Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 3hCue a full day of discussing whether 'national interest' is ever a useful concept, let alone one that can defined 130
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 5hToday's exhibit in "making EU policy isn't easy" news www.theguardian.com/politics/202... 280
Reposted by Simon UsherwoodKenneth Armstrong @profkaarmstrong.bsky.social · 22hNEW!!! How should Andy Burnham approach a longer term relationship with the EU? kaarmstrong.substack.com/p/domestic-p...kaarmstrong.substack.comDomestic Politics by Other Means – How Burnham Should Approach the EU-UK SummitIn a statement to the House of Commons on 12 October 2026, the UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham confirmed that an EU-UK summit on 20 November would take forward the work developed by the Starmer governm... 023
Reposted by Simon UsherwoodClaes de Vreese @claesdevreese.bsky.social · 13/10/2026🚨JOBS: Information influence campaigns are at the center of hybrid conflicts. As part of a new initiative on Hybrid War and Democracy that I lead at @d-ias.bsky.social, there are openings at post-doc and assistant professor (tenure track) levels. 🗓️: DL Nov 23 Share 🫶 🧵 www.sdu.dk/en/forskning...sdu.dkVacant positions at the Danish Institute for Advanced Study (DIAS), University of Southern DenmarkDo you merge research excellence with immense curiosity and a sense of playfulness? We are currently hiring tenured DIAS Professors and tenure track DIAS Fellows across multiple disciplines - apply t... 22318
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 13/10/2026The election supercycle set to drag Europe right - giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...giftarticle.ft.comThe election supercycle set to drag Europe rightIn the space of 12 months, four of the five biggest EU member states will go to the ballot box. The bloc may never be the same 172
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 12/10/2026Not what most of you are interested in, but struck by Burnham's language on Nov summit: only SPS and ETS get language of a 'deal', while rest (YEM, IEM, immigration) is 'progress', which speaks to difficulties of agreeing even this level of cooperation 494
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 12/10/2026Reminder: this didn't carry the day in 2016, and no reason to think it would in 2026 051
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 12/10/2026Seems to be slight conflation of "not prejudging outcomes" with "not prejudging process" Which in turn suggests process isn't pinned down at all 260
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 12/10/2026Essential for anyone working on NI-related aspects of UK-EU relations 060
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 12/10/2026I think he might have one, but by keeping it in background now, it will look more instrumental when he does produce it later 180
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 12/10/202610/10 for commitment to an inclusive dialogue where he's not pre-judging process, but still only 5/10 on trying to set frames for the debate: mostly rational economics, plus a sprinkling of immigration control, but no clear emotional argument 170
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 12/10/2026Note too that Burnham is absolutely not moving red lines now, nor taking offered opportunity to totally dunk on Made in Europe 170
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 12/10/2026Burnham is lucky to have a LOTO who is going to stick with the 'this is an irrelevance', but worth noting that his decision to stick EU in with other important foreign policy points in this statement doesn't help in making the case 1130
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 12/10/2026Pfft Said all the things, but commitment to 'dialogue' means he can't set out his preference more explicitly 190
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 12/10/2026"Leaders will take stock of the progress made [...] including on their defence and security partnership, energy, agrifood rules, climate, people-to-people contacts, and migration and law enforcement" www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/pre...consilium.europa.euEU-UK summit to take place in Brussels on 20 NovemberThe second annual EU-UK Summit after the UK’s withdrawal from the EU will take place in Brussels on 20 November 2026. 020
Reposted by Simon UsherwoodGeorgina Wright (on leave) @georginaewright.bsky.social · 12/10/2026Seeing a flurry of articles on what it would take for UK to rejoin the EU. Some of them mention that a Le Pen presidency (which favours looser union) cd make it easier for the UK to rejoin. This is silly & wrong. 1/2 2547
Reposted by Simon UsherwoodChris Prosser @caprosser.com · 09/10/2026🚨Job alert! 🚨 Come work with us on the British Election Study! We are looking for a postdoc to join the new BES team: 5 year contract, starting in Jan 2027. Happy to chat if you've got any questions. Applications close 12 Nov, for details see: jobs.royalholloway.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx...jobs.royalholloway.ac.ukJob Opportunity at Royal Holloway University of London: British Election Study Postdoctoral Research FellowFull-Time, Fixed-Term for 5 yearsThe Department of Politics, International Relations and Philosophy at Royal Holloway seeks to appoint a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to work on the British Election St... 12541
Reposted by Simon UsherwoodUK in a Changing Europe @ukandeu.bsky.social · 12/10/2026🚗 "Britain’s decline came in two Brexit stages: years of uncertainty post-referendum weakened the industry, before the trade arrangements that replaced EU membership did more lasting damage." @shepotylo.bsky.social explains how Brexit has damaged the UK car industry. ukandeu.ac.uk/from-pace-se... 13723
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 12/10/2026And off we go www.theguardian.com/politics/202... 2833283
Reposted by Simon UsherwoodClaes de Vreese @claesdevreese.bsky.social · 12/10/2026🚨🚨🚨Publication alert: We can't really tell what is real and what is AI. Our just published study shows that most people struggle to detect AI-generated images. We are approximately as good as ... chance... @madshovethy.bsky.social led a team effort ⬇️ #OpenAccess 🧵 [1/4] doi.org/10.1177/2056...doi.orgSage Journals: Discover world-class researchSubscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher. 14812
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 11/10/2026Fine, I guess, but won't help with the line that he's really only interested in undoing the "Will of the People", rather than moving on from 2016 www.theguardian.com/politics/202...theguardian.comAndy Burnham says it is clear Russia interfered in Brexit referendumPM says he asked question upon entering No 10 but does not reveal who gave him ‘clear answer’ that Russia meddled 6123
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 11/10/2026Useful explainer on accession process, if at the optimistic end on timelines. UK in 2026 is not Finland in 1992, in many ways 3202
Reposted by Simon UsherwoodThe British Academy @britishacademy.bsky.social · 09/10/2026Our Innovation Fellowships Scheme – Route B: Policy-led (FCDO) are one-year fellowships for UK-based researchers embedded in Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office or the Cabinet Office, enabling close interaction with policymakers. Apply now: bit.ly/3Vi5StQ 0106
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 09/10/2026Since I'm well located to lobby senior politicians on this, currently loitering 020
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 09/10/2026Very sad that @ukandeu.bsky.social can't continue, especially at the moment when evidence-led insights on UK-EU relations might be of particular use It's been a pleasure to work with all the excellent members of this team over the last decade 1202
Reposted by Simon UsherwoodAndrej Matisak @matisaksk.bsky.social · 09/10/2026#Brexit: Is the UK ready to rejoin the #EU? My 🎙 #podcast, #TheGlobalAgora, with @simonusherwood.bsky.social. ▶️ #Apple podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/and... ▶️ #Spotify open.spotify.com/episode/2rjT... #politicspodcasters.spotify.comBrexit: Is the UK ready to rejoin the EU? by The Global AgoraIt has now been more than ten years since citizens of the United Kingdom made the decision in a referendum to leave the European Union, Yet, the latest public opinion polls show that as many as 59% of... 021
Reposted by Simon UsherwoodDr Stylite @columnist.bsky.social · 09/10/2026I generally agree with this. It’s politically sensible for KB to appeal to wealthier liberal voters with tax cuts. But the proposition needs to be coherent. Leaving the ECHR and reversing any Labour accommodations with the EU makes it incoherent. giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...giftarticle.ft.comKemi Badenoch’s European nightmareThe biggest threat to this potential prime minister is that she defends an unpopular hard Brexit 5245
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 09/10/2026[Coughs pointedly in Open University] giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...giftarticle.ft.comUniversity students will have to meet minimum entry standards to access loansMove comes as UK government seeks to deal with concerns about proliferation of underqualified people on poor-quality courses 131
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 09/10/2026Another part of the reset is in place for the summit, so focus remains on Youth Mobility www.politico.eu/article/uk-e...politico.euUK and EU reach Brexit agreement to link carbon emissions trading systemsThe two sides are now just “tying a ribbon” on the agreement, according to one EU diplomat. 0122
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 08/10/2026Delighted to speak with @matisaksk.bsky.social about this @oupolitics.bsky.social @ou-gcsj.bsky.social 151
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 08/10/2026On a meeting and someone is demanding something happens "at pace" and I'm channelling my inner @aiannucci.bsky.social, while biting my lip 040
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 08/10/2026Top work by organisers to communicate both what's happened and how they feel about it www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026... 15717
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 08/10/2026No idea: just listed in their budget savings 000
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 08/10/2026Don't like current UK policy on the EU? Nor do any of the parties www.open.ac.uk/blogs/EUatOU... 4186
Reposted by Simon UsherwoodHetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · 08/10/2026We’ve opened the call for our Senior Research Fellowships giving a scholar in the humanities and social sciences a year to complete a significant piece of research www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/funding/sche... 11726
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 08/10/2026So we are discussing Made in Europe, or we're not? Last week the pitch was that this had been parked until EU had worked out its position on this 282
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 07/10/2026Badenoch on Brexit Can see that "Soooo boring/difficult" might resonate with many voters, but lack of substantive argument behind that (either on policy or process) leaves CON more exposed as and when Burnham does get going 4182
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 07/10/2026And read it you should, not least for the responses that the book should generate 020
Reposted by Simon UsherwoodSunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 07/10/2026A note from Richard Barfield sets out why Matt Goodwin's projections of population & ethnic change are entirely unreliable, using simplistic + false premises that are not valid but have the impact & intent of exaggerating the rate of change rbas.co.uk/wp-content/u...rbas.co.uk 59038
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 07/10/2026Consequential (in a good way) for the UK if it comes to pass 040
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 06/10/2026"Britain is coming back. Maybe. If we can agree on what we want, and if the EU lets us" Useful piece from @rostaylor.bsky.social 0124
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 06/10/2026Good thread on the EU side of the equation 020