Simon Usherwood
@simonusherwood.bsky.social
Researcher of UK-EU relations, euroscepticism and learning & teaching. Open University and UK in a Changing Europe. Renowned for my bubbly personality, I imagine.
Pinned for rest of this Parliament
Very striking to me that the absence of a government vision is matched by the wider Labour ecosystem - plenty of specific policy ideas, no obvious big picture of what the party should mean in 2025.
November 26, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Pinned for rest of this Parliament
Today's constitutional
November 26, 2025 at 8:13 AM
Today's constitutional
You’ve been kidnapped. The characters from the last TV show you watched are trying to rescue you. Who’s coming to save you?
November 25, 2025 at 5:11 PM
You’ve been kidnapped. The characters from the last TV show you watched are trying to rescue you. Who’s coming to save you?
Reposted by Simon Usherwood
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
Find out more here: oupips.org.uk
@ukparliament.parliament.uk
OU PIPS
OU Politics, International Relations and Policy Society
oupips.org.uk
November 25, 2025 at 10:07 AM
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
Find out more here: oupips.org.uk
@ukparliament.parliament.uk
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
Things are moving, but slowly and uncertainly
PDF: bit.ly/UshGraphic144
November 25, 2025 at 10:16 AM
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
Things are moving, but slowly and uncertainly
PDF: bit.ly/UshGraphic144
Today's constitutional
November 25, 2025 at 8:10 AM
Today's constitutional
Reposted by Simon Usherwood
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
November 24, 2025 at 10:58 AM
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...
Reposted by Simon Usherwood
"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/
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
November 23, 2025 at 3:50 PM
"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/
https://ukandeu.ac.uk/reform-and-the-brexit-deal/
Reposted by Simon Usherwood
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)
November 23, 2025 at 1:25 PM
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)
Today's cycle
November 23, 2025 at 11:08 AM
Today's cycle
Reposted by Simon Usherwood
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...
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
November 22, 2025 at 11:44 AM
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...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Today's garden
November 21, 2025 at 8:49 AM
Today's garden
Reposted by Simon Usherwood
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
@oupolitics.bsky.social
November 19, 2025 at 4:27 PM
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
@oupolitics.bsky.social
Today's constitutional
November 20, 2025 at 8:35 AM
Today's constitutional
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/
SPS deal isn't 'secured', just agreed that one will be negotiated, including this question
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
1/
November 20, 2025 at 7:53 AM
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/
SPS deal isn't 'secured', just agreed that one will be negotiated, including this question
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
1/
Today's constitutional
November 19, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Today's constitutional
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
@oupolitics.bsky.social
November 19, 2025 at 4:27 PM
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
@oupolitics.bsky.social
Today's campus
November 18, 2025 at 9:12 AM
Today's campus
Today in messing about with European policy doesn't have any impact on UK domestic politics or economics news
November 18, 2025 at 8:06 AM
Today in messing about with European policy doesn't have any impact on UK domestic politics or economics news
November 18, 2025 at 8:00 AM
Today's constitutional
November 17, 2025 at 8:17 AM
Today's constitutional
Today's cycle
November 16, 2025 at 9:06 AM
Today's cycle
Today's constitutional
November 15, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Today's constitutional
Reposted by Simon Usherwood
💶"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/
✍️ 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
November 13, 2025 at 10:10 AM
💶"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/
✍️ 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/
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...
www.ft.com/content/acf9...
November 13, 2025 at 8:48 AM
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...
www.ft.com/content/acf9...