Simon Usherwood
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simonusherwood.bsky.social
Simon Usherwood
@simonusherwood.bsky.social
13K followers 3.5K following 3K posts

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

Videos
Political science 71%
Education 10%
Posts Replies Media Videos

simonusherwood.bsky.social
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 8h
Since I'm well located to lobby senior politicians on this, currently loitering

simonusherwood.bsky.social
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 8h
Very sad that @ukandeu.bsky.social can't continue, especially at the moment when evidence-led insights on UK-EU relations might be of particular use

It's been a pleasure to work with all the excellent members of this team over the last decade
ukandeu.bsky.social UK in a Changing Europe @ukandeu.bsky.social · 9h
A rather sad announcement from @anandmenon.bsky.social on the future of UK in a Changing Europe.

ukandeu.ac.uk/announcement...
UK in a Changing Europe (UKICE) was founded 12 years ago. We hired our first member of staff on the day of the 2015 election, the outcome of which guaranteed that there would be a referendum on EU membership. The subsequent period has been tumultuous, yet, throughout it all, we have done our utmost to be a source of impartial, research-based analysis. We were initially supported by the Economic and Social Science Research Council (ESRC), who generously funded the organisation for over a decade. Their foresight in recognising the need to bring social science to the attention of external audiences in this area was impressive. Our ESRC funding ended in April 2025. Since that time, we have kept going courtesy of the generosity of King’s College London and donations from numerous other sources including the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, Amazon Web Services and the Spanish Government. I’d like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all those who have contributed to the organisation’s longevity. Sadly, it is now time to bring down the curtain on this act. UKICE will cease to operate at the end of this year. This is – for us at least – a sad occasion. However, we will soon be able to inform you of the exciting ways in which our work – blogs, reports, lunchtime seminars and more – will continue. The website, containing its rich treasure trove of blogs, reports, videos and the Brexit Witness Archive will, of course, remain accessible thanks to the generosity of the Policy Institute at King’s College London. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished over the last decade and of the way we have assessed the Brexit process, the development of the United Kingdom since 2016 and the evolution of UK-EU relations. UKICE has attempted to bridge the gap between social scientists and what some people call the ‘real world’. We have shown a new way of doing social science – engaging, accessible and impartial. While it would be too much to claim to have shaped the debate, I g…

Reposted by Jonathan Portes, Ben H. Ansell, Dorothy Bishop , and 5 more

ukandeu.bsky.social
UK in a Changing Europe @ukandeu.bsky.social · 9h
A rather sad announcement from @anandmenon.bsky.social on the future of UK in a Changing Europe.

ukandeu.ac.uk/announcement...
UK in a Changing Europe (UKICE) was founded 12 years ago. We hired our first member of staff on the day of the 2015 election, the outcome of which guaranteed that there would be a referendum on EU membership. The subsequent period has been tumultuous, yet, throughout it all, we have done our utmost to be a source of impartial, research-based analysis. We were initially supported by the Economic and Social Science Research Council (ESRC), who generously funded the organisation for over a decade. Their foresight in recognising the need to bring social science to the attention of external audiences in this area was impressive. Our ESRC funding ended in April 2025. Since that time, we have kept going courtesy of the generosity of King’s College London and donations from numerous other sources including the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, Amazon Web Services and the Spanish Government. I’d like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all those who have contributed to the organisation’s longevity. Sadly, it is now time to bring down the curtain on this act. UKICE will cease to operate at the end of this year. This is – for us at least – a sad occasion. However, we will soon be able to inform you of the exciting ways in which our work – blogs, reports, lunchtime seminars and more – will continue. The website, containing its rich treasure trove of blogs, reports, videos and the Brexit Witness Archive will, of course, remain accessible thanks to the generosity of the Policy Institute at King’s College London. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished over the last decade and of the way we have assessed the Brexit process, the development of the United Kingdom since 2016 and the evolution of UK-EU relations. UKICE has attempted to bridge the gap between social scientists and what some people call the ‘real world’. We have shown a new way of doing social science – engaging, accessible and impartial. While it would be too much to claim to have shaped the debate, I g…

Reposted by Simon Usherwood

matisaksk.bsky.social
Andrej Matisak @matisaksk.bsky.social · 11h
#Brexit: Is the UK ready to rejoin the #EU? My 🎙 #podcast, #TheGlobalAgora, with @simonusherwood.bsky.social.
▶️ #Apple podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/and...
▶️ #Spotify open.spotify.com/episode/2rjT... #politics
Brexit: Is the UK ready to rejoin the EU? by The Global Agora
It has now been more than ten years since citizens of the United Kingdom made the decision in a referendum to leave the European Union, Yet, the latest public opinion polls show that as many as 59% of...
podcasters.spotify.com

Reposted by Simon Usherwood, Steven H. Seggie

columnist.bsky.social
Dr Stylite @columnist.bsky.social · 12h
I generally agree with this. It’s politically sensible for KB to appeal to wealthier liberal voters with tax cuts. But the proposition needs to be coherent. Leaving the ECHR and reversing any Labour accommodations with the EU makes it incoherent. giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
Kemi Badenoch’s European nightmare
The biggest threat to this potential prime minister is that she defends an unpopular hard Brexit
giftarticle.ft.com

simonusherwood.bsky.social
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 13h
[Coughs pointedly in Open University]

giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
University students will have to meet minimum entry standards to access loans
Move comes as UK government seeks to deal with concerns about proliferation of underqualified people on poor-quality courses
giftarticle.ft.com

simonusherwood.bsky.social
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 14h
Another part of the reset is in place for the summit, so focus remains on Youth Mobility

www.politico.eu/article/uk-e...
UK and EU reach Brexit agreement to link carbon emissions trading systems
The two sides are now just “tying a ribbon” on the agreement, according to one EU diplomat.
www.politico.eu

simonusherwood.bsky.social
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 1d
Delighted to speak with @matisaksk.bsky.social about this

@oupolitics.bsky.social @ou-gcsj.bsky.social

Reposted by Simon Usherwood

matisaksk.bsky.social
Andrej Matisak @matisaksk.bsky.social · 1d
#Brexit: Is the UK ready to rejoin the #EU? Listen to another episode of my 🎙️ #podcast, #TheGlobalAgora. I talked to @simonusherwood.bsky.social.
▶️ podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/and... #politics
Brexit: Is the UK ready to rejoin the EU? by The Global Agora
It has now been more than ten years since citizens of the United Kingdom made the decision in a referendum to leave the European Union, Yet, the latest public opinion polls show that as many as 59% of...
podcasters.spotify.com

simonusherwood.bsky.social
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 1d
On a meeting and someone is demanding something happens "at pace" and I'm channelling my inner @aiannucci.bsky.social, while biting my lip

simonusherwood.bsky.social
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 1d
Top work by organisers to communicate both what's happened and how they feel about it

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

simonusherwood.bsky.social
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 1d
European Broadcast Union ≠ EU, boringly

simonusherwood.bsky.social
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 1d
No idea: just listed in their budget savings

chrisjread.bsky.social
Chris Read @chrisjread.bsky.social · 1d
Withdraw from Erasmus why? Who's asking for this?

robmcminn.uk
Rob McMinn @robmcminn.uk · 1d
Next to Green it should say, "Israel should not be allowed in the Eurovision Song Contest"
simonusherwood.bsky.social Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 1d
Don't like current UK policy on the EU? Nor do any of the parties

www.open.ac.uk/blogs/EUatOU...

Reposted by Tim Bale

simonusherwood.bsky.social
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 1d
Don't like current UK policy on the EU? Nor do any of the parties

www.open.ac.uk/blogs/EUatOU...

Reposted by Diane Coyle, Jo Barraket, Ariadne Vromen , and 4 more

hetanshah.bsky.social
Hetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · 1d
We’ve opened the call for our Senior Research Fellowships giving a scholar in the humanities and social sciences a year to complete a significant piece of research
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/funding/sche...
British Academy/Leverhulme Senior Research Fellowships The British Academy/Leverhulme Senior Research Fellowships are intended to enable established scholars, needing relief from teaching and administration, to have the time to bring to completion a significant piece of research, through sustained period of leave for one year.

simonusherwood.bsky.social
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 1d
So we are discussing Made in Europe, or we're not? Last week the pitch was that this had been parked until EU had worked out its position on this

simonusherwood.bsky.social
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 2d
poorly?

simonusherwood.bsky.social
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 2d
Badenoch on Brexit

Can see that "Soooo boring/difficult" might resonate with many voters, but lack of substantive argument behind that (either on policy or process) leaves CON more exposed as and when Burnham does get going

simonusherwood.bsky.social
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 2d
And read it you should, not least for the responses that the book should generate
politicalquarterly.bsky.social Political Quarterly @politicalquarterly.bsky.social · 2d
Interested in what Matt Goodwin's new book 'Suicide of a Nation' is like?

"The ramblings of a pub bore", according to Stephen Coleman.

We've published his journal review on our website, so it's free to read.

politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/review-...
Review: Suicide of a Nation. Immigration, Islam, Identity, by Matt Goodwin.
The ramblings of a pub bore.
politicalquarterly.org.uk

Reposted by Simon Usherwood

politicalquarterly.bsky.social
Political Quarterly @politicalquarterly.bsky.social · 2d
Interested in what Matt Goodwin's new book 'Suicide of a Nation' is like?

"The ramblings of a pub bore", according to Stephen Coleman.

We've published his journal review on our website, so it's free to read.

politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/review-...
Review: Suicide of a Nation. Immigration, Islam, Identity, by Matt Goodwin.
The ramblings of a pub bore.
politicalquarterly.org.uk

simonusherwood.bsky.social
Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 2d
Consequential (in a good way) for the UK if it comes to pass
annahbrt.bsky.social Anna Hubert @annahbrt.bsky.social · 2d
💣 EPP heavyweights drop a bombshell by demanding the cancellation of the IAA, which introduces European preference in subsidies and public procurement for specific sectors.

Reposted by Jonathan Portes, Ben H. Ansell, Steve Peers , and 3 more

sundersays.bsky.social
Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 2d
A note from Richard Barfield sets out why Matt Goodwin's projections of population & ethnic change are entirely unreliable, using simplistic + false premises that are not valid but have the impact & intent of exaggerating the rate of change
rbas.co.uk/wp-content/u...
rbas.co.uk

Reposted by Simon Usherwood, Federica Genovese

annahbrt.bsky.social
Anna Hubert @annahbrt.bsky.social · 2d
💣 EPP heavyweights drop a bombshell by demanding the cancellation of the IAA, which introduces European preference in subsidies and public procurement for specific sectors.