There are 2 arguments here, both strong. 1. Rejoining needs a stepping stone approach that begins with the most tricky issue: free movement. 2. It’s not likely to happen. A further point worth adding is that anxiety about the heading of the EU towards a federal (“superstate”) form has not gone away.

“We’ve only had 114 years to do something, let our kids sort it out!”

🇬🇧 🇪🇺 Today marks 10 years since the #Brexit referendum. We asked our experts to take us back to 23 June 2016 and their reactions. 👉 Full series: www.lse.ac.uk/european-ins... @lseblogs.bsky.social @lseeuroppblog.bsky.social @lsepublicpolicy.bsky.social @lsegovernment.bsky.social shorturl.at/Ytc2K

"The BBC was too weak a counterweight to this propaganda, preferring to report the controversy rather than the facts... the public sphere was once protected by norms against lying..." Lessons of Brexit chrisdillow.substack.com/p/lessons-of...

A journalist on Sky, when asked about the 7 UK Prime Ministers in 10 years thing, noted that it is striking that it is a to-the-day “since Brexit” dateline - but then said “I’m not saying it has anything to do with Brexit”. A much stronger argument would be to say it has everything to do with it.

2mins 26secs into this interview I turn to the astonishing fact that we have had 6 Prime Ministers in the UK since the referendum- and I anticipate a 7th. Starmer’s demise is still in the shadow of Brexit. And the shape of our politics will remain distorted by it…until we step out of that shadow.

Brexit will destroy Prime Ministers until a Prime Minister destroys Brexit.

🇬🇧 🇹🇷 Today we invite you to take a look beyond EU-UK relations with Professor Yaprak Gürsoy, who shares her reflections on the impact of Brexit from the Turkish perspective. @ygursoy.bsky.social @lsects.bsky.social 👉 Vist our Brexit hub for more: www.lse.ac.uk/european-ins... youtu.be/Dk--pkR4YYs

Father and his son (who is also a father). (The picture is from my inaugural lecture - in which I argued that his argument in his inaugural lecture [in which he argued for the abolition of inaugural lectures] was wrong.)

Interesting…. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Almiron becomes the first player to be sent off in a World Cup match for a newly identified form of misconduct (covering his mouth during a confrontation): www.bbc.co.uk/sport/footba...

“ As a result of the definitive referendum result, the hope that the UK might find a new post-Empire sense of itself as a future-producing European Member State was [,,,] extinguished. If Britain one day strikes back, one can only hope that it will be a Britain freed from the spectre of Empire.”

…in Donald Tusk’s friend’s words, but yes: Was it that?

In which I get something off my chest about the Labour Party leadership during the run up to the Brexit referendum.

Zizek calls himself a moderately conservative communist. Spengler called himself a Prussian socialist. Misfits.

We were asked in the European Institute what we thought the most surprising outcome of Brexit was. Have a look at what we had to say. I got to have my say. What would you have said?

Brussels’ nightmare scenario is no longer looking far-fetched: A French presidential election next year in which both candidates in the runoff hail from the political extremes and hold a deeply skeptical outlook on the EU and NATO. 🔗 www.politico.eu/article/fren...

I have a new article out on this wonderful picture. I’m not the first. brill.com/view/journal...

74% of voters don't want Reform, 57% of voters don't want Reform or Tories. I know you can do this with all parties but it's still comforting that nearly 3/4 of voters don't want Reform.

Oh! What's this? Only the UK Labour government speaking out, again, via the UN, on the illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank...the very thing that many people repeatedly suggest the UK Labour government is not speaking out against! www.gov.uk/government/s...

In my last class for this academic year, I contrasted Zizek and Spengler on our knowing that we face a catastrophic condition. Zizek: “We know very well that the situation is desperate, that what awaits us is catastrophe, but nonetheless, we should act with full engagement to prevent it.” 1/5

I fear Labour people risk falling into an ecological fallacy visible from space when reacting to these results. Here is what is very clear in results so far: Labour are losing *seats* to Reform, but... Labour are losing *votes* to the Greens Greens split the vote, Ref comes thru middle

At LSE this evening for the launch of @sarahobolt.bsky.social and James Tilley’s excellent new book Tribal Politics. This graph tells a story…

Most of the hereditary peers lost their right to sit in the Lords under Blair. Going back to the 13th century, it is quite an event that the hereditary principle is over. The only (structural) oddities in the Lords now are the Crossbenchers and the Lords Spiritual. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Darren Jones. Doesn’t sound like the name of a successful and respected British Prime Minister. But names can take on the character of their bearers deeds.

“Oh! You think he was referring to you?” 😇 youtu.be/5R_q1PNGMFM?...

Ha! Good catch, lol. 😂

Exactly this 👏🚨 "Brexit has been a disaster, and Starmer and Reeves know it. It’s time to rethink their ‘red lines’ and take us back into Europe. Half measures won’t do." https://observer.co.uk/news/politics/article/william-keegan-we-must-stop-tiptoeing-around-the-eu-and-jump-back-in

‘Things could go backwards’: Kezia Dugdale on safety, LGBTQ+ rights and the future of Stonewall

Incoming Hungarian PM Péter Magyar calls for the UK to rejoin the European Union: "I remember when I was a diplomat in Brussels... We were able to influence decisions. At the time, the Brits were also part of the EU. Let's hope they will rejoin."

Some days I can’t help but think that leaving the EU will turn out to have been the best result possible: a reset the UK badly needed properly to join a federation of free states - a United Europe of States - that it can help to secure and maintain. Why not. That Empire state fantasy - set aside.

This is not a claim. It’s an observation, something one can note or notice or (for the slow) realise.

This is such a great postdoc opportunity! Come and join our extremely friendly and cheerful department!🌻👇

✍️ Apply to our ESRC Postdoctoral Fellowship! The European Institute is looking to support a Postdoctoral Fellow for the 2026/27 academic year. 🗓️ Deadline: Monday 1 June, 23.59 (UK time) 👉 Find out more: https://www.lse.ac.uk/european-institute/research/postdoctoral-fellowship-opportunity

Oh God. The blog poster linked to here is enjoying going through the motions on this (again) in a wholly familiar yet still essentially private way.

Of all the stories at the moment #BBCr4today was leading with Labour betray Brexit nonsense about dynamic alignment all because of @dailymail.co.uk @thesun.co.uk etc - meanwhile in Hungary the Putin/Trump right was stuffed and Trump’s war continues - oh and Pope Leo has got under his skin

Remarkable. Democratic frontsliding.

John Moriarty on “pot-bound Europe”. youtu.be/G5q1HN7kQsU?...

I’m so pleased that Vance took time out to go to Hungary to complain about foreign interference in national elections.

The Delphic Oracle told King Croesus of Lydia that if he attacked Persia "a great empire will fall." He saw this as a prediction of victory and attacked. It was his own great empire that fell.

The twists and turns on this slow walk back into the EU are fairly well mapped here. That the British PM will, at various points along the way, have to be bold indicates that it is unlikely to go much faster or further under the present incumbent of No10 www.irishtimes.com/business/eco...

Inelegant and not to standard.

After Trump's unhinged post saying "Open the Fuckin' Strait" and mocking Iran with "Praise be to Allah," I repeat what I've said for many months in my Stop the Presses newsletter: The media betray their duty by not loudly declaring that the president of the United States is out of his mind.

Excellent news from Oxfordshire. And a very well-worded response to the Raise the Colours group who were so blatantly trying to divide us by abusing both the Union flag and the flag of St George: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

This is the most sensitive thing - the practice if not the principles governing relations between the political and the religious in America.

Terrible seeing the flag of St George being put up right now on every lamppost on Abingdon Road in Oxford. @annarailton.bsky.social and @thamesvalleypolice.bsky.social - this is not legal but when I called the police they refused to take action. Not good enough. This is so wrong.

Some older people become our youngest thinkers. Meanwhile, young people are often thinking old stuff like it was new.

A new twist on French “Occupation”. Goodness me - sparkling reflections by @anjalijoseph.bsky.social

“British culture is pretty meaningless if it has the literary standards of ChatGPT and the argumentative standards of a telemarketer.” Good point well made. thecritic.co.uk/suicide-of-a...