partner, the economic costs of non-membership are becoming ever harder to bear." ✍️ @jreland.bsky.social on how growing EU protectionism could affect what Burnham does next on EU relations. ukandeu.ac.uk/made-in-euro...ukandeu.ac.uk'Made in Europe' casts a shadow over Burnham's EU gambit - UK in a changing EuropeJoël Reland argues that the EU’s increasingly protectionist regulatory model is likely to increase the economic costs of non-membership for the UK,... 053
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 01/10/2026and they say Trump does nothing for his wife www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...bbc.co.ukTrump's AI rebrand causes 'unprecedented' demand for Slovenian website namesThe president wants AI to be called super intelligence - or SI - the same initials used by Slovenian domains. 020
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 01/10/2026My blog on Burnham's "let's discuss the EU" move tl;dr might work, but needs more development www.open.ac.uk/blogs/EUatOU... @oupolitics.bsky.social @ou-gcsj.bsky.social @ukandeu.bsky.socialopen.ac.uk “And there are different options” | The European Union and the UK 52416
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 01/10/2026While I continue to trawl through a blog post, here's some bits to keep you going on how we might tackle the coming debate about future UK relations with the EU 182
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 01/10/2026Today in EU preferences are shallow and biddable news 180
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 01/10/2026Today's perspectives on modern Surrey architecture 4120
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 01/10/202620 Nov UK-EU summit seems to be on, but without Made in Europe decision (as expected), but also without agreement on uni fees (oddly, given it's a central EU ask) giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/... 160
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 30/09/2026Good example of how it's important not to confuse what UK might want with what EU might want www.thetimes.com/article/8783...thetimes.comAndy Burnham’s four options to rejoin EU — and how likely they areThe prime minister is weighing up the customs union, single market, full bloc membership and a bespoke deal. Brexiteers will find some choices harder to swallow 080
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 30/09/2026Handy summary Will Andy Burnham reverse Brexit? - giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...giftarticle.ft.comWill Andy Burnham reverse Brexit?The prime minister has reopened the debate on EU membership, a decade after the Brexit referendum 2111
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 30/09/2026Think tanks and pollsters can be good sources www.theguardian.com/politics/202...theguardian.comNo 10 gathering evidence on public support for UK rejoining EUSenior Downing Street officials reach out to thinktanks and pollsters as they look to test backing for reversing Brexit 060
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 30/09/2026[files this away for the inevitable late-night summit row] 4348
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 30/09/2026Since there's already plenty of summaries of options around, here's a short guide to some useful things that might be considered when talking about future UK-EU relations PDF: bit.ly/UshGraphic149 @ukandeu.bsky.social @ou-gcsj.bsky.social @oupolitics.bsky.social 1107
Reposted by Simon UsherwoodStefan Müller @stefanmueller.bsky.social · 29/09/2026Our School of Politics and International Relations at @ucddublin.bsky.social is hiring two permanent (!) Assistant Professors in any field of political science, international relations, political theory, or development. Deadline: 9 November Start date: 30 August 2027 my.corehr.com/pls/coreport... 15346
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 30/09/2026Thanks to BBC Surrey for the extended opportunity this morning to talk about Burnham's speech and what might come of it @oupolitics.bsky.social @ou-gcsj.bsky.social 042
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 30/09/2026Interesting how he's drawing in other parties to this, to try to reinforce the image of building a wider consensus 64213
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 29/09/2026Also, each option on UK-EU relations has costs and benefits, but unless we agree on what problem we're trying to address, we can't weigh those costs and benefits appropriately 070
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 29/09/2026Fair enough that Burnham says he will lay out options for long-term relationship with EU, especially if he's clear about costs and benefits of each But still a bit of can-kicking, given those options are well-known and all take time to achieve, time that isn't in great supply 7599
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 29/09/2026Another data point for why Burnham might not want to spend a lot of his political capital on a big move on EU relations 120
Reposted by Simon UsherwoodUK in a Changing Europe @ukandeu.bsky.social · 29/09/2026🎉NEW REPORT OUT🎉 ⬅️The latest edition of the UK-EU divergence tracker by @jreland.bsky.social is here ➡️ "There is plenty happening on the continent which is going to have a profound effect on the UK, whether [the UK] pays attention or not." ukandeu.ac.uk/reports/uk-e...ukandeu.ac.ukUK-EU Divergence Tracker Q2 - Q3 2026 - UK in a changing EuropeThis is the seventeenth edition of UK in a Changing Europe’s regulatory divergence tracker, outlining how UK and EU rules and regulations have aligned and diverged in the period April-September 2026. 21610
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 29/09/2026Yes, some of this could come from a big shift on EU red lines, but nothing to suggest that's at the heart of what Burnham's going to talk about this afternoon 060
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 29/09/2026Asking for me If UK does agree to domestic fees for EU students, and also wants to compensate UK unis for loss of income, has anyone done work on how that would practically work? Has just occurred to me that it's not simple, however you do it @rachelbrooks.bsky.social @jreland.bsky.social 340
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 28/09/2026Three years of production with a great team of colleagues and very excited to be at the start of our new IR module for @openuniversity.bsky.social @oupolitics.bsky.social And an extra shout-out to @preciouschatd.bsky.social for being the best co-chair! 1102
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 28/09/2026Call my cynical, but if main trail has been Social Care, then I'm doubtful that the EU stuff will be much more than the warm words we've seen to date 5396
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 25/09/2026"Taking soundings"?? giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/... 0111
Reposted by Simon UsherwoodAmanda M. Rosen @amandamrosen.bsky.social · 25/09/2026APSA job ads ask AP candidates to do extensive customization just to apply--11 diff kinds of documents on top of cvs, cover letters, and LoRs. Of the 179 I reviewed in the 2026 cycle, only 9 required just the basics. 48% required 3+ more docs for initial review. activelearningps.com/2026/09/24/s...activelearningps.comStop the job application cruelty. – Active Learning in Political Science © 021
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 25/09/2026Gibraltar EES arrangements aren't yet working properly Struck by image of people travelling with copies of treaties www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2... 2166
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 25/09/2026Good 🧵 on how it's not only the UK that needs to work on its external relations 010
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 24/09/2026Member states don't agree on IIA and UK preferences are not going to be central in resolving that www.theguardian.com/world/2026/s...theguardian.comFrance says EU’s ‘Made in Europe’ law should not include the UK‘If you’re not in the internal market, you don’t get the same protection,’ says French minister of policy designed to curb Chinese competition 131
Reposted by Simon UsherwoodDavid Henig @davidheniguk.bsky.social · 24/09/2026Learn from Brexit negotiations. National politicians with warm words do not equal the consensus view of the Brussels bubble. Officials across the EU are right now far more sceptical regarding rejoin chatter, because they do not believe the UK is anything like ready. 27122
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 24/09/2026Total classic by @stephencollins.bsky.social and one of my touchstones for explaining the last couple of decades of British politics 0194
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 24/09/2026My post on this: the bad bits of the TBI report shouldn't totally obscure the good bits www.open.ac.uk/blogs/EUatOU... 001
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 24/09/2026Deep breaths, Simon, you're in a safe space now Today's constitutional 0110
Reposted by Simon UsherwoodNicolai von Ondarza @nvondarza.bsky.social · 24/09/2026"Absolute tosh" is the kind of British understatement I was looking for to describe this warped proposal of wanting to rejoin the EU, but not just the one that is there, and thinking an ex-member can dictate the terms of reforms... The more I think about it, the more absolute tosh it becomes. 68317
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 24/09/2026Tony Blair is at it again institute.global/insights/geo...institute.global 12519
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 24/09/2026Lack of mutual recognition of conformity assessment is indeed a very big gap in UK-EU relations, as UK has argued for several years Its absence from Cmn Understanding isn't accidental but mark of EU unwillingness to discuss it www.ippr.org/media-office...ippr.orgUK exports to EU could have been £6.5 billion a year higher with a mutual recognition agreement, finds IPPR | IPPREU-UK deal recognising each other's product testing would have boosted goods exports by between £3.7bn and £6.5bn a year, finds think tankAutomobiles, elec 010