In praise of the Brexit Twitter nerds

I am not sure this answer to a troll by Jean-Claude Piris this morning will change the guy’s mind. But “I have written a good part [of it]” when it comes to understanding the Treaty of Lisbon is a tremendous put down.

That’s not all though. I am followed by Jean-Claude (@piris_jc) on Twitter. If I have a question about something in that Treaty, I can get direct answers from the person who wrote it. For an EU or Brexit nerd that is like gold dust.

This ultimately is still the tremendous joy of Twitter. I am in the middle of this most brilliant network of people who are the absolute experts in their areas and – if you ask nicely and sparingly – will also give you their view, and help you out.

Here then follows a list of the people who tweet predictably (even if I do not agree with them always), and are also responsive and interactive on Twitter. The sort of people you can really learn from.

First the lawyers – more with a UK focus David Allen Green (@davidallengreen), Carl Gardner (@carlgardner), Jessica Simor QC (@JMPSimor), George Peretz QC (@GeorgePeretzQC), Rowena Kay (@rowena_kay) and Jo Maugham QC (@JolyonMaugham). More with an EU/international focus – Steve Peers (@StevePeers), Paul James Cardwell (@Cardwell_PJ), Federico Ortino (@Ortino_Federico), Phil Syrpis (@syrpis), Alessandra Asteriti (@AlessandraAster), Jeff Kenner (@ProfJeffKenner), Holger Hestermeyer (@hhesterm) and Lorand Bartels (@Lorand_Bartels). And on migration Colin Yeo (@ColinYeo1) and Simon Cox (@SimonFRCox).

Then the political academics – Simon Usherwood (@usherwood), Christopher Huggins (@chris_huggins), Nick Wright (@NickWrightYAPJ), Rob Ford (@robfordmancs), Tim Bale (@ProfTimBale) and Anand Menon (@anandMenon1). And from think tanks Nicolai von Ondarza (@NvOndarza) and Agata Gostyńska (@AgataGostynska).

To understand Ireland and Brexit – Brigid Laffan (@BrigidLaffan), Katy Hayward (@hayward_katy), David Phinnemore (@DPhinnemore), John O’Brennan (@JohnOBrennan2) and Daniel Keohane (@KeohaneDan).

For the Scottish angle – Kirsty Hughes (@KirstyS_Hughes).

Journalists Brussels side – Nick Gutteridge (@nick_gutteridge), Alex Barker (@alexebarker), Jon Stone (@joncstone), James Crisp (@JamesCrisp6) and Jennifer Rankin (@JenniferMerode). London side – Peter Foster (@pmdfoster), Tom McTague (@TomMcTague) and Matthew Holehouse (@mattholehouse). I had also somehow missed off Alberto Nardelli (@AlbertoNardelli) and Sam Coates (@SamCoatesTimes) in my first draft.

UK Parliament procedure nerds – Brigid Fowler (@Brigid_Fowler) and Hannah White (@DrHannahWhite).

Trade nerds – Peter Ungphakorn (@CoppetainPU), Sam Lowe (@SamuelMarcLowe), Dmitry Grozoubinski (@DmitryOpines), David Henig (@DavidHenigUK) and Marta Bengoa (@Bengoa_Marta).

Brussels nerds – Steve Bullock (@GuitarMoog), Nicholas Whyte (@nwbrux) and Chris Kendall (@ottocrat).

Political commentators – Chris Grey (@chrisgreybrexit), The Columnist (@Sime0nStylites), Nina Schick (@NinaDSchick), Ian Dunt (@IanDunt), Jonathan Lis (@jonlis1) and Steve Analyst (@EmporersNewC).

And then those accounts you have to follow, even though – understandably – replies are few and far between! Sabine Weyand (@WeyandSabine), Michel Barnier (@MichelBarnier), Tony Connelly (@tconnellyRTE), Fintan O’Toole (@fotoole), and for breaking news UK side Tom Newton Dunn (@tnewtondunn), Tim Shipman (@ShippersUnbound) and Faisal Islam
(@faisalislam).

And yes, this list might not be complete. But there is some method here – every single person listed has contributed to my understanding of Brexit, and has made that contribution largely through Twitter (or links posted on Twitter). And I have had some interaction with every one of them apart from some of the “have to follow” ones. And all of the people listed here are on my Brexit Twitter List – it’s public so you can subscribe to it.

I look forward to learning more from all of you in 2019, whatever happens to Brexit!