As Boris Johnson travels to Scotland today, he could do worse than to read the series of blogs we have recently hosted on the future on the union.
This #ThursdayThread sets out six must-read pieces on the UK’s constitutional future. Read below 🔻
Our senior fellow @katyhayward questions how the Northern Irish protocol that the Prime Minister negotiated last year will affect the working of the government’s plan for a UK internal market.
Our research associate @DrAlanWager lays out findings from our survey of MPs: a majority of Labour MPs now expect Scottish independence to happen at some point in the next decade. The majority of Tory MPs do not.
Our senior fellow Sir John Curtice (@WhatScotsThink) says that for the first time in Scottish history, the ‘Yes’ side is the favourite to win a second independence referendum.
Reflecting on lessons from elsewhere in Europe on how to achieve regional economic convergence, @thomasforth@ODILeeds@TheDataCity argues for a commitment to invest more in skills, transport, research and development & culture in cities across the UK👇👇
@michaelkenny_ & @TKelsey915 lay out the evidence that 'a top-down plan for place-based intervention, based upon bilateral negotiations with local areas, runs the risk of enforcing the priorities & orthodoxies of the centre'📝
@fiona_costello's research looks at the impact of Brexit on EU nationals in the UK, and how these problems are being resolved by community advice organisations.
Watch this to find out more ⬇⬇
As well as working as an academic, Fiona works with @GyrosOrg to help EU nationals access legal advice and support – allowing her to understand everyday problems facing EU nationals on the frontline.
.@simonjhix: "In the medium term, Brexit is a challenge to the EU. There will be a UK model of exit."
"At some point, the UK model will seem quite attractive, which could be politically very difficult for the EU."
.@HelenHet20: "The EU's reaction to #Brexit was primarily defensive, but there was an opportunity to face the euro-ins and euro-outs question head on."
"Instead, it was seen as a potential long-term threat to the EU's credibility."
.@BorisJohnson has said that no deal with the EU would be a “good outcome” for the UK.
This report highlights what it would mean in terms of trade, fisheries, connectivity, the impact on citizens, Northern Ireland, economics, security, foreign policy, politics and more.
On #trade, the two sides would revert to #WTO rules.
We’re talking tariffs, customs checks, and regulatory checks. In other words, increased hassle, increased time and increased costs for businesses trading with the EU.
. @jillongovt: "No deal now is not the same as last year because the financial settlement, citizens' rights and Northern Ireland were dealt with in the Withdrawal Agreement."