Simon Usherwood | Lightnews

Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 1d

As ever, useful and measured

David Henig @davidheniguk.bsky.social · 1d

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 · 1d

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 · 1d

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 · 1d

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 · 1d

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 · 1d

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 · 1d

Not right now, no

Brian Doherty @brianedoherty.bsky.social · 1d

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 · 1d

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 · 2d

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 · 2d

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 · 2d

Meanwhile at the EU Commission in Brussels:

"Wait, they lost another Prime Minister?"

Alexander Clarkson @aphclarkson.bsky.social · 2d

Meanwhile at the EU Commission in Brussels:

"Wait, they lost another Prime Minister?"

Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 2d

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 · 4d

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

Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 5d

Great to see UKICE's name has really cut through

Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 6d

And still no final treaty available

Frédéric Moreau @goodclimate.bsky.social · 6d

Gibraltar border shake-up set for April: customs union with EU to coincide with EES activation. EU state aid rules and goods standards, a new 'transaction tax' (VAT) and tight rules for imports by sea. Lots of detail.
www.chronicle.gi/businesses-b...

Businesses briefed on treaty trade rules ahead of April deadline

Gibraltar’s business community was briefed on Wednesday on a major shift in how goods will move in and out of Gibraltar once the UK/EU treaty on Gibraltar’s post-Brexit relations with the bloc comes i...

www.chronicle.gi

Frédéric Moreau @goodclimate.bsky.social · 6d

Gibraltar border shake-up set for April: customs union with EU to coincide with EES activation. EU state aid rules and goods standards, a new 'transaction tax' (VAT) and tight rules for imports by sea. Lots of detail.
www.chronicle.gi/businesses-b...

Businesses briefed on treaty trade rules ahead of April deadline

Gibraltar’s business community was briefed on Wednesday on a major shift in how goods will move in and out of Gibraltar once the UK/EU treaty on Gibraltar’s post-Brexit relations with the bloc comes i...

www.chronicle.gi

Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 6d

"But "the ultimate goal is, of course, to be a fully fledged member", Foreign Minister Popșoi said"

Why tiered EU membership never occurs: no one wants to be outside the 'real' membership

Euractiv @euractiv.com · 6d

INTERVIEW: Moldova open to two-tier EU membership

But "the ultimate goal is, of course, to be a fully fledged member", Foreign Minister Popșoi said

dlvr.it

Euractiv @euractiv.com · 6d

INTERVIEW: Moldova open to two-tier EU membership

But "the ultimate goal is, of course, to be a fully fledged member", Foreign Minister Popșoi said

dlvr.it

UK in a Changing Europe @ukandeu.bsky.social · 6d

🌀It's safe to say that UK politics is in flux 🌀

Join our expert panel @anandmenon.bsky.social, @sophiestowers.bsky.social, Rachel Wolf and @drjennings.bsky.social as they unpack the latest in UK politics

📆 Tues 10 Feb, 1pm GMT
💻 Online

Sign up now 👇

ukandeu.ac.uk/events/ukice...

UKICE Lunch Hour: UK politics in flux - UK in a changing Europe

Join UK in a Changing Europe experts as they discuss the high levels of volatility and fragmentation in UK politics.

ukandeu.ac.uk

Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 6d

Today's constitutional

Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 6d

tl;dr the speech was about the EU and its need to get moving, rather than throwing open doors to the UK

Still +ve that it figures at all, and that this bit was briefed

/end

Gerardo Fortuna @gerardofortuna.bsky.social · 6d

Greenland effect on Eurobarometer? Asked if they would feel more worried if their country were not an EU member, Danes tops the list (76%). Views of the US are bleak too: 91% of Danish respondents say things are going wrong there, versus just 4% who think they’re going right

Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 6d

The general sentiment ("This is about looking forward, and doing what makes sense for Europe and for the UK today. It is time to exorcise the ghosts of the past, reset our partnership, and find solutions together") is constructive, but this isn't a (sorry) reset moment

6/

Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 6d

And those words are warm, about the need for 'realistic pragmatism', but the substantive areas ('trade, customs, research, mobility, and on security and defence') are all ones where work already happens, so not immediately about full new agenda

5/

Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 6d

UK comes in at number 6, i.e. it's not the top of this list (although ahead of European defence), so not the prime target for Metsola's (warm) words

4/

Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 6d

After recollecting how membership helped Spain post-Franco, and other MS in their development, Metsola moved to list areas for action

7, in fact

3/

Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 6d

Speech was on occasion of 40 yrs of Spanish membership, with general theme of need for EU to move if it wants to act, i.e. general call to action in face of multiple challenges/threats

2/

Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 6d

Full text of Metsola's speech now available, including comments on EU-UK relations

Positive, but needs to be seen in context

1/

the-president.europarl.europa.eu/home/ep-news...

Steve Peers @stevepeers.bsky.social · 6d

Here's two of the three legal texts agreed today re EU financial support for Ukraine - still subject to negotiation with or consent of the European Parliament -

1 data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document...

2 data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document...

data.consilium.europa.eu

Simon Usherwood @simonusherwood.bsky.social · 6d

Not SAFE, but another path for UK participation in EU defence procurement

Nicolai von Ondarza @nvondarza.bsky.social · 6d

EU member states have found the agreement on the Ukraine loan facility, of which €60bn will be earmarked for defence.

Outside of important support for Ukraine, this will also have an EU-UK dimension, as this money should be spent on weapons from the EU, EEA or Ukraine.

EU Council @consilium.europa.eu · 6d

The EU continues to act decisively in support of Ukraine.

The Council agreed its position on the legal framework to provide €90 billion in financial support to Ukraine.

The loan aims to support Ukraine's general budget as well as its defence needs.

More: www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/pre...

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