Substantial enough to build a reasonably resilient joint strategic vision of objectives over at least a decade

Just because current model isn't great, doesn't mean alternatives a) exist and b) will happen

Too late to turn to Europe? How Keir Starmer’s Brexit reset ran out of road

Very useful overview of the limits to the reset approach

Main Q is what alternatives could work for both sides and whether UK and EU are willing to make a substantial effort to achieve it: both seem very doubtful right now

giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...

Registration now open for #UACES2026: another great programme for all those working in European Studies!

Today's FT reports Germany and France are preparing "symbolic" EU membership benefits for Ukraine. In our new @swp-europe.bsky.social Comment, Barbara Lippert, Frauke Seebass and I argue they should go even further: Towards a new type of accession association.

Sorry to hear this Jon

It was a pleasure as @polstudiesassoc.bsky.social Honorary Secretary to present these prizes, including to my @ou-gcsj.bsky.social @openuniversity.bsky.social colleagues @simonusherwood.bsky.social and @filippoboni.bsky.social, plus Emma Connolly.

Abstract The fracture between citizens and elites on European integration remains understudied, most notably when it comes to specific issues. One of these issues, particularly salient in the aftermath of Brexit, is holding further European Union exit referendums across the Union. While regularly floated by (Eurosceptic) parties for electoral purposes, it remains unclear to what extent parties and citizens agree to actually hold European Union exit referendums. We examine the relationship between party and citizen stances on this issue in 10 European Union member states, leveraging original cross-country survey data and expert survey data on parties’ positions, both collected in 2019. The results show that parties tend to be more against holding a European Union exit referendum than their voters, less so the more extreme parties. Moreover, higher media saliency correlates with greater party–voter congruence, and the issue is more polarised among the electorate than at the party level.

Do parties & voters agree on EU exit referendums? @acgoldberg.bsky.social & @alessandronai.bsky.social examine 10 countries, showing parties are more opposed than voters, with gaps narrowing as issue salience rises. Read OPEN ACCESS: buff.ly/eUxRCV1

@polstudiesassoc.bsky.social #EuropeanPolitics

Bluebells

Today's garden

River Tyne

Today's constitutional

As planned by my uncle

Today's garden

Sycamore Gap, Hadrians Wall

Today's constitutional

Ullswater

Today's constitutional

The view from Cat Bells to Keswick and Skiddaw

Today's constitutional

Good morning

'Could' is probably the key word here

Would all hang on terms set out in SPS Bill

Daffodils, Keswick

Today's constitutional

Pretty sure it's not UK news @theguardian.com

Today's constitutional, dropping off the hiking party

What does ‘greater ambition’ in UK-EU relations look like - and what are the chances of it? - UK in a changing Europe Carolyn Rowe, Ed Turner, Tobias Hofelich and Jannike Wachowiak consider what a more ambitious UK-EU relationship could look like and the key challenges and opportunities it would present.

"While the stakes are higher, it is far from certain whether the EU and the UK will be able to use the second proposed summit this summer to add new substance to their existing agreements."

Carolyn Rowe, Ed Turner, Tobias Hofelich & Jannike Wachowiak on UK-EU relations 🇬🇧🇪🇺

https://ow.ly/GGWM50YGYoe

So much for needing to get provisional application of Gibraltar treaty going in time for today

www.gbc.gi/news/new-15t...

‘Nobody’s in charge’: is power sharing still working in Northern Ireland? Feuding parties and crumbling public services damaging public’s faith in Stormont, 28 years on from Good Friday agreement

Intrresting piece to read, especially having been talking this week in Whitehall about how much NI figures in UK-EU relations

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

Happy EES Day, to all who celebrate

Bluebells

Today's constitutional

Finding myself this morning thinking:

A) you shouldn't be threatening to commit war crimes in the first place, so you shouldn't get credit for not committing them

B) it's hard to have confidence in a ceasefire proclaimed by someone with a very poor track record of sticking to deals of any kind

Blossom

Today's constitutional

Brussels banking rules could hit lenders and UK-EU ‘reset’, City figures warn Concern that efforts to boost European defence spending could also be damaged

Rather arch to brief about issues with a directive agreed in 2024 and try to comnect it to current reset negotiations

Brussels banking rules could hit lenders and UK-EU ‘reset’, City figures warn - giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...

Shere

Today's cycle

Not the day's most consequential news, but another example of what coming weeks will bring as UK and WU move towards SPS deals

At least we are spared another day of jam/marmalade/Paddington-based puns

www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...

Fritillaries

Today's garden