Simon Usherwood | Lightnews

Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 13h

Talking about Labour's woes with Petrie Hosken on Talk Radio/TV shortly

@oupolitics.bsky.social

Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · 19h

News update: The EU announced that Commissioner Suica, who Tony Blair wanted to meet according to the document we obtained, has agreed to join the first meeting of the "Board of Peace". No sh*t. Their lobbying actually worked!

Nicolai von Ondarza @nvondarza.bsky.social · 22h

A different kind of geostrategic enlargement - foreign minister of Iceland is calling for speeding up work for a referendum to restart the country's EU accession process (via @andreasrinke.bsky.social):

MSN

www.msn.com

Zselyke Csaky @zecsaky.bsky.social · 23h

Looks like this reporting is about releasing the first tranche of SAFE. But if Hungary does receive the €2.4B, that'd directly contradict what Commissioner Serafin said two weeks ago, that SAFE is subject to conditionality audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/media/video/...

Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 1d

interesting thread, not least for EU/Europe not making the list of topics to be surveyed

Luke Tryl @luketryl.bsky.social · 1d

Theres a bit of chicken and egg if it’s a big issue affecting you often it’s because defacto govt isn’t seen to be doing well. But it’s striking cost of living has been the issue since the pandemic and yet just 10% of the public think they are performing well and 73% badly

Luke Tryl @luketryl.bsky.social · 1d

Theres a bit of chicken and egg if it’s a big issue affecting you often it’s because defacto govt isn’t seen to be doing well. But it’s striking cost of living has been the issue since the pandemic and yet just 10% of the public think they are performing well and 73% badly

Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 1d

Today's constitutional

Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 2d

Today's constitutional

Nicolai von Ondarza @nvondarza.bsky.social · 3d

In the discussion on using Enhanced Cooperation for single market deepening seem to forget that the EU treaties put a clear limit on Enhanced Cooperation - that it shall not undermine the single market or the economic cohesion of the EU:

Art 326 TFEU: Any enhanced cooperation shall comply with the Treaties and Union law.

Such cooperation shall not undermine the internal market or economic, social and territorial cohesion. It shall not constitute a barrier to or discrimination in trade between Member States, nor shall it distort competition between them.

Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 3d

Good overview and reminder of how none of this is new

Thu Nguyen @onethuthree.bsky.social · 3d

Two-speed Europe, coalitions of the willing, core Europe - all different labels currently circling in the debate for same idea that way forward is no longer at EU27.

But the how is important, and I think different people understand different things by the concept.

Quick thread on legal options:

Thu Nguyen @onethuthree.bsky.social · 3d

Two-speed Europe, coalitions of the willing, core Europe - all different labels currently circling in the debate for same idea that way forward is no longer at EU27.

But the how is important, and I think different people understand different things by the concept.

Quick thread on legal options:

Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 4d

Very useful overview from @rachelbrooks.bsky.social of student mobility and UK-EU relations

ukandeu.ac.uk/student-mobi...

Student mobility after Brexit - UK in a changing Europe

Rachel Brooks looks at the key trends in student mobility post-Brexit and the lessons the UK should take now that it has decided to rejoin the EU's Erasmus programme as part of its UK-EU reset.

ukandeu.ac.uk

The Open University Library @oulibrary.bsky.social · 4d

Whether you’re a student, researcher, or use technology for work, improving on digital literacy can open a new world of opportunities.

Being digital features FREE activities designed to develop your digital literacy skills – take a look 👉 https://ow.ly/Gc8u50Y4M1j

#BeingDigital

Image contains text which reads "Introducing you to the world of information at your disposal, including the Open University online library and its wide range of resources."

Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 4d

Looks like we're all UK constitutional lawyers now...

a dark background with the words we are borg written on it

Alt: a dark background with the words we are borg written on it

media.tenor.com

Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 5d

Oooh

Today's constitutional

Peter Geoghegan @petergeoghegan.bsky.social · 6d

🔴 Exclusive: Corporate donations British parties tripled over last three elections

But here's key thing: almost none is from FTSE500/listed companies

It's almost all companies controlled by super-wealthy individuals, or small, opaque firms

New on D4S: democracyforsale.substack.com/p/revealed-c...

Revealed: Corporate donations to British politics have tripled

Influential Labour committee chairs call on government to clean up politics as our new analysis finds record £42 million in company donations ahead of last election

democracyforsale.substack.com

Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 6d

Looking forward to today's @policywise.bsky.social roundtable on Collaborative Governance

@oupolitics.bsky.social

Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 6d

As ever, useful and measured

David Henig @davidheniguk.bsky.social · 6d

With UK-EU relations temporarily out of the spotlight my latest article is titled provocatively - "UK trade policy has failed but a Customs Union with the EU is not the answer" - and explains that the UK now has to talk-the-talk if it wants more.

bestforbritain.substack.com/p/uk-trade-p...

UK trade policy has failed but a Customs Union with the EU is not the answer

By David Henig

bestforbritain.substack.com

David Henig @davidheniguk.bsky.social · 6d

With UK-EU relations temporarily out of the spotlight my latest article is titled provocatively - "UK trade policy has failed but a Customs Union with the EU is not the answer" - and explains that the UK now has to talk-the-talk if it wants more.

bestforbritain.substack.com/p/uk-trade-p...

UK trade policy has failed but a Customs Union with the EU is not the answer

By David Henig

bestforbritain.substack.com

Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 7d

If you want a deep dive into the structural failings of the bicycle industry, highly recommend this

Combination of long lead times, poor planning and high exposure to contingent events

escapecollective.com/how-did-the-...

Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 7d

I'd missed this

And I'll miss it (and not just as a teaching resource)

www.cia.gov/stories/stor...

Spotlighting The World Factbook as We Bid a Fond Farewell - CIA

www.cia.gov

Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 7d

But obviously so, so why brief about/encourage this?

As @nvondarza.bsky.social rightly says, just plays into HU narratives of a perfidious EU

Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 7d

Slight sense of Underpant Gnomes about the Politico report on Ukrainian 'reverse membership'

Basic tension of wanting to pull UKR into EU and using membership to drive pre-accession changes remains

www.politico.eu/article/5-st...

5 steps to get Ukraine into the EU in 2027

Plans to bring Kyiv into the tent before it has completed all reforms and to remove Hungary’s veto signal a sense of urgency in Brussels.

www.politico.eu

Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 7d

Not right now, no

Brian Doherty @brianedoherty.bsky.social · 7d

Whisper it, but is Keir Starmer quietly reversing Brexit?
Starmer must be nimble as he seeks to deepen ties in Brussels and Beijing, while keeping Washington onside.
Britain still needs to “hedge for the future”
Anand Menon
www.irishtimes.com/world/uk/202...

Whisper it, but is Keir Starmer quietly reversing Brexit?

Six year after leaving the EU, the UK is navigating a delicate balancing act on trade and diplomatic ties with Brussels, as well as Washington and Beijing

www.irishtimes.com

Brian Doherty @brianedoherty.bsky.social · 7d

Whisper it, but is Keir Starmer quietly reversing Brexit?
Starmer must be nimble as he seeks to deepen ties in Brussels and Beijing, while keeping Washington onside.
Britain still needs to “hedge for the future”
Anand Menon
www.irishtimes.com/world/uk/202...

Whisper it, but is Keir Starmer quietly reversing Brexit?

Six year after leaving the EU, the UK is navigating a delicate balancing act on trade and diplomatic ties with Brussels, as well as Washington and Beijing

www.irishtimes.com

Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 7d

Remember that EU wasn't exactly pressing hard for conclusions before now, and has its essential needs already met with WA/TCA

Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 7d

Main Q now is whether current UK-EU negotiations run into the sand/long grass, or EU press to get something in place ahead of #GE29 (which might in part depend on whether it looks like turning into #GE26/#GE27)

Alexander Clarkson @aphclarkson.bsky.social · 7d

Meanwhile at the EU Commission in Brussels:

"Wait, they lost another Prime Minister?"

Alexander Clarkson @aphclarkson.bsky.social · 7d

Meanwhile at the EU Commission in Brussels:

"Wait, they lost another Prime Minister?"

Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 8d

It's "less about AI destroying the capacity to learn than about it destroying the motivation to bother"

Very stimulating piece by @jimdickinson.bsky.social on whether we're focusing on the right things in the education & AI debate

wonkhe.com/blogs/now-th...

Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 9d

Guildford: where Caro is not only donated to the charity shop, but they put it in the window

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