Simon Usherwood
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simonusherwood.bsky.social
Simon Usherwood
@simonusherwood.bsky.social
12K followers 3.4K following 1.8K posts

Researcher of UK-EU relations, euroscepticism and learning & teaching. Open University and UK in a Changing Europe. Renowned for my bubbly personality, I imagine.

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Political science 71%
Education 10%
Posts Replies Media Videos

simonusherwood.bsky.social
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 5h
Not sure whether my repeated forgetting to share the updated EU-UK Reset negotiation tracker reflects more on me or on the negotiations

Things are moving, but slowly and uncertainly

PDF: bit.ly/UshGraphic144

Reposted by Simon Usherwood

oupolitics.bsky.social
POLIS @oupolitics.bsky.social · 5h
Are you an @openuniversity.bsky.social student interested in speaking to other students about politics? If so, join @oupips.bsky.social – a great way to mark UK Parliament Week! #UKPW

Find out more here: oupips.org.uk

@ukparliament.parliament.uk
OU PIPS
OU Politics, International Relations and Policy Society
oupips.org.uk

simonusherwood.bsky.social
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 7h
Today's constitutional
Down train to Guildford

Reposted by Simon Usherwood

cjmckinney.bsky.social
CJ McKinney @cjmckinney.bsky.social · 1d
The grace period for letting people travel to the UK without an electronic travel authorisation - never really advertised in writing - ends on 25 February 2026, Home Office announces www.gov.uk/government/n...
No permission, no travel: UK set to enforce ETA scheme
From February 2026, visitors will not be able to travel to the UK without advance permission.
www.gov.uk

Reposted by Simon Usherwood

ukandeu.bsky.social
UK in a Changing Europe @ukandeu.bsky.social · 1d
"Considering the implications of reneging on international agreements, a more efficient way to address the numbers of those claiming benefits under the EU Settlement Scheme is to look at low paid or atypical work contracts."

https://ukandeu.ac.uk/reform-and-the-brexit-deal/
Reform’s appetite to put the Brexit deal back in the oven - UK in a changing Europe
Catherine Barnard and Fiona Costello examine Nigel Farage's proposal to scrap welfare benefit access for EU nationals living in the UK.
ukandeu.ac.uk

Reposted by Simon Usherwood

aslak.bsky.social
Aslak Berg @aslak.bsky.social · 2d
There's a prevailing idea in the UK that a customs union with the EU would be a compromise solution if single market membership is not possible, e.g @eddavey.libdems.org.uk and @jonathanfreedland.bsky.social recently. But a customs union is, from a trade policy, a more radical step. (1/N)

simonusherwood.bsky.social
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 2d
Today's cycle
Puttenham Common

Reposted by Simon Hix, Ben H. Ansell, Jan Rath , and 11 more

tabouchadi.bsky.social
Tarik Abou-Chadi @tabouchadi.bsky.social · 3d
Cas Mudde spells out what has become largely the consensus among researchers: moving right on immigration will not weaken the far right nor strengthen social democracy. If your reaction is "but in Denmark" please at least familiarize yourself with Danish politics

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
The ‘Danish model’ is the darling of centre-left parties like Labour. The problem is, it doesn’t even work in Denmark | Cas Mudde
This week’s local elections are the latest reminder that when social democrats move rightwards, they’re making a mistake, says academic and author Cas Mudde
www.theguardian.com

simonusherwood.bsky.social
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 4d
Today's garden
Frost

simonusherwood.bsky.social
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 5d
Also true

simonusherwood.bsky.social
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 5d
Today's constitutional
Hog's Back

simonusherwood.bsky.social
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 5d
Given this is towards the less-problematic end of topics across the agenda, this doesn't bode terribly well for the next years of negotiations and - especially - domestic management of policy towards the EU

/end

simonusherwood.bsky.social
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 5d
As a reminder, it is only this week that SPS negotiations have started, after the very long delay caused by the EU working out its mandate

www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/pre....
EU-UK relations: Council greenlights negotiations on agri-food deal and linking emissions trading systems
Council authorises Commission to start negotiations with UK on a common sanitary and phytosanitary area (SPS) and to link emissions trading systems (ETS).
www.consilium.europa.eu

simonusherwood.bsky.social
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 5d
Indeed, final para concedes as much

Not entirely clear how all the people involved in contributing to the piece have got to this, but starting point has to be govt comms, which has repeatedly talked about Reset as 'done'

2/

simonusherwood.bsky.social
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 5d
This is a good example of how UK govt messaging on Reset agenda is coming back to bite them

SPS deal isn't 'secured', just agreed that one will be negotiated, including this question

www.theguardian.com/business/202...

1/

simonusherwood.bsky.social
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 5d
Today's constitutional
Frederick, Duke of York, up a column

simonusherwood.bsky.social
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 5d
Me, for @encompasseurope.bsky.social, on why it doesn't serve either side's interests to get bogged down in UK-EU finances as negotiations start on SPS and ETS

@oupolitics.bsky.social

Reposted by Simon Usherwood

padamson.bsky.social
Paul Adamson @padamson.bsky.social · 5d
encompass-europe.com/comment/eu-u... @simonusherwood.bsky.social
EU-UK relations can’t be driven by the money
The return of significant EU-UK negotiations – on food rules and emissions trading -  this week marks an important step for turning the warm words of May’s summit into…
encompass-europe.com

simonusherwood.bsky.social
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 7d
Today's campus

simonusherwood.bsky.social
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 7d
Today in messing about with European policy doesn't have any impact on UK domestic politics or economics news

simonusherwood.bsky.social
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 7d
[Gnome underpants jpg]

www.politico.eu/newsletter/l...

simonusherwood.bsky.social
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 8d
Today's constitutional
River Wey

simonusherwood.bsky.social
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 9d
Today's cycle
Late autumn colour

simonusherwood.bsky.social
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 10d
Today's constitutional
Guildford High Street

Reposted by Anand Menon, Simon Usherwood

ukandeu.bsky.social
UK in a Changing Europe @ukandeu.bsky.social · 12d
💶"But as the UK has started to develop new links with the EU, so too has it generated new financial obligations."

✍️ Simon Usherwood explains financial flows between the UK and the EU and how they may be affected by the UK-EU reset

🔗 https://ukandeu.ac.uk/the-sleeping-dog-of-uk-eu-finances/
The sleeping dog of UK-EU finances - UK in a changing Europe
Simon Usherwood explains financial flows between the UK and the EU since the UK's withdrawal and how they may be affected by the UK-EU reset.
ukandeu.ac.uk

simonusherwood.bsky.social
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 12d
Right now, I can live with that

simonusherwood.bsky.social
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 12d
Useful update on EU mandate for UK negotiations, plus a reminder that end Nov is deadline to agree participation in SAFE

www.ft.com/content/acf9...

simonusherwood.bsky.social
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 12d
Well, now I'm impressed by my uni's spam filter - hardly getting anything

#ThoughtsAndPrayers

simonusherwood.bsky.social
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 12d
disappointed we haven't yet got the "please don't reply all" reply all email yet

Reposted by Steve Peers, Simon Usherwood, Christina Pagel , and 2 more

davidheniguk.bsky.social
David Henig @davidheniguk.bsky.social · 12d
I did not have insider knowledge. I have just been around Brussels negotiations for a long time...

EU agrees a mandate for UK negotiations as I predicted. With the bonus that the future path becomes clearer - if you pay you can have more. www.politico.eu/article/uk-s...