How Labour Wants to Rebuild With the EU

Seven years since the UK voted to leave the EU, and still a year away from getting a government who will abandon brexit purity. Labour insist they cannot rejoin the EU, single market or customs union, but what are they aiming to do in their first term, and how realistic are their plans?
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[maggiepie]

I would urge rejoiners to start talking more about how the EU is primarily viewed as a peace project in continental Europe, rather than 'just' a trading block. If you can start viewing what the Tories have done from the peace project point of view, maybe you can start empathising a bit more with our sense of anger and betrayal.

Unfortunately, the post-Brexit stereotype about Brits is that you're entitled, stingy, xenophobes, who only care about money, and on top of that, a bit thick.

[robertmaitland]

We need PR before the EU will seriously consider us rejoining.

[DJ_Cthulhu]

Brexit means Brexit, allegedly. That phrase will haunt the tories to their inevitable demise 😆

[achimrecktenwald]

The EU has become stronger, more united, thanks to the Tories idiocy of Brexit and, especially, their incompetence implementing it with the worst conditions possible.

[samhartford]

The answer to why the EU won't be interested in offering the same access that Frosty said no to is this: The EU does not have to offer anything anymore, because it already has got what the EU wanted.

Frosty negotiated the UK out of leverage. Labour wishes are not a factor in these negotiations. The only thing that matters to the EU is the EU interest.

This is why an EU official recently said this: The starting point of any negotiations over the TCA is not the harm that Brexit is doing to the UK economy. Curing the ills of Brexit is not the job of the EU. -- As in, the job of the EU is to take care of the national interests of the EU27 and the EU is not interested in renegotiating the deal.

[saxa]

Labour should give EU 5 million settled citizens who work and pay tax voting rights at General Election.
Then we start the Rejoin campaign.

[totty]

Tories to Rwanda, uk for the rest of us.

[BrightonandHoveActually]

I think Labour needs to get a handle on the fact that, the root cause of the situation we are in is FPTP which has given the Tories absolute power.

That will always be the case because, whilst there will be gaps when Labour has the power, the Tories can destroy faster than Labour can repair and build.

With PR, it is unlikely that Labour will get everything it wants - at least not in the short term - but it will get much of it and in the long term may well get more.

PR will give us moderate, and thus more stable, government and provide a foundation on which rejoining can be built.

[maartenaalsmeer]

I'm starting to see a loop/ pattern here:

"Random EU politician clears his/ her throat". Remainers/rejoiners: "Yes! I definitely heard a 'maybe'! We're back in the picture, guys! Let's proceed with our usual British vigor and 'renegotiate!'

Brexiteer gammon: "Brexit is Brexit!" Democratic vote! Sovereign tea! Furriners! EU bad! Wah wah wah! Brain fart! No!"

EU citizens *not* in favor of a return: "Hell no, ef you UK, you behaved like shit and still do, the door is closed, enjoy yous splendid isolation in poverty!"

EU citizens who are on the fence: "Ah, yes, we see. It would help though, dear Britons, if you would change some things? Like, a certain general attitude, that still lingering sense of entitlement, your politics, stuff like that. Could you?"

Remainers/rejoiners: "Well, ah, eh, it's also in your best interest innit, we weren't *that* nasty while within the EU, why are you playing so hard to get, you need the UK back for a stronger EU, don't be so difficult!"

EU citizens, both not in favor and those still on the fence: *

And.... Groundhog Day! We start again.

[thecollaborativenegotiator]

It is worth adding that Labour will be able to make some almost immediate improvements simply by their policy of "dunamic alignment." Simply put the UK can unilaterally decide to implement EU standards in most areas. This will instantly reduce trade friction and open up for avenues for negotiation including customs controls, visas etc

[ianrogerburton]

Hell´s Bells, at the rate this is going I´ll probably be dead by the time Britain rejoins the EU.

[crazyman]

Sir Humphrey: “We tried to break it up from the outside, but that wouldn’t work. Now that we’re inside, we can make a complete pig’s breakfast of the whole thing!” 😎
—from “Yes, Minister”

[verttikoo]

There will never be Swiss Style agreement. Never never going to happen. Believe me.

[stevenbosch]

Could the EU possibly be interested in the UK as a Member of the Union or CU? Perhaps in 20 years time!
The Netherlands, Eire, Germany, France and other Member States attract money and jobs which otherwise would have gone to little england. Why would they want this little england back to stir up things??? I do understand that lots of UK households are in direstraits. But the EU is so much more than just an ecomic and financial boey to keep your economy afloat.

[richardweatherald]

I’ll never forget Boris doing that trade speech with a packet of Tim Tams I honestly thought I was living in a parallel universe, The absolute idiot

[jimmcaleenan]

I'm Irish European and proud of it

[kenwildon]

I just hope that Labour can get this message over to our own population first. Certainly difficult considering how the nation's belief in government, any government, has been so critically damaged in the last 13 years.

[maartenaalsmeer]

* Realistic, cynical point of view* : Times changed. Brexiteers are the minority now. Tories will lose. UK under Labour will grovel its way back to the EU. Without all the perks, opt-out and rebates this time. Membership in 20-30 years, maybe. If not vetoed by a EU member state, it only takes one. "We hold all the cards!" the UK claimed once. Funny 🤭.

*More compassionate point of view* : Regaining the EU's trust and goodwill is really the UK's priority now. Build on a better relation, educate UK citizens about what the EU really stands for, embrace all EU goals, not just the economical benefits. And then there might be room for a conversation. Do keep in mind, now and in years to come: the UK needs the EU. The other way around, not so much. This has been proven these last years. Remember that.

[manuelatreide]

Seen from the continent, I am afraid you still don’t get the full pictures. Please allow me to remind you a few things.
- there won’t be any bilateral agreements. We have a general FTA with the UK, any new negotiations will have to be done inside this overall frame.
- the UK cannot fully access the single market while not being in the single market. This means the respect of the four freedoms and also a contribution to theEU budget. Just in case you have forgotten the contribution would be pretty much the same as the British contribution as an EU member state. While not being at the negotiation table, which solely reserved for EU member states.
- none of this will happen before a bare minimum of trust is re established. That alone will take years because we will need a proven record of the British government abiding by its signature on international treaties.
- one last thing: none of this will happen as long as every single EU member state hasn’t agreed to it. It won’t be Brussels the British government will have to convince, it will be 27 governments.some of them having long lasting issues with the UK.

In a nutshell, Brexit meant Brexit and we know how much the UK needs an improvement in its relations with us. We will be fair but first and foremost with our EU fellow members.

[Pikaling]

I hope Labour can deal with the affects Brexit caused.