Joël Reland
@jreland.bsky.social
Research Fellow at UK in a Changing Europe. Looking at UK-EU relations, regulatory divergence and European politics.
And why does he think the opposite happened? More red tape is the logical consequence of de-integrating from your largest trading market. More complicated to import and export. Only the biggest firms can afford to bear those costs.
November 10, 2025 at 1:55 PM
And why does he think the opposite happened? More red tape is the logical consequence of de-integrating from your largest trading market. More complicated to import and export. Only the biggest firms can afford to bear those costs.
Reposted by Joël Reland
I have a new blog post out with The UK In A Changing Europe on how lower migration will be bad for the UK economy: ukandeu.ac.uk/lower-migrat...
Lower migration is bad news for the UK economy - UK in a changing Europe
Lauren Gilbert argues that migrants to the UK are net fiscal contributors, adding much more to the economy than they take out, and that the recent collapse in immigration will harm the UK's economic p...
ukandeu.ac.uk
November 6, 2025 at 3:30 PM
I have a new blog post out with The UK In A Changing Europe on how lower migration will be bad for the UK economy: ukandeu.ac.uk/lower-migrat...
Yesterday Nigel Farage argued that the UK has failed to grasp Brexit opportunities to deregulate, which his 'pro-business' government would deliver.
I've got a piece in the Independent arguing why that is a misreading both of Brexit history and economics.
www.independent.co.uk/voices/brexi...
I've got a piece in the Independent arguing why that is a misreading both of Brexit history and economics.
www.independent.co.uk/voices/brexi...
November 4, 2025 at 9:38 AM
Yesterday Nigel Farage argued that the UK has failed to grasp Brexit opportunities to deregulate, which his 'pro-business' government would deliver.
I've got a piece in the Independent arguing why that is a misreading both of Brexit history and economics.
www.independent.co.uk/voices/brexi...
I've got a piece in the Independent arguing why that is a misreading both of Brexit history and economics.
www.independent.co.uk/voices/brexi...
Reposted by Joël Reland
Happy, alongside @emiliabelknap.bsky.social, to make my debut contribution with the fantastic folks at @ukandeu.bsky.social
Emilia & I use data from @britishelectionstudy.com to correct the atomistic fallacy in people's understanding the Reform UK gender gap
ukandeu.ac.uk/most-british...
Emilia & I use data from @britishelectionstudy.com to correct the atomistic fallacy in people's understanding the Reform UK gender gap
ukandeu.ac.uk/most-british...
Most British young men reject the far right - UK in a changing Europe
Emilia Belknap and Stuart Turnbull-Dugarte explain their analysis on the demographics of Reform UK voters in the UK. They argue that while the dominant narrative is that young men are the most likely ...
ukandeu.ac.uk
October 30, 2025 at 9:42 AM
Happy, alongside @emiliabelknap.bsky.social, to make my debut contribution with the fantastic folks at @ukandeu.bsky.social
Emilia & I use data from @britishelectionstudy.com to correct the atomistic fallacy in people's understanding the Reform UK gender gap
ukandeu.ac.uk/most-british...
Emilia & I use data from @britishelectionstudy.com to correct the atomistic fallacy in people's understanding the Reform UK gender gap
ukandeu.ac.uk/most-british...
Reposted by Joël Reland
Net migration to the UK is falling rapidly. But how far will it fall? A new, detailed estimate by @jamesbowes01.bsky.social projects net migration in 2026 will be 70K to 170K.
This will have significant consequences, both economic and political.
ukandeu.ac.uk/the-coming-c...
This will have significant consequences, both economic and political.
ukandeu.ac.uk/the-coming-c...
October 29, 2025 at 1:29 PM
Net migration to the UK is falling rapidly. But how far will it fall? A new, detailed estimate by @jamesbowes01.bsky.social projects net migration in 2026 will be 70K to 170K.
This will have significant consequences, both economic and political.
ukandeu.ac.uk/the-coming-c...
This will have significant consequences, both economic and political.
ukandeu.ac.uk/the-coming-c...
My take on the latest strange iteration in UK Brexit policy. We now have a government which openly laments the economic costs of Brexit, but rules out most of the options for dealing with it
ukandeu.ac.uk/labours-brex...
ukandeu.ac.uk/labours-brex...
Labour’s Brexit trap - UK in a changing Europe
Joël Reland argues that the Labour government's strategy to voluntarily align more closely with EU rules will not result in economic growth in the UK.
ukandeu.ac.uk
October 24, 2025 at 10:16 AM
My take on the latest strange iteration in UK Brexit policy. We now have a government which openly laments the economic costs of Brexit, but rules out most of the options for dealing with it
ukandeu.ac.uk/labours-brex...
ukandeu.ac.uk/labours-brex...
Reposted by Joël Reland
"What voluntary alignment does mean is a clunky process of copying and pasting new EU regulations onto the UK statute book for limited economic gain. It is a high-effort, low-reward strategy."
✍️ @jreland.bsky.social reflects on Labour's Brexit trap
ukandeu.ac.uk/labours-brex...
✍️ @jreland.bsky.social reflects on Labour's Brexit trap
ukandeu.ac.uk/labours-brex...
Labour’s Brexit trap - UK in a changing Europe
Joël Reland argues that the Labour government's strategy to voluntarily align more closely with EU rules will not result in economic growth in the UK.
ukandeu.ac.uk
October 22, 2025 at 8:48 AM
"What voluntary alignment does mean is a clunky process of copying and pasting new EU regulations onto the UK statute book for limited economic gain. It is a high-effort, low-reward strategy."
✍️ @jreland.bsky.social reflects on Labour's Brexit trap
ukandeu.ac.uk/labours-brex...
✍️ @jreland.bsky.social reflects on Labour's Brexit trap
ukandeu.ac.uk/labours-brex...
Our new divergence is tracker out: auditing the extent to which UK/EU rules and regs have aligned/diverged since June.
It highlights the increasingly awkward position which the UK occupies: of wanting to act like the EU on most regulatory issues, but without being part of the club.
It highlights the increasingly awkward position which the UK occupies: of wanting to act like the EU on most regulatory issues, but without being part of the club.
🚨 PUBLISHED TODAY 🚨
👀 Take a look at the latest edition of UK in a Changing Europe's UK-EU regulatory divergence tracker by @jreland.bsky.social
🤓 It's the only report of its kind to outline exactly how UK and EU rules and regulations have diverged
🧵 Key findings
ukandeu.ac.uk/reports/uk-e...
👀 Take a look at the latest edition of UK in a Changing Europe's UK-EU regulatory divergence tracker by @jreland.bsky.social
🤓 It's the only report of its kind to outline exactly how UK and EU rules and regulations have diverged
🧵 Key findings
ukandeu.ac.uk/reports/uk-e...
UK-EU Divergence Tracker Q3 2025 - UK in a changing Europe
This is the fourteenth edition of the UK in a Changing Europe’s regulatory divergence tracker, outlining how UK and EU rules and regulations have diverged in the period July-October 2025.
ukandeu.ac.uk
October 21, 2025 at 10:18 AM
Our new divergence is tracker out: auditing the extent to which UK/EU rules and regs have aligned/diverged since June.
It highlights the increasingly awkward position which the UK occupies: of wanting to act like the EU on most regulatory issues, but without being part of the club.
It highlights the increasingly awkward position which the UK occupies: of wanting to act like the EU on most regulatory issues, but without being part of the club.
Reposted by Joël Reland
After years of making the running on immigration, Farage may this week have handed the initiative back to his opponents'. @robfordmancs.bsky.social for @ukandeu.bsky.social on the unpopularity of Reform's proposals on ILR ukandeu.ac.uk/reforms-radi...
September 25, 2025 at 8:44 AM
After years of making the running on immigration, Farage may this week have handed the initiative back to his opponents'. @robfordmancs.bsky.social for @ukandeu.bsky.social on the unpopularity of Reform's proposals on ILR ukandeu.ac.uk/reforms-radi...
Interesting piece on the success of the Social Democratic government in Spain and the lessons for Labour. The penultimate paragraph was particularly striking renewal.org.uk/articles/dar...
September 24, 2025 at 12:42 PM
Interesting piece on the success of the Social Democratic government in Spain and the lessons for Labour. The penultimate paragraph was particularly striking renewal.org.uk/articles/dar...
One for the nerds here... New briefing on the key issues to resolve in the UK-EU ETS negotiations.
And for the slightly less nerdy, here's a blog on why the broader set of negotiations could prove tricky ukandeu.ac.uk/uk-eu-negoti...
And for the slightly less nerdy, here's a blog on why the broader set of negotiations could prove tricky ukandeu.ac.uk/uk-eu-negoti...
September 15, 2025 at 9:18 AM
One for the nerds here... New briefing on the key issues to resolve in the UK-EU ETS negotiations.
And for the slightly less nerdy, here's a blog on why the broader set of negotiations could prove tricky ukandeu.ac.uk/uk-eu-negoti...
And for the slightly less nerdy, here's a blog on why the broader set of negotiations could prove tricky ukandeu.ac.uk/uk-eu-negoti...
Strong stuff - lays out the political and historical reasons why the ECHR is so integral to the peace settlement in Northern Ireland, and why a 'British Bill of Rights' could never occupy the same role
"The underlying point is that, given the history, there was nothing like sufficient trust that the UK state could, or would, provide the safeguards and protections of minority rights in Northern Ireland, and that remains the case today."
ukandeu.ac.uk/the-belfast-...
ukandeu.ac.uk/the-belfast-...
The Belfast/Good Friday Agreement and Human Rights - UK in a changing Europe
Andrew McCormick explains the role ECHR membership plays in the Belfast / Good Friday Agreement.
ukandeu.ac.uk
September 11, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Strong stuff - lays out the political and historical reasons why the ECHR is so integral to the peace settlement in Northern Ireland, and why a 'British Bill of Rights' could never occupy the same role
Reposted by Joël Reland
This explainer by @joellegrogan.bsky.social and @alicedonald.bsky.social looks at the relationship between the Belfast/ Good Friday Agreement and the ECHR
To understand what role the ECHR plays and what UK withdrawal would mean for Northern Ireland, read this 👇
ukandeu.ac.uk/explainers/t...
To understand what role the ECHR plays and what UK withdrawal would mean for Northern Ireland, read this 👇
ukandeu.ac.uk/explainers/t...
The European Convention on Human Rights and the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement - UK in a changing Europe
This explainer examines the relationship between the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement and the European Convention on Human Rights. It explores the role that...
ukandeu.ac.uk
September 10, 2025 at 8:22 AM
This explainer by @joellegrogan.bsky.social and @alicedonald.bsky.social looks at the relationship between the Belfast/ Good Friday Agreement and the ECHR
To understand what role the ECHR plays and what UK withdrawal would mean for Northern Ireland, read this 👇
ukandeu.ac.uk/explainers/t...
To understand what role the ECHR plays and what UK withdrawal would mean for Northern Ireland, read this 👇
ukandeu.ac.uk/explainers/t...
Very underwhelming FAC session on the UK-EU reset - which felt like it was stuck in 2024 with same old stuff about fish, touring artists and sovereignty but almost no detailed interrogation of ETS/SPS/energy talks or wider global challenges.
parliamentlive.tv/event/index/...
parliamentlive.tv/event/index/...
Parliamentlive.tv
Foreign Affairs Committee
parliamentlive.tv
September 9, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Very underwhelming FAC session on the UK-EU reset - which felt like it was stuck in 2024 with same old stuff about fish, touring artists and sovereignty but almost no detailed interrogation of ETS/SPS/energy talks or wider global challenges.
parliamentlive.tv/event/index/...
parliamentlive.tv/event/index/...
Reposted by Joël Reland
IT'S OUT! @ukandeu.bsky.social brand new survey of the policy challenges confronting the UK, done in partnership with the wonderful @resfoundation.bsky.social ukandeu.ac.uk/reports/poli... 1/???
September 2, 2025 at 6:05 AM
IT'S OUT! @ukandeu.bsky.social brand new survey of the policy challenges confronting the UK, done in partnership with the wonderful @resfoundation.bsky.social ukandeu.ac.uk/reports/poli... 1/???
Reposted by Joël Reland
"One of his revealed flaws in his personnel appointments is that he seems to prefer appointing people whose attitude or background he likes, rather than look at whether they are equipped to do the job."
@jillongovt.bsky.social reflects on why Starmer struggles to get the machinery of govt. going
@jillongovt.bsky.social reflects on why Starmer struggles to get the machinery of govt. going
August 30, 2025 at 1:00 PM
"One of his revealed flaws in his personnel appointments is that he seems to prefer appointing people whose attitude or background he likes, rather than look at whether they are equipped to do the job."
@jillongovt.bsky.social reflects on why Starmer struggles to get the machinery of govt. going
@jillongovt.bsky.social reflects on why Starmer struggles to get the machinery of govt. going
Timely analysis from UKICE (@cbarnard.bsky.social) as per
"The legal position is therefore clear: yes there is provision for a state to leave the ECHR and the Refugee Convention. But doing so comes with both legal and political consequences."
✍️ @cbarnard.bsky.social explains the impact leaving the ECHR would have on the UK
ukandeu.ac.uk/leaving-the-...
✍️ @cbarnard.bsky.social explains the impact leaving the ECHR would have on the UK
ukandeu.ac.uk/leaving-the-...
Leaving the ECHR and the Refugee Convention - UK in a changing Europe
Catherine Barnard explains the political and legal consequences of leaving the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the Refugee Convention.
ukandeu.ac.uk
August 27, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Timely analysis from UKICE (@cbarnard.bsky.social) as per
Reposted by Joël Reland
‼️ Don't miss our panel on the negotiations to come between the UK and EU on the policy areas outlined at the summit
W/ @anandmenon.bsky.social, @cbarnard.bsky.social, @jillongovt.bsky.social, @jannikewachowiak.bsky.social & @jreland.bsky.social
💻 Online, Weds 10 Sept
ukandeu.ac.uk/events/ukice...
W/ @anandmenon.bsky.social, @cbarnard.bsky.social, @jillongovt.bsky.social, @jannikewachowiak.bsky.social & @jreland.bsky.social
💻 Online, Weds 10 Sept
ukandeu.ac.uk/events/ukice...
UKICE Lunch Hour: UK-EU relations during negotiations - UK in a changing Europe
Ahead of this autumn's negotiations, join our expert panel as they discuss the what they will mean for the UK's relationship with the EU.
ukandeu.ac.uk
August 27, 2025 at 2:41 PM
‼️ Don't miss our panel on the negotiations to come between the UK and EU on the policy areas outlined at the summit
W/ @anandmenon.bsky.social, @cbarnard.bsky.social, @jillongovt.bsky.social, @jannikewachowiak.bsky.social & @jreland.bsky.social
💻 Online, Weds 10 Sept
ukandeu.ac.uk/events/ukice...
W/ @anandmenon.bsky.social, @cbarnard.bsky.social, @jillongovt.bsky.social, @jannikewachowiak.bsky.social & @jreland.bsky.social
💻 Online, Weds 10 Sept
ukandeu.ac.uk/events/ukice...
Reposted by Joël Reland
📣 NEW EVENT 📣
Join us and @resfoundation.bsky.social as we launch the latest edition of our Policy Landscape report with expert analysis of the biggest public policy challenges facing the UK
📅 Tues 2 Sept, 9:30am
📍In-person (London) & online
Sign up 👇
www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/hot-t...
Join us and @resfoundation.bsky.social as we launch the latest edition of our Policy Landscape report with expert analysis of the biggest public policy challenges facing the UK
📅 Tues 2 Sept, 9:30am
📍In-person (London) & online
Sign up 👇
www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/hot-t...
Hot topics, hard choices • Resolution Foundation
After a not-so-quiet summer, MPs are returning from recess to a torrent of public policy challenges. Immigration remains the public’s top concern, with the economy and the NHS not far behind. Defence ...
www.resolutionfoundation.org
August 21, 2025 at 8:41 AM
📣 NEW EVENT 📣
Join us and @resfoundation.bsky.social as we launch the latest edition of our Policy Landscape report with expert analysis of the biggest public policy challenges facing the UK
📅 Tues 2 Sept, 9:30am
📍In-person (London) & online
Sign up 👇
www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/hot-t...
Join us and @resfoundation.bsky.social as we launch the latest edition of our Policy Landscape report with expert analysis of the biggest public policy challenges facing the UK
📅 Tues 2 Sept, 9:30am
📍In-person (London) & online
Sign up 👇
www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/hot-t...
Reposted by Joël Reland
In Brussels in September? Come along! ukandeu.ac.uk/events/the-f...
The future of UK-EU relations - UK in a changing Europe
Join UK in a Changing Europe and The Open University in Brussels as they bring together leading academics, think tankers, officials and journalists in Brussels to discuss UK-EU relations.
ukandeu.ac.uk
August 20, 2025 at 8:39 AM
In Brussels in September? Come along! ukandeu.ac.uk/events/the-f...
Reposted by Joël Reland
“Man-made famine is not something that I’ve seen in my lifetime." - Martin Griffiths, UN’s former humanitarian chief.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
July 30, 2025 at 7:32 AM
“Man-made famine is not something that I’ve seen in my lifetime." - Martin Griffiths, UN’s former humanitarian chief.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Joël Reland
Our director @anandmenon.bsky.social on @gbnewsonline.bsky.social introducing the latest edition of our UK-EU Divergence Tracker
The report by @jreland.bsky.social finds that there is already more UK alignment with the EU than is generally recognised
Find out more 👇
ukandeu.ac.uk/reports/uk-e...
The report by @jreland.bsky.social finds that there is already more UK alignment with the EU than is generally recognised
Find out more 👇
ukandeu.ac.uk/reports/uk-e...
July 22, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Our director @anandmenon.bsky.social on @gbnewsonline.bsky.social introducing the latest edition of our UK-EU Divergence Tracker
The report by @jreland.bsky.social finds that there is already more UK alignment with the EU than is generally recognised
Find out more 👇
ukandeu.ac.uk/reports/uk-e...
The report by @jreland.bsky.social finds that there is already more UK alignment with the EU than is generally recognised
Find out more 👇
ukandeu.ac.uk/reports/uk-e...
Reposted by Joël Reland
"And in the ultimate of ironies, the only place which hasn’t taken back control following Brexit is the House of Commons itself."
@stellacreasy.bsky.social on the need to address Parliamentary scrutiny of the government’s Brexit deal.
ukandeu.ac.uk/how-parliame...
@stellacreasy.bsky.social on the need to address Parliamentary scrutiny of the government’s Brexit deal.
ukandeu.ac.uk/how-parliame...
How Parliament can take back control of the EU reset deal - UK in a changing Europe
The Chair of the Labour Movement for Europe on the need to address Parliamentary scrutiny of the government’s Brexit deal. Across red...
ukandeu.ac.uk
July 21, 2025 at 8:21 AM
"And in the ultimate of ironies, the only place which hasn’t taken back control following Brexit is the House of Commons itself."
@stellacreasy.bsky.social on the need to address Parliamentary scrutiny of the government’s Brexit deal.
ukandeu.ac.uk/how-parliame...
@stellacreasy.bsky.social on the need to address Parliamentary scrutiny of the government’s Brexit deal.
ukandeu.ac.uk/how-parliame...
New blog summing up the findings of the divergence tracker ukandeu.ac.uk/uk-eu-relati...
"On the vast majority of issues, the UK and EU are [now] partners before they are competitors... the Brexit imperative for the UK to demonstrate its regulatory independence... appears dead in the water."
"On the vast majority of issues, the UK and EU are [now] partners before they are competitors... the Brexit imperative for the UK to demonstrate its regulatory independence... appears dead in the water."
UK-EU relations: alignment by stealth - UK in a changing Europe
Coinciding with the publication of the thirteenth edition of the UK-EU Divergence Tracker, Joël Reland explains some of the reports key findings. He argues that the scale of alignment by the UK with E...
ukandeu.ac.uk
July 17, 2025 at 8:38 AM
New blog summing up the findings of the divergence tracker ukandeu.ac.uk/uk-eu-relati...
"On the vast majority of issues, the UK and EU are [now] partners before they are competitors... the Brexit imperative for the UK to demonstrate its regulatory independence... appears dead in the water."
"On the vast majority of issues, the UK and EU are [now] partners before they are competitors... the Brexit imperative for the UK to demonstrate its regulatory independence... appears dead in the water."