Did you know that the Scottish Government has immediate plans to introduce a top-up benefit for families in Scotland affected by the UK's two child limit? Short 🧵

The Scottish Commission on Social Security scrutinised the draft regulations at pace this summer & I was invited to submit observations

*Why* does it matter that NOBODY in the UK currently knows whether or not they have Withdrawal Agreement based residence rights? A Court of Appeal judge asked this yesterday. IT MATTERS, as our evidence to the HoL European Affairs Committee explains, for 3 reasons (spolier alert: one is Windrush):

What do we need to do before creating shiny new UK-EU reset rules? Make existing rules work properly! Our *newly published* response to the HoL consultation highlights a giant problem facing EUSS holders: a COMPLETE ABSENCE of evidence of WA rights. committees.parliament.uk/writtenevide...

And also inspired by, and possibly of interest to:
@martin-cpag.bsky.social, @daphnehall.bsky.social, @nawra.bsky.social, @britishineurope.bsky.social, @jdportes.bsky.social, @dionkramer.bsky.social, @akulith.bsky.social, @paulietandoori.bsky.social (END).

Inspired by the work of, and might be of interest to: @moniquehawkins.bsky.social, @the3million.bsky.social, @wbuadvice.bsky.social, @mckeevergrainne.bsky.social, @stevepeers.bsky.social, @adrienneyong.bsky.social, @clsisel.bsky.social, @cpaguk.bsky.social, @fionacostello.bsky.social (9/10)

It is a big deal to me that this research is accessible to all - the book is available OPEN ACCESS as this means that advisers, NGOs, lawyers, and EU NATIONALS THEMSELVES can read it at no cost!
If you prefer turning physical pages you can order a copy from www.bloomsbury.com/uk/market-ci... (8/10)

Instead, I suggest a more accurate description: “market membership”. Rights are reserved for those workers who are economically active ENOUGH and conduct their work in the ‘correct’ consistent and regular way – subscriptions must be paid and club etiquette rules observed. (7/10)

EU citizenship is often described as a market citizenship - rights are attached to good economic citizens. The book highlights 2 issues with this model i) This view of economic activity is outdated ii) A focus on 'standard' work compounds discrimination/ ignores economic contributions of many (6/10)

is clearly *discriminatory*: women, disabled, young and migrant workers are expected to reconcile their lives around a male-centric model of work and are more likely to be in atypical work. They are then told they are not ‘real’ workers. I have termed this “INEQUALITY SQUARED”. (5/10)

Case studies from the AIRE Centre and the EU Rights and Brexit Hub highlight an over-reliance on earnings thresholds, income, consistency, individual employers and an expectation of no breaks from work (e.g. for childcare or caring for relatives). This is *profoundly anachronistic*, and… (4/10)

Work is an essential ticket to free movement rights. But if the definition of work (incl how Member States test it) does not reflect the reality of the labour market, I argue that many Union Citizens become “Schrödinger’s’ worker”: they work but are not 'workers' when accessing rights. (3/10)

Free movement rules have been around for *nearly 70 years*. A LOT HAS CHANGED. The increase in precarious work (+ risks of under-employment and pay penalties), + the rise of in-work based welfare = more migrants occupy the dual space of market actors AND requiring access to welfare support. (2/10)

Are the EU free movement rules wildly out of step with the new realities of work? My new book, the MARKET CITIZENSHIP ILLUSION answers this by looking at the law in action – and it is available now to *everyone for free*! www.bloomsburycollections.com/monograph?do...
🧵on key arguments... (1/10)

Blogged
Pirates of the Mediterranean
The CJEU rules against Malta's investor citizenship law - my analysis: eulawanalysis.blogspot.com/2025/04/pira...

Thank you! I've been told that it should be on bloomsburycollections.com by the end of April

How many UK Supreme Court judges do you think ever acted as lawyers for a claimant in a social security case? ZERO. *Extremely nervous* to announce this rather bolshy ('somewhat contentious' and 'robust in tone') piece in the JSSL. I argue there is a 'professional diversity deficit' in UKSC, AND...

Yeeeesssssss!

Noooooooooo?!?!?! 😵😵😵

The book comes out in April 2025 and I'm delighted that it's open access!

But if you prefer to turn physical pages you can pre-order it now: www.bloomsbury.com/uk/market-ci...

I'm so excited to share the cover of my upcoming book with Hart. The Market Citizenship Illusion!

It examines real experiences of EU migrant atypical workers and the outdated definition of economic activity to question if EU citizenship truly aims to protect those with market credentials.

Bluesky inaugural post!!

The team who put this lovely video together about our work at the EU Rights & Brexit Hub have worked wonders, and such an honour to have comments from Ellie Sibley at the AIRE Centre - thank you!

youtu.be/EaYpCmVPNy8?...

Well this certainly helps getting set up! Thank you!