Simon Shepherd 🇪🇺
@simonshep.bsky.social
Cruciverbalist, veggie, passionate European, enjoy words, language, cooking, wine, music: part-time genius & amateur human being (possibly vice versa)
Reposted by Simon Shepherd 🇪🇺
My cartoon for this week's @newscientist.com
November 26, 2025 at 1:01 PM
My cartoon for this week's @newscientist.com
“making [Brexit’s] failure a refutation of the whole edifice of Eurosceptic argument that had been assembled over decades.”
For Eurosceptic read Europhobic.
Another excellent piece from @rafaelbehr.bsky.social (got the right author this time).
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
For Eurosceptic read Europhobic.
Another excellent piece from @rafaelbehr.bsky.social (got the right author this time).
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Rachel Reeves has many problems. She’s realising that her Brexit bind may be the biggest of all | Rafael Behr
Brutal economic realities are prompting a shift in Labour’s tone on Europe. But will it dare tell the whole truth about Britain’s predicament, asks Guardian columnist Rafael Behr
www.theguardian.com
November 26, 2025 at 9:51 AM
“making [Brexit’s] failure a refutation of the whole edifice of Eurosceptic argument that had been assembled over decades.”
For Eurosceptic read Europhobic.
Another excellent piece from @rafaelbehr.bsky.social (got the right author this time).
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
For Eurosceptic read Europhobic.
Another excellent piece from @rafaelbehr.bsky.social (got the right author this time).
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Simon Shepherd 🇪🇺
the price of populism
"By 2025, Brexit had reduced UK GDP by 6% to 8%, with the impact accumulating gradually over time. We estimate that investment was reduced by between 12% and 18%, employment by 3% to 4% and productivity by 3% to 4%"
Read the Stanford report:
siepr.stanford.edu/publications...
Read the Stanford report:
siepr.stanford.edu/publications...
The Economic Impact of Brexit
Other
siepr.stanford.edu
November 25, 2025 at 7:43 PM
the price of populism
Reposted by Simon Shepherd 🇪🇺
"By 2025, Brexit had reduced UK GDP by 6% to 8%, with the impact accumulating gradually over time. We estimate that investment was reduced by between 12% and 18%, employment by 3% to 4% and productivity by 3% to 4%"
Read the Stanford report:
siepr.stanford.edu/publications...
Read the Stanford report:
siepr.stanford.edu/publications...
The Economic Impact of Brexit
Other
siepr.stanford.edu
November 25, 2025 at 7:31 PM
"By 2025, Brexit had reduced UK GDP by 6% to 8%, with the impact accumulating gradually over time. We estimate that investment was reduced by between 12% and 18%, employment by 3% to 4% and productivity by 3% to 4%"
Read the Stanford report:
siepr.stanford.edu/publications...
Read the Stanford report:
siepr.stanford.edu/publications...
Reposted by Simon Shepherd 🇪🇺
Reposted by Simon Shepherd 🇪🇺
I’m a past winner of the Orwell Prize & won partly because I exposed Vote Leave’s unlawful activities.
Michael Gove was its co-convener & refused to answer a single q. He’s now a judge of the prize & our world is truly one that Orwell would recognise
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/25/m...
Michael Gove was its co-convener & refused to answer a single q. He’s now a judge of the prize & our world is truly one that Orwell would recognise
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/25/m...
Michael Gove Made Orwell Prize Judge Despite Record of Attacking Journalists and Dodging Scrutiny
Critics say "Orwell would have enjoyed the irony" of the former Conservative minister's appointment
bylinetimes.com
November 25, 2025 at 5:53 PM
I’m a past winner of the Orwell Prize & won partly because I exposed Vote Leave’s unlawful activities.
Michael Gove was its co-convener & refused to answer a single q. He’s now a judge of the prize & our world is truly one that Orwell would recognise
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/25/m...
Michael Gove was its co-convener & refused to answer a single q. He’s now a judge of the prize & our world is truly one that Orwell would recognise
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/25/m...
Reposted by Simon Shepherd 🇪🇺
beginning to believe I would actually vote for a dead pigeon on a stick if it just promised to restore the fuel duty escalator
November 25, 2025 at 4:40 PM
beginning to believe I would actually vote for a dead pigeon on a stick if it just promised to restore the fuel duty escalator
Shades of Johnson, look what happened there
“As [he] became [a] ubiquitous figure…I would tell friends and strangers…my experience of him at school…entertainer, the nonconformist political figure…straight-talking man of the people, [with] his pint glass.”
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
“As [he] became [a] ubiquitous figure…I would tell friends and strangers…my experience of him at school…entertainer, the nonconformist political figure…straight-talking man of the people, [with] his pint glass.”
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Don’t believe Nigel Farage’s denials. He targeted me for being Jewish – and it hurt | Peter Ettedgui
Now that my former classmate has finally spoken about the allegations of his behaviour at school, I feel compelled to address his points directly, says Peter Ettedgui, a film director and producer
www.theguardian.com
November 25, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Shades of Johnson, look what happened there
“As [he] became [a] ubiquitous figure…I would tell friends and strangers…my experience of him at school…entertainer, the nonconformist political figure…straight-talking man of the people, [with] his pint glass.”
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
“As [he] became [a] ubiquitous figure…I would tell friends and strangers…my experience of him at school…entertainer, the nonconformist political figure…straight-talking man of the people, [with] his pint glass.”
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Simon Shepherd 🇪🇺
If the media wants to hyperventilate over the polling that puts Farage in No.10, perhaps they could put the same energy into scrutinising his every link to Russia, his dodgy donors, his US/Trump/far right connections, his brazen racism, his councils’ incompetence and his barrelling Brexit shitshow.
November 24, 2025 at 9:12 AM
If the media wants to hyperventilate over the polling that puts Farage in No.10, perhaps they could put the same energy into scrutinising his every link to Russia, his dodgy donors, his US/Trump/far right connections, his brazen racism, his councils’ incompetence and his barrelling Brexit shitshow.
Reposted by Simon Shepherd 🇪🇺
If I’m understanding this correctly, X is owned by a white nationalist who pays poor people of color in developing countries to pretend to be working class white Americans to scare other white Americans into being afraid poor people of color from developing countries are going to ruin America?
November 23, 2025 at 7:30 PM
If I’m understanding this correctly, X is owned by a white nationalist who pays poor people of color in developing countries to pretend to be working class white Americans to scare other white Americans into being afraid poor people of color from developing countries are going to ruin America?
Reposted by Simon Shepherd 🇪🇺
1) Start the worst European war since 1945 and commit every imaginable war crime
2) Decide how you want to be rewarded for your aggression
3) Leak the list of your desiderata to the US press
4) Wait for the US president to enforce your wish list on your victim.
Russian policy 2025
2) Decide how you want to be rewarded for your aggression
3) Leak the list of your desiderata to the US press
4) Wait for the US president to enforce your wish list on your victim.
Russian policy 2025
November 23, 2025 at 3:30 PM
1) Start the worst European war since 1945 and commit every imaginable war crime
2) Decide how you want to be rewarded for your aggression
3) Leak the list of your desiderata to the US press
4) Wait for the US president to enforce your wish list on your victim.
Russian policy 2025
2) Decide how you want to be rewarded for your aggression
3) Leak the list of your desiderata to the US press
4) Wait for the US president to enforce your wish list on your victim.
Russian policy 2025
Reposted by Simon Shepherd 🇪🇺
X has changed their policy and now you can see where the accounts are based.
Here’s an “influencer from Texas”
Here’s an “influencer from Texas”
November 21, 2025 at 6:36 PM
X has changed their policy and now you can see where the accounts are based.
Here’s an “influencer from Texas”
Here’s an “influencer from Texas”
Reposted by Simon Shepherd 🇪🇺
So the line is that he wasn't getting paid for any of this
November 22, 2025 at 5:33 PM
So the line is that he wasn't getting paid for any of this
Reposted by Simon Shepherd 🇪🇺
"Sir Keir told the BBC: 'Every minute that is spent talking about anything other than cost-of-living is a wasted minute in my book.'"
OK, so why does his government keep banging on about immigration?
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
OK, so why does his government keep banging on about immigration?
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Judge me at next election, Keir Starmer tells doubters
The PM tells the BBC he has made
www.bbc.co.uk
November 21, 2025 at 6:25 PM
"Sir Keir told the BBC: 'Every minute that is spent talking about anything other than cost-of-living is a wasted minute in my book.'"
OK, so why does his government keep banging on about immigration?
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
OK, so why does his government keep banging on about immigration?
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Simon Shepherd 🇪🇺
Maths Puzzles for Conspiracy Theorists.
One of the cartoons from my new book 'Physics for Cats'. In good bookshops now and online in English, French, German and Spanish editions.
One of the cartoons from my new book 'Physics for Cats'. In good bookshops now and online in English, French, German and Spanish editions.
November 21, 2025 at 11:20 AM
Maths Puzzles for Conspiracy Theorists.
One of the cartoons from my new book 'Physics for Cats'. In good bookshops now and online in English, French, German and Spanish editions.
One of the cartoons from my new book 'Physics for Cats'. In good bookshops now and online in English, French, German and Spanish editions.
Reposted by Simon Shepherd 🇪🇺
Shabana Mahmood's Indefinite Leave To Remain Culture War
3 years - if you're earning £125k+
15 years - if you're e.g. a nurse, or a teacher
Labour's two tier system which rewards high earners and insults those who work just as hard but don't earn as much - really sad to see Labour fall
3 years - if you're earning £125k+
15 years - if you're e.g. a nurse, or a teacher
Labour's two tier system which rewards high earners and insults those who work just as hard but don't earn as much - really sad to see Labour fall
November 20, 2025 at 10:02 PM
Shabana Mahmood's Indefinite Leave To Remain Culture War
3 years - if you're earning £125k+
15 years - if you're e.g. a nurse, or a teacher
Labour's two tier system which rewards high earners and insults those who work just as hard but don't earn as much - really sad to see Labour fall
3 years - if you're earning £125k+
15 years - if you're e.g. a nurse, or a teacher
Labour's two tier system which rewards high earners and insults those who work just as hard but don't earn as much - really sad to see Labour fall
Reposted by Simon Shepherd 🇪🇺
Fifteen years of ideological choices to strangle & gut the public realm - NHS to schools to social services to local museums - is what underlies the anger "tearing our country apart"; immigration is simply the scapegoat that the far right are pushing people toward.
Why can't Labour just say this?
Why can't Labour just say this?
November 18, 2025 at 10:42 AM
Fifteen years of ideological choices to strangle & gut the public realm - NHS to schools to social services to local museums - is what underlies the anger "tearing our country apart"; immigration is simply the scapegoat that the far right are pushing people toward.
Why can't Labour just say this?
Why can't Labour just say this?
Reposted by Simon Shepherd 🇪🇺
Is it a threat to free speech when the President of the United States threatens to yank the broadcast license of a channel whose reporters are asking him challenging questions?
I ask because I feel like there used to be tons of pundits worried about free speech. Where'd they go?
I ask because I feel like there used to be tons of pundits worried about free speech. Where'd they go?
Trump in response to an Epstein question: "ABC, your company, your crappy company is one of the perpetrators. I think the license should be taken away from ABC because your news is so fake and so wrong. And we have a great commissioner, a chairman, who should take a look at that."
November 18, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Is it a threat to free speech when the President of the United States threatens to yank the broadcast license of a channel whose reporters are asking him challenging questions?
I ask because I feel like there used to be tons of pundits worried about free speech. Where'd they go?
I ask because I feel like there used to be tons of pundits worried about free speech. Where'd they go?
Reposted by Simon Shepherd 🇪🇺
This description very much sums up what people who support Trump mean by "respect the office."
November 18, 2025 at 1:09 PM
This description very much sums up what people who support Trump mean by "respect the office."
Reposted by Simon Shepherd 🇪🇺
Donald Trump approves the release of The Epstein Files. They will be released just as soon as the Tipp-Ex has dried.
November 18, 2025 at 8:36 PM
Donald Trump approves the release of The Epstein Files. They will be released just as soon as the Tipp-Ex has dried.
Reposted by Simon Shepherd 🇪🇺
Reposted by Simon Shepherd 🇪🇺
Have been thinking about “immigration has been tearing this country apart.” Surely I’m not the only person to think that it isn’t true, but inflamed rhetoric about immigration by politicians is what is tearing this country apart and so statements like that only makes it worse.
November 18, 2025 at 6:37 AM
Have been thinking about “immigration has been tearing this country apart.” Surely I’m not the only person to think that it isn’t true, but inflamed rhetoric about immigration by politicians is what is tearing this country apart and so statements like that only makes it worse.
Reposted by Simon Shepherd 🇪🇺
Today has been a massive victory for anti-migrant voices.
Not only is Labour doing 90% of what they want, but they're also making it much easier for them to get the remaining 10% later
Not only is Labour doing 90% of what they want, but they're also making it much easier for them to get the remaining 10% later
November 17, 2025 at 10:49 PM
Today has been a massive victory for anti-migrant voices.
Not only is Labour doing 90% of what they want, but they're also making it much easier for them to get the remaining 10% later
Not only is Labour doing 90% of what they want, but they're also making it much easier for them to get the remaining 10% later