Dr Alison F Smith

If any of my old pals are still here, you can find me at dralisonfsmith@bsky.social

The International Politics Summer School at @StAntsCollege , @UniofOxford is now accepting applications. As well as daily lectures from leading academics, plus discussion groups, participants take a daily seminar on one of the topics below. For more info conted.ox.ac.uk/courses/intern…

If anyone else is interested in joining, 18:00 at Dam Square, Amsterdam t.me/ArkHelps/17649… #navalny #Amsterdam #demonstration

Any demonstrations in #Amsterdam to honour the life, bravery and sacrifice of @navalny this evening? #navalny

@PippaCrerar Well done!

I wasn’t expecting this! But so delighted - from such a brilliant shortlist - to have won Political Journalist of the Year. Thank you 🙏🏽

Just finished listening to this excellent @ChathamHouse podcast on the role of Iran in the Israel-Hamas War. Especially interesting to hear about how Iran calculates their moves, and their relationship with Iraq. chathamhouse.org/2023/11/indepe…

@oonuch @ZelenskyyUa @HurstPublishers @OUPPolitics Looks great. Is it also in English?

The Zelensky Effect being reviewed in Portuguese & from Brazil is the reason why Henry & I wrote the book. We want the world to understand Ukrainian Civic Identity, it’s long history and the role @ZelenskyyUa played in highlighting and embodying it. @HurstPublishers @OUPPolitics

On the point of the #erotischcentrum, nobody north of Het IJ understands why it needs to be moved at all. Presumably because Amsterdammers from south of Het IJ barely see Noord as part of Amsterdam. The whole thing is just populist. @FemkeHalsemaa

Also to break it to her that Dutchies are not always a calming tourist presence in my home town, Edinburgh.

Am officially integrated! My first complaint to a Dutch politician. @FemkeHalsemaa , mayor of Amsterdam, wants to move sex workers north of het IJ. Promises locals there will be no 'drunk and puking Brits'. Wrote to complain about 'lazy stereotype'

October 2024 sounds about right to me. As late a possible before the clocks go back. No-one wants to be campaigning in the dead of winter again. During the 2019 campaign it got dark at 3.15 pm in Banff and Buchan!

Fallout from the 'earthquake' Dutch provincial election continues. JA21 members, whose party made small gains but less than hoped, complain about lack of internal democracy and lack of clarity over policy/ values. nos.nl/artikel/246939…

Time to start focussing on priorities.

Türkiye, ALF poll: CHP-S&D: 32% (+4) AKP~NI: 31% (+1) HDP-S&D: 11% (+1) İYİ~RE: 9% (-7) MHP~NI: 7% (+1) MP-*: 2% YRP-*: 2% ZP-*: 2% (-1) DEVA-*: 2% GP-*: 1% (-1) +/- vs. 21-25 February 2023 Fieldwork: 6-7 March 2023 Sample size: 1,770 ➤ europeelects.eu/turkiye #anket

Political party membership in the Netherlands has grown again. 2.8% of Dutch voters are now members of a political party. The biggest 'growers' were FvD, BBB and BvNL, all relative newcomers. The four coalition parties shrank. nos.nl/artikel/246485…

@annaholligan Is this in the Netherlands? If so, as a working mother I've faced sexism and judgement in 🇳🇱 that I've never experienced in the UK. Especially from other women. I'm sure you're doing fine and are a wonderful mum.

Sometimes bar feels impossibly high & I worry about expectations our daughters will face. Judgment also detrimental to women wondering how they’ll balance competing demands. We must recognize effort it takes to manage home, life & work. If you’ve been here, hope you feel seen 5/6

Volunteered on every school trip/activity since my daughter started school, I do school/extra curricular 🚲runs & prepare snack & lunchboxes daily… this week I missed (for 1st time) signing up for activity cuz filing TV report during 2 mins booking window. Teacher told me… 1/6

If I was a Dutch vegetable grower and I had the option of sending my produce with no paperwork or delays to anywhere in Europe or filling in a load of paperwork and shipping it to Brexit Britain I think the business decision would really be very easy. #r4today #BrexitBenefits

@GlennBBC "Reset" = media training?

Kate Forbes will NOT be withdrawing from the SNP leadership campaign A campaign source has been in touch to say she intends to “fight on” Don’t expect to hear much from her tomorrow as she attempts a reset

@UB5simon No fruit and veg shortages here in the Netherlands. Supermarket shelves look normal. If suppliers are a bit short of supply, are they more likely to send it where they don't have to bother with pointless paperwork? Probably #BrexitFoodShortages

Growing realisation the TCA has been a disaster for the UK. UK should seriously consider EEA, which would limit economic damage and fix the NI issue. Free movement would be the most difficult aspect, but UK needs labour. A "soft Brexit" was the choice of the median voter in 2016.