And yet it moves
I see that Reform and the Tories are up in arms about the very idea of paying the EU for the UK to have greater access to the Single Market.
Actually that should read GB, not the UK, because Northern Ireland is in the Single Market for goods, a deal negotiated by the last tory PM Rishi Sunak and described by him as “the best of both worlds.”
Which did rather let the cat out of the bag. It is amazing how far the Brexiteers have travelled since the referendum and how quickly. They used to promise that we could stay in the SM, that it would be mad to leave and that we could be just like Norway.
I know, because I went there to ask, that the Norwegians thought a country as big as the UK would be dumb to leave on their terms, as they can cope with just taking orders from Brussels whereas we have too many irons in the fire and need to be at the table when decisions are made.
But at the time the Brexit supporters thought Norway was perfectly acceptable. Their current obsession with the idea we might be getting closer to the EU again is therefore rather strange. Because we are nowhere as near to the EU as they promised us we would be in 2016 and we are not planning to be.
But I think I know why they are so desperate now to stay as far away as possible from the EU and all its works. It is all they have.
The idea of being Singapore-on-Thames died years ago, when faced with reality. So did the very idea of regulatory divergence, the new trade deals have turned out to be worthless, America an enemy not a better mate, the economy has been battered with no end in sight, the EU is taking an increasing lead on Ukraine and defence, becoming a counter weight to Trump’s Washington and no one else has dared to leave, in fact other countries are queuing up to join the EU.
Pretending that we are fine, thank you very much, is all they have. Furthermore if we allow students to study abroad, let farmers and the food industry export barrier free, attract more investment because the have real seamless trade across Europe, join science research projects and accept Europe’s lead in space; we will do better than we are now.
It will show that Brexit is bad for us and for the economy, beyond doubt. How else could you explain growth, trade and investment falling when we left and improving as we get closer again?
Every step closer to the EU demonstrates why we were mad to run away, and they know it.
No wonder they are scared. Like the catholic church refusing to admit Galileo’s truths, they know they are wrong but cannot deal with the threat to their own faith.
And yet it moves.
From Jonty Bloom Media Ltd
Economics, trade and Brexit, not necessarily in that order but the dog always comes first.
And, as we creep toward the existential inevitability of some form of ever-closer association with the EU, the a) corrupt or b) deranged crew that dragged the UK out of the EU will redouble their rantings.
Maybe it is Starmer’s personal political crisis, or his understanding that Putin’s last desperate throw may be to widen the present conflict that is moving him more overtly towards the EU?
Whatever: Starmer should press on. I cannot see anything else other than rejoining that might unite progressive voters to defeat the extreme right.
What stands out is how much this debate has shifted from economics to identity.
If closer alignment with the EU starts to deliver visible gains, trade, investment, mobility it doesn’t just become a policy question, it becomes a challenge to the original Brexit narrative itself.