There's an argument that because Starmer is going to get the full force of the bullshit 'betrayal' narrative for relatively tiny improvements, he may as well go much further. But I don't think the EU would be up for that at this - or any easily foreseeable - point.
BBC News quoting 4 opposition MPs responses to the EU deal. Including both Farage & Tice.
🫣
Starmer needs to stop worrying about upsetting Brextremists and the Daily Mail/Express and offer a clear pro-EU alternative to the current Reform Lite path he is taking. The threat from Farage is only made greater by trying to appease his backers and supporters.
If you don’t ask you don’t get ffs
This is not the playground, it's now how it works. The EU is 27 countries working together for the good of all their citizens. What makes you think they want us back when Farage is still around.
Exactly. With Farage still lingering around the EU have every right to be really cautious and indeed sceptic. It is also extremely pompous of many to just automatically assume that the EU would want us back into their bloc again after Brexit.
If I were the EU at the minimum I would insist we change from FPTP to PR before even beginning negotiations.
Why us again? The biggest impediment to closer cooperation are Starmer's red lines, not ours. [written from Germany]
Yes. This. With a corollary of: The biggest thing that makes Europe reluctant to deal with us, is what we're like. --> so don't be like that, then (in other words: it's Britain's failure to confront and shoo its entirely wrongful Brexiters that is the root of all holdups, frictions and harms)
To add - I think there are those who are not just predicting, but *intending*, that this minor, low-substance deal with Europe, which leaves so much unsolved & so much needless harm un-reversed, will make the "Europe" issue go away...
... just because people no longer have to queue at airports (if that's even in the deal).
I’d prefer they didn’t lift that until we rejoin because it’s the only thing that cut through to some Brexit supporters.
I swear I'm not making this up: In 2016 a Brexit voter I know well justified his Leave vote with "I am sick of hearing about Europe in the news!" ... Leave voters locked us in to decades of hearing about Europe in the news, but from a position of friction, ongoing harm and supplication. Well played
Honestly your Brexit voter is an amateur - I’m from unionist Belfast…
I personally want to see Brexiters feelings being spared less. They argue that they are adults and not stupid. Surely a fainting couch can be provided if necessary.
Woe betide anyone who hurts the feels of the diminishing minority of the brexit nihilists. So tired of this line of argument.
This.
They're not even Starmer's red lines, they're Theresa May's that Labour still, bizarrely stick to even though support for Brexit has collapsed. Quite how long they can push for better EU alignment on the one hand whilst sticking to the red lines on the other, I have no idea.
Excellent point. We just keep going round and round, trying to square the circle.
Eternal cakeism.
The EU has moved on from Brexit but would welcome improved UK ties. Not a return, but closer cooperation on trade, security, and climate is possible. Brussels is pragmatic, if the UK shows serious intent, the door to better relations remains open. Farage belongs to the past.
Exactly. If you’re going to get backlash anyway then go the whole hog! Then you can actually show the benefits down the line of improved integration.
Remember when Boris was heard to say he was " fascinated by Trumps relationship with the truth " before Trumps first term? I think it really went tits up from there
Certainly not while the Pillock can’t repeat his ‘We will not rejoin anything, ever’ mantra often enough, anyway If the guy started to be a bit ‘honest’ and admit that Brexit was a historic mistake, imposed upon us BY THE OTHER PARTY, - then maybe the EU might start to be a bit more understanding ?
But, but straight bananas, has he sorted that out...re your clip a few minutes ago...🤦♂️
Where's the push back coming from? We all know Brexshit was wrong, including the Fail and Express. So who is shouting as loudly as they are? May I humbly suggest...EVERY OTHER MEDIA OUTLET?!
I'm hoping this was a litmus test case. EU and the UK govt assessing strength of backlash and its longevity. If successfully recieved, meaning generally accepted in real terms, then we may see periodic incremental edging closer to the EU and potentially all the way to rejoining.
Your on fire today mate. In awe of your ability to speak for long periods of time without a script, never deviating and very little repetition. When you put the Richard interview on Youtube it will go viral. Great show.
Oh ... I don't think he's stopped at this. (or has he told you "well that's it we'll stop now🤷" - just asking for Nigel)
#DailyMail had its knickers in a twist at the mere thought of it. Raging for the sake of raging. That #Brexit has been an unmitigated disaster is not the issue for them
These people who say this have failed in the last Ten years and their faux patriotism is now exposed. The Fisherfolk effected ( catching, processing and delivery) especially have seen their livelihoods destroyed by these very people.
bsky.app/profile/tada...
Contemplating the border controls, whilst clutching my blue passport, I finish eating my straight banana. The letter for my appt in one of the 40 new hospitals, built from the £350m pm saved by leaving the EU, still hasn't turned up. The mighty trade deals reveal no new business startups locally.
There are at least two prerequisites: 1. Media reform 2. Electoral reform. Get those right and the risk of a Farage (or other nutty) government recedes. At which point the EU would have less to worry about in terms of stability. Of course, Labour currently has no plans to address either.
Another Leveson would be good. Pretty sure they promised not to do that, which has not been a good decision clearly.
Great to see those fishing experts out and about again. Nine years ago they were trying to educate us all then chose to ignore the entire industry until this weekend. In normal times, of course, they think that crab sticks swim around our crystal clear seas but, you know, sovereignty...
What makes me laugh/cry is the 12 year deal is no different to current deal, except on timescale, yet its the “Death of the British fishing industry” - which isn’t quite dead under the current arrangement and it was that mealy mouthed twat Farage who was supposed to represent it in EU parliament!
The old deal was due to expire next year. It had to be negotiated regardless. I hope Farridge expires by then too
I'm certain that the British "mainstream" press will move heaven and earth to keep him politically active even if he did expire.
It may be the old ‘I wouldn’t start from here’ argument today… I feel had he, in all respects, gone early & gone hard he’d have gained the domestic political initiative and that would be reflected in better choices on offer from EU
Exactly.
The fact that we in the EU accepted your decision to Brexit with regret, but also with a very good dose of nonchalance, should not lead you to think that we would be ready to “kiss and make up”. You have casually thrown out of the window forty years of integration, blaming us for all your ills.
I keep telling Brits who think we could just walk back into the EU that maybe we need to ask Europe if they would actually want us back in? We were a pain in the ass when we're were a full member, and we hoped to destroy the EU on the way out? I think distant friends is the best option we can get.
Sadly, this is where we are.
Don’t expect now to be welcomed back with open arms, and much less to be allowed to “have your cake and eat it”. Let’s talk again when your Brexit generation has passed away.
And those of us who didn't vote for this can go to hell then? Brexit was forced on us and Russian interference and lies got it over the line. I mourn everyday for what was stolen from us.!!!!
Well, you lost in a binary choice referendum. An even if Remain had won by 51-52%, the situation would have been untenable: for half the UK the EU was an “existential threat”. And even today, look at the Reform’s electoral performance. We would be insane if we allowed you back in.
Exactly this. This is why I believe it is for future generations down the line in years to come who should be the ones involved in the decisions for the UK to be once again a member of the EU. There are many of the pro-Brexit generation still around and it is for that reason I believe it will be
possibly up to 20+ years before future generations will take the UK back into the EU.
Might as well try it and find out!
James, you’re on fire this morning! 🔥 Keep up the good work!
Someone needs to point out to the folk moaning about "betrayal" that the last Brexit was entirely down to the personal requirements of Boris Johnson and his gang, and that they were voted out of office by the UK people. Why should Labour stick with their outdated ideas?
Very true. The EU has always said "No membership à la carte," so there will be limits to what we can achieve. And they will need convincing we are trustworthy after what Johnson did and what Farage has threatened to do.
Yes the other way to look at this is that whatever he secures will not be enough for rejoiners, so he might as well go for the best version of an available deal he can. This is our very first step, it should be a secure one.
Especially as Farage has already said he would cancel any deal made. That probably has made it harder for Starmer.
I think the English should stop blaming the EU for UK government red lines.
They shouldn't. We're a basket case nation, and after everything that's happened we should never be allowed back in. As a nation, we just don't have the maturity for much European cooperation. Enough, we're on our own.
Seems the Scottish Fishing Industry are making a noise about it.
The EU just isn’t up for another couple of decades of UK Hokey Cokey. Public start voting in the interests of the country we might have a chance in 2030.
I think the EU would love to put Farage and the far right back in a box.
The UK must prove that it is willing to put Farage and the far right back in a box. Unfortunately, at the moment, I see no willingness from the UK on this. Worryingly, I'm seeing too much support for Farage and his ilk and the EU will be sharing those same concerns.
I've been waiting so long for the start of these deals, and of course the same Brexit slop is again at the forefront of this conversation. I'm still hoping my kids will have the option to study in a top 100 university in the Netherlands, Belkgium, Germany... When will sense come back to this country
So what’s in the toaster box today James 🤷🏽♀️🇬🇧🤷♀️
The amount of damage farage has done to this country since he emerged from his giant marlboro coffin for the first time and formed a cult based on lies is somewhat impressive That people still cheerlead for him after the fact is the most baffling part Advertising standards don't apply to brexit
How do you know until you've tried? If you don't ask... Sick and tired of this tired narrative.
The EU are very up for us rejoining bsky.app/profile/edwi...
You've shared this "resource" in several places lately, with no indication of who wrote it. It promotes a minimalist version of rejoining: "How little commitment to the European vision can we get away with, in order to get the benefits we want?" See especially its views on Schengen and the Euro.
The EU doesn't want or need a foot-dragging, reluctant UK. When we're enthusiastic about the vision, of course they'll welcome us with open arms.
They’ve already welcomed us with open arms. Are you a brexiteer or a Russian or American troll? Your rhetoric follows their deliberately misleading narrative trying to damage the UK.
🤣🤣 No, I'm a Hard Rejoiner! Schengen, Euro, European Army, the works - bring it on! I obviously missed the important news item that the EU has already welcomed us back. Do you have a link for that?
If you actually bothered to read the resource I posted it lists in detail the EU politicians who always say they want us back and always have done. It says they recognise the EU failed by letting us leave and should have tried harder to keep us. They recognise the mutual benefit.
I have read it. Michel Barnier is quoted thus: He said: “To be clear, the UK government – the current government, the next government – knows exactly what are the terms and the conditions to be part of the single market, to be part of the customs union, to join the EU.”
And Guy Verhofstadt: "It is a question of our heart, of our soul.” The problem here is that BRITAIN'S heart and soul aren't in it. Hence all the opt-outs, rebates and special treatment. And this document perpetuates that cherry-picking attitude, especially in its approach to Schengen and the Euro.
“Ursula von der Leyen was asked in 2023 whether Britain could ever rejoin the EU. She replied: “I must say, I keep telling my children: ‘You have to fix it. We goofed it up, you have to fix it.’” She added that she personally believes the UK is on a “direction of travel” back towards the EU.
Yes, I remember those words from VDL fondly. And I share her hopes for next generation. But the thrust of this paper is that it needn't take that long.
Di you do the same with the bible? Just cherry pick and spin the bits you like which fit your prejudices?
You deliberately and unchristianly omitted the first bit “Michel Barnier, who led the Brexit negotiations for the EU, told ITV’s Peston show in 2023 that “the door is open any time” for the UK to rejoin the EU.”
Apologies, character limit. I was trying to emphasise the terms of the welcome, not denying it.
Is that the best you’ve got? Yes, we understand and Barnier wants us back. Very clear thanks. 🙄. I note you’re an immigrant in France. Very nice.
Yes, and I'd love all my fellow British citizens to have that freedom - and current UKG red lines won't give that.
Do you know who wrote this resource? I went onto their website and it just said "grassroots" no mention of names. After 9 yrs of Brexsh*t I am suspicious of anon orgs. Anyone can create a website. I think we deserve names and credentials. What the person/people wrote about the euro is naive at best
I haven’t found anything which is incorrect in it. Have you? If so which bits exactly?
Yes, I have, but that's secondary. Do you know who is behind the anonymous "grassroots" group? I have come across so-called orgs before which don't exist beyond someone's front door and I think we deserve names and credentials. I'm sick of people believing non-experts. It's how we got to this point.
Do please share the bits you think are factually incorrect
You seem to be avoiding my primary question. Do you know who is behind this "grassroots" org, yes or no?
Yes because I don’t know, but you too are avoiding my primary question. Touché. I can verify all of the information in their website. You could contact them for the information you seek. They have contact details. Their book has a named forewarned writer. You could ask him too.
Your primary question was frankly about the last point I made in my first post. Could you please share this name. What they wrote about the euro is little more than wishful thinking. As I said before, without names and credentials I am highly suspicious of anything like this.
Their named foreword writer is National Rejoin March co-founder Peter Corr and organisational contact details rejoininfo@stayeuropean.org . Yes euro is opinion but based on given facts.
Peter seems a really nice, well-meaning bloke, but not, I think, an expert in EU constitution law. I will stick with the latter. Everyone is free to make up their own mind. Thanks for replying. I will leave it there.
When the BS is BS. Prime 2025
it's the first part of a process. It's aimed at nullifying the nonsense nationalism stirred up by Brexiteers. Once nullified we can make rational trade improvements
I think that the being tough on immigration move was an antidote to provide cover for closer ties with the EU. I hope that it works.
Why would the EU want further engagement with a country that has shown it's wilingness to dive to the extreme far-right?
Half the EU is doing the same.
Because it hasn't
Labour now have a clear policy to fight against Reform/Tories. In 2029, people will have a choice to vote for Labour to continue with Brexit reset policy or vote for Reform to go back to Brexit and lose the current economic benefit/growth. Labour can win that fight especially with tactical voting.
Not everyone puts the EU at the top of the list of national priorities, especially if you belong to a vulnerable minority Sadly it’s no longer clear that when Labour say “do you want Reform” if this is a promise or a threat…
... well...whoever they are, they'd better put the economy at the top of their list - i.e. the relationship with the world's biggest and nearest market - the EU.
The “economy” doesn’t mean much to most people We’ve had growth for 40 years & look at the state of everything
1/3... It's easy to feel like “the economy” doesn’t matter to most people. After all, we've seen 40 years of growth—and yet wages have stagnated, services have declined, and inequality has grown. But that’s not because the economy doesn’t matter—it’s because of how its gains have been distributed...
2/3 Historically, crises hit ordinary people hardest—not due to lack of growth, but due to policy failures in sharing its rewards. The post-war period invested growth into public services & equality. Recent decades have allowed wealth to concentrate, eroding infrastructure & real incomes...
...3/3 The UK’s EU repair deal today highlights that we do need the economy to work - trade, investment & stability fund everything from the NHS to climate action. But growth must be fairly shared. The real issue isn't “growth vs people”—it's ensuring the economy serves everyone.
I agree with all of that. The world has never been richer, it’s just that wealth is being concentrating into fewer & fewer pockets. The paradigm itself is broken. What concerns me is that Labour aren’t even having these conversations.
Nah. I'll vote for a pro-EU party. Labour are not pro-EU
Of course they are however they are treading a very difficult path because as you have shown with your comment they can’t please anybody. It’s the divided vote on the left that will allow reform to win the next election.
Correct.
Labour chose Labour's red lines. Their choice to throw pro-EU votes away.
Your choice is Labour or Reform
If that is true, it is because Labour have manufactured that situation. So then what?
Forget Labour. You wouldn't vote Reform, why on earth world you vote for Reform Lite. Labour blanked pro-EU voters for 9 years. They can rot.
That is not true at all. Labour's choice is to continue with Brexit. The votes they lose through this ludicrous policy are Labour's fault and nobody else. I'll be voting for a pro-EU party. That explicitly rules out Labour and Reform.
It's FPTP...not PR
I know this. I will NEVER vote for a Brexit supporting party with red lines against Freedom of Movement. Never. Labour have chosen to have red lines against Freedom of Movement. Their choice, not mine. I have one vote and it will not go to any Brexit party ever. Don't like it? Change Labour.
I think Starmer has got it exactly right. Enough to excite business. Enough to expose the stupidity of the Brexit hardliners. Their constant whining with each new phase, will become more tedious and obvious.
Not while much of England is hell bent on putting Farage in Downing Street, that's for sure.
Not with Farage and Badenoch saying they'll overturn whatever agreement he comes to despite neither of them having seen any details and your colleague Mr Ferrari trashing it as well.
Such a grubby, childish, jealous, bratty trio of useless egos. Being mediocre must really get to them every now and then. Sniffing and whineging from the sidelines.
Ferrari is one of the absolute worst 😖
We are not there quite yet…
Apparently according to certain newspapers this is surrender and betrayal. We do live in a strange country.
On your 18th birthday you're eligible for a 3 week lifeguarding contract in Luxembourg during November
No cappuccino after 11:00 Rome time to infuriate the usual suspects
Brexiters only have black/white coffee anyway 😉
Fat white surely?
🤣🙌🏻
Well done Jonathan Reynolds in dealing with Nick Robinson’s Brexit anxieties
Brexit is as big a cult as MAGA.
Unable to see why the media wish to harm the country they inhabit?
Because "inhabit" is all they do. They don't pay tax or contribute in any way to the country's well-being. They don't stick up for its real interests.
Your fat, ignorant colleague Ferrari has already started with the "betrayal" line, in his usual mealy-mouthed, tabloid hack fashion.
Especially as the UK political landscape shows Farage as the next PM. Farage has openly said that he'd undo any deals that UK Govt make.
He's a long way from government.
I think you're right but we can't ignore the opinion polls completely.
Brexiters who were angry while we were in the EU are even angrier now we've left. And their (mis)leaders have only ever said what a 'wrong' Brexit looks like, never what a good Brexit would be - let alone one they all agree on and that complies with the GFA, etc. They should not drive the agenda.
Ask any Brexiteers you know what the better plan is. I have. Pose the sincere, genuine question. They cannot answer. But it should be Labour politicians asking that question face to face in their own constituencies, on podcasts, tv, you tube. Hammering it. What’s the better plan? With what money?
Feels like fertile territory for an old fashioned Brexit phone in with angry callers. Take the Express headline and simply ask people to call in proposing “Brexit Freedoms”. I’ve missed the old callers
Why? Didn't the EU continually express its disappointment with Brexit? The best lie the Brexit side ever told was to convince the Remain side that the EU didn't want the UK to remain / rejoin
I'm pretty sure that the EU would go much further, maybe even SM and CU, if they thought he was going to win the next GE. But as he's scoring own goals with everything he does in an attempt to placate the far right, I can understand their reluctance to commit to anything that could be soon undone
Some rejoiners seem to think that the EU will welcome us back like the Prodigal Son. I can't see them being like that, not least of which that it would give others the idea that they could leave "consequence free". We have to be in a stronger position ourselves so we can negotiate a decent re-entry
deal, and we certainly aren't there yet.
Agreed. I do find that kind of somewhat pompous, even arrogant attitude of some rejoiners pretty frustrating myself (I voted to Remain and see myself as European). The way I see it, the UK left the EU, so the onus must be on the UK at every step to prove itself worthy of being able to once again be
a member state of the EU.
Who thinks that then ?
The assumption is the ranting over relatively small things that the majority of people want weakens the knuckle draggers position even more, and makes future changes easier.
Step 1.......on the stairway to Europe
Hopefully
The UK have just spent political capital in negotiating an SPS deal that won't be ready until the mid 2030s and won't provide much economic benefit while blaming the EU / Farage for not requesting EEA or customs - all while the public put the economy as their priority. bsky.app/profile/davi...
I don't think any progress can be made while Farage is still alive.
This is going to see a lot of use: “Farage is correct about everything, please don’t vote for him” - Keir Starmer
I bought a Ring Doorbell in a bid to keep my home a bit more secure. I'm yet to see a sniff of this Muslamic army we've been threatened with. "They don't like it up 'em, Mr. Mainwaring!"
... and how long before the Brexit architects start claiming that Brexit would have been a huge success but for Starmer's deal?
Trouble is Lab failed to expose the full Brexit BS of UK trade decline of Farage & Johnson & in so doing colluded with Telegraph, Mail,Express,Sun, Gbeebies & the appalling BBC who became main BS platform for the Brexit Head Bangers from 2016 to well, now. Weak Lab just excuse dailyBBC Farage lovein
As America are now demonstrating it’s easy to lose the trust of your allies, winning it back is an altogether more complicated process.
That "argument" rests on a nonsense notion that the EU would simply give us whatever we desired but we're simply not asking for it. That's the same British exceptionalism bullshit that infests the Brexiters, only it's coming from Rejoiners now.
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
I think he wants the Tory media to go down this road and expose themselves as hysterical and irrelevant. He thinks the British people will reject the Empire press.
Is the 'Brexit betrayal' BS still sitting with the general public, since an increasing majority wish for us to have closer relations with the EU?
I’d be cautious with polling, people will admit that Brexit has been a disaster & Will then vote Reform…
True, but this (hopefully) gives ammunition to fight them. "Hi Reform, what do you not like about the fact that UK nationals we can now use eGates in Europe? Or do you just think people should queue more?"
The E.U. can see the Brexiters waiting in the wings. And they can see the morons determined to oust Labour for “not reversing Brexit” doing the far rights work for them, so they won’t consider the UK joining until that threat is long gone.
You're dead right. I'm sighing a lot because the whinging is so tedious and so damn predictable. The 'yeah but no but' brigade are crawling around out there, and Starmer is the baddie du jour - yet again.
There’s some things that Labour can definitely be called out for but this is not one of them. The realignment is absolutely necessary if we want a stable, growing economy. Especially given the current situation with the US.
And the other folks saying "we demand you rejoin now, you imperfect Labour government!" are doing as much damage. Gvt is right not to refight the Brexit wars and to deal gently but robustly. I hate Brexit with a passion, but we are where we are.
Exactly.
Well said!
Thank you!
Absolutely spot on 👍
Thanks Sue
James when are you gonna seriously call out the lies and ‘opinion’ pieces told by your colleagues. Come on,you don’t get a free ride just cause you’re popular. Call them out big time,we depend on you.
At least try
The world is changing as the EU is well aware. Maybe soon it will seem better to be together.
James you are on fire this morning keep it up 👏👏👏👏
Agree James.
We will get exactly what the EU are prepared to give ,exceptionalism is rife on all sides.
Correct.
My biggest gripe with the reset is the paranoia around youth mobility. Until a few years ago young British people were able to freely live and study across the continent. It was all stolen from them and now Labour needs to be dragged kicking and screaming to even allow a very restricted scheme.
That’s because the focus groups told them it’s not popular with Reform voters The only demographic that matters…apparently
Really ? Do think they would be doing this at all if the only factor was what Reform voters think. Reform will paint this as a betrayal & their voters will swallow & regurgitate that lie.
He’s trying to play both sides, negotiating a ‘reset’, whilst repeating that we will ‘never rejoin anything, ever’, ad nauseum. And it is so far convincing neither side.
Quite. The hostile environment for immigrants remains in place.
I’m uncomfortable with that,i was an economic migrant to the EU when there was nothing here 4 me. Governing is hard,Lab are learning on the job & making mistakes, i assumed they would make blunders.I hope they soon get to a place where they see off Reform & i see an EU reset as a start.
Initial mistakes yes. But Labour have been in power for a year now and their refusal on youth mobility dates back to before the election.
Their transphobia has a long history as well. Which doesn’t bode well, if that’s how they’ll treat an already marginalised vulnerable group…
I didn’t realise Trans rights were part of this deal.
It’s not which is why I didn’t claim they were
We have youth mobility with 13 or so other countries,Labour haven’t stopped that despite that being an obvious bone to throw the Right Wingers. As i understand it this deal includes youth mobility arrangements.
According to latest news they could not agree on youth mobility because Labour wanted strict caps on who can come to the UK. So this part of the discussion has been pushed to long grass.
Oh, there is a youth mobility agreement after all.
Thanks for clarifying.
Could you please explain how an immediate rejoin is possible given the current state of play in UK politics. Unfortunately we have to play a long game,i don’t like it but i can’t see a better option.
I'm not after an immediate rejoin, - I just want this lot to stop saying that we never will ? Because if we are ever to Rejoin, the process of doing so naturally starts by people stopping saying that they don't want to.
Isn’t today a start of persuading the Public that rejoining can be positive ?
If I don’t hear anyone say ‘we are never rejoining anything’ for the next six months or so, then maybe, - but my assumption is that this ‘deal’ will be framed as ‘look how much better we can make Brexit work !’ - and ‘this deal still means that we will not rejoin anything, ever’ etc, etc, etc
Quite, there’s a reason why Starmer joined in pretending he had a trade deal with Trump’s America when he had no such thing…
Oh, I think that was more of a favour to Donald, tbh, and any ‘Brexit benefit’ BS was largely secondary (because even Labour’s red wall/reform voting f*ckbuddies hate Donald … !). 😉
No, it is very plainly an attempt to make 3rd country status better.
No. Labour want to be able to say they have renegotiated. Brexit is great now and then bury the topic if EU relationship as deep as they can.
Unfortunately nothing has fundamentally changed re: Labour. All that reactionary anti immigration guff last week is still their strategy So I’m inclined to agree with you
That would only work if this debate goes away & that isn’t happening.
No, but they are past masters at pretending that it has, so they’re going to try to continue doing so. And it will work. - Right up until the moment when they expect a big chunk of us to Vote for them again …
There is the reality of no rejoin. But Labour goes further and tries to suppress any discussion about the future relationship with the EU. They pretend as if 40 years of successful membership never happened.
Those deep red lines are to keep Reform loonies onside Doesn’t work mind, they hate Labour
True they hate Labour. In the recent local elections their face book groups were all about voting Reform to kick Labour out. Our county council was almost entirely conservative and had been for years. Nothing they blamed on Labour was due to Labour. They're just the designated enemy.
I mean...there was this referendum....
The referendum was 10 years ago. It was solely advisory and based on the advise the government left the EU. There is no obligation with respect to the referendum whatsoever.
We already have a scheme- I just don’t know if current negotiations will add EU nations to that list or they would have an easier, cheaper route. www.gov.uk/youth-mobility
On your 18th birthday you're eligible for a 3 week lifeguarding contract in Luxembourg during November
Brexiters - dry your eyes
Listening to your programme today. 😂 Fading out Richard was pure joy. 😂😂😂 We’re going to hear it all again aren’t we? Nearly ten years. They’re still angry. You had me in tears. Thank you as ever. Not rational. Headbangers. Bananas. 😂😂😂
Why is he trying to outdo and desperate to outdo Farage on Friday and making vain attempts to realign with Europe on Monday? Have I just answered my own question?
Because he doesn’t fundamentally believe in anything. Whatever vision Labour may have had for the country went out with Sue Grey…
Last hope went with Corbyn actually but I agree otherwise.
Maybe the answer to that question is that he isn't and you've just fallen for how other people have decided to frame the narrative?
I don’t ‘fall’ for anything oddball. There’s no framing of any narrative by anyone, we’ve all read and seen the tweets and messages from Starmer and no10 the last few days Biting my tongue is failing go fy
He's like the general manager when all the company directors have left. No strategic direction or purpose so no joined up thinking on day to day activity.
How difficult would it be for Starmer to pledge to work for the defence and prosperity of 'British people', instead of just 'working people': the only section he seems to think he's there to serve?
No doubt Farage will go on about the betray fishermen (Tice already has) Forgetting that he screwed them over with Brexit
First rule of human communication, ask/check in don't assume.
He needs to ditch the red chains.
I think the EU would. They want to see the UK rejoin.
I think the abandonment of Brexit is going to be like the Hemingway quote about how you go bankrupt “Two ways. Gradually, then suddenly!”. The last few Brexit supporters know this, hence their outrage. Starmer doesn't want to reopen the public debate but there's no need as the debate has been won.
Yes, small incremental changes will be agreed (good) but bottom line is EU will not go further unless we rejoin SM and CU, which of course would involve payment to EU. Starmer will never agree to that
Why on Earth would anyone trust us? We ripped up a 40 year partnership overnight with no warning and proceeded to shout abuse at the same partners within a week for no logical or fathomable reason. I wouldn't trust us and I don't expect anyone else to either.
How can it be that a mainly pro Brexit mainstream media can dictate policy and narrative that is so clearly against the interests and wishes of the people and the country.
For the same reason Fromage gets to set national policy I guess…
Why this self-defeating negativity from so many Brits? If the UK really wanted to the EU doors would open very quickly. It isn't us in the EU whose job it is to keep the doors open. It is you in the UK who have to open them.
Or at least knock
Of course the EU would be up for it because they're sensible
And we're back to good old British exceptionalism, they don't need us but as we'll find out today are prepared to work with us because we're Europeans.
It's not that in the slightest. Closer ties would benefit the EU
Nobody is denying that but this endless, unrealistic instructions to Starmer to just rejoin is neither helpful nor remotely possible.
Totally agree Claire. There is a faction of Pro-EUers who just do NOT understand that shouting their demands at Starmer to rejoin is totally unrealistic, not helpful and not possible at this stage. Getting back in the UK will take years of dedicated hard work. Starmer is taking those first
tentative steps towards building back up good relations with the EU - he is laying the building blocks for years down the line a younger generation taking the UK back into the EU.
Who has said rejoin?
Who has said rejoin ?
Afraid the gaslighting and lies on Brexit will never go away. I never had the compassion for the conned. They were all idiots.
Dmitri put it best. There is no betrayal - the UK left the EU. That's what was on the ballot paper. That's been done.
Apparently it wasn't done properly, and Nigel is the only person who can do it?
The man who used the fishing industry as a political merkin, has been the leader of three different parties (Ltd comps) and has fallen out with many of their members. That man?! #FrotageFalseFury
According to the right wing bigots and Daily Fail/Express. Unfortunately there is no help for some people living amongst us 😔
bsky.app/profile/kass...
Exactly this.
That’s something we can agree on.
You would’ve thought this would be obvious to him! No negotiation with the EU should be about “economic benefit“, it should always be about pure and simple freedom and rights. Those are the priceless elements, economy is a benefit but not priceless. He should’ve gone further and faster! #Equality
Membership of the Customs Union is transactional. The UK wouldn't be sending Reform MEPs to Strabourg so that they could be an irritant. I cannot see why the EU would turn down a significant amount of cash to make their trade with the UK easier? The UK is going digital. We can control FoM. 1/2
In fact, we have always been able to control Freedom of Movement but Tony Blair and subsequent government leaders decided not to bother. This fact has never been highlighted. Now, those controls can be applied digitally at the border. 2/2
Europe needs to consolidate over the threat of Russia and trump's destruction of relations with the US. The EU would be well up for it.
The government could agree to buy a salami and the right would cry betrayal, and ask what's wrong with British sausages. An incremental approach is needed, show the benefits of it then position the country for full reintegration after the next election.
I think so. Softly, Softly .
Really James? We rejoined Horizon by admin. Stop this defeatist attitude assuming what the EU will/won't tolerate. The objective rules are there. A mature, sober nation understands this.
If he’s not arrived T that conclusion, he should really consider his position.
Going by the Eurovision nil points score for the UK entry; I would tend to agree with you James. EU still want to punish us for the morons that believed the lies of Johnston, Gove and Farage.
Punish? No many people in the EU still mourn the loss of the Uk but its hard to welcome someone when they don't want to play by the rules, don't respect you and bad mouth you at every chance they get. Maybe when the UK grows up a bit they can come back to the club.
Hard to say that now that Eurovision has a RoW voting category…
Why leave it there? With his massive majority, he could push through some massive changes, perhaps even some traditional Labour policy's.
For the same reason Labour won’t do diddly squat to regulate the media I guess…
Because firstly the EU as James says aren't in favour Why would they reward a country that left? Secondly this morning you can see how on Brexit & Immigration if Labour aren't careful the whole next GE will be fought on this issues The media is still pro Brexit
I don't just mean Brexit, but I see your point.
When we look back at this huge majority I think the biggest mistake will have been not using it to rip out the Tories at the BBC, Ofcom & pushing through Levinson 2 It's very Merrick Garland
Exactly the sort of thing I mean. But alass, I'm not sure Starmer is strong enough.
That's the culture secretary isn't it? I haven't a clue what she does.
If you do get any Brexiters to call today, do remember to point out: 'You won, get over it!'
Completely agree.
All we’re going to hear about today
*except for viewers in Scotland ….
Maybe it’s the fence sitting, no one knows what he stands for. Seems to be Tory continuation and war crimes with little spine for anything else other than legitimising the far right. He’s useless
You make me think & that is good on a Monday morning! Thanks 🙏
