Thursday, May 21Thursday, May 21The debate over the UK’s potential re-entry into the European Union has intensified, with key political figures and former EU officials weighing in on the feasibility and conditions of rejoining.
Former EU Brexit negotiators have made clear that the UK would not be able to rejoin the bloc under the same favorable terms it previously held. While the EU’s stance would likely be "warm and welcoming," it would also be "hard-headed," with no special opt-outs or tailored deals. The UK would be expected to adopt the euro, join the Schengen Area, and accept all existing EU policies without exception . This aligns with earlier warnings that re-entry would come with stricter conditions than those negotiated during the UK’s original membership.
The political landscape has been further shaped by Labour Party dynamics. Wes Streeting, a contender for Labour leadership, has called Brexit a "catastrophic mistake" and advocated for rejoining the EU, putting pressure on rival Andy Burnham, who is contesting a by-election in the pro-Brexit Makerfield constituency. Burnham, who previously supported rejoining, has since backtracked, emphasizing a focus on domestic issues rather than EU re-entry. He stated that Britain would remain "stuck in a permanent rut" if it continued to debate Brexit, instead urging the country to "fix our own country" . His shift reflects the electoral risks of advocating for rejoin in a constituency with strong Leave sentiment.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has also addressed Brexit’s economic impact, acknowledging that it has made the UK "poorer," increased migration, and reduced security. While his remarks align with growing public recognition of Brexit’s negative consequences, he has not proposed rejoining the EU, instead focusing on domestic policies such as nationalizing steel and improving renters' rights . The European Commission has avoided engaging in speculation about UK re-entry, stating that current discussions focus on "closer cooperation" rather than renewed membership .
The debate has reignited broader political tensions, particularly as Labour seeks to counter the rise of Reform UK in the upcoming Makerfield by-election. The party’s strategy appears to balance acknowledging Brexit’s failures while avoiding a direct push for re-entry, given the electoral risks in Leave-leaning areas. Meanwhile, pro-Brexit arguments have resurfaced in political discourse, with commentators noting that the same divisive rhetoric from a decade ago is being revisited .
> Background: **🔴 Breaking — UKs EU rejoin debate resurfaces amid Labour divisions and strict EU terms.** — *8 hours ago*
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No tailor-made deal for UK if it wants to rejoin bloc, say former EU Brexit officials Britain likely to face warm, welcoming stance if it seeks re-entry but also a hard-headed one – with no special dealsBritain would not be able to rejoin the EU on the special terms it enjoyed in the past, veterans of the Brexit negotiations have said.According to former officials from around Europe, the UK should not expect to achieve as beneficial a deal as it once had if it decided to begin negotiations on re-entry. Continue reading...
theguardian · 2 days ago
Could the UK really rejoin the EU? - The Latest The Brexit debate has been reignited after Labour leadership contender Wes Streeting called it a catastrophic mistake and said the UK should rejoin the European Union. His comments put pressure on rival Andy Burnham, who has previously advocated for rejoining the bloc but is fighting a byelection in the leave-voting Makerfield constituency. But how would rejoining work and would the EU even agree to it? Lucy Hough speaks to the Guardians Europe correspondent, Jon Henley Continue reading...
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Its byelection bingo! Get ready for the Brexit arguments you heard 10 years ago, only louder | Zoe Williams Makerfield will be a test of what Labour would have to look like to beat Reform – so prepare yourself for regrets, broken promises and baffling assertions about red wall votersIt is a gruesome shock and yet was entirely predictable: we stand on the brink of a byelection that is three things at once. First, a straight popularity contest for Andy Burnham, which itself is a worry, because there must be a limit to how many times you can be called King of the North without it boiling your brain, and if that limit exists at all, it must surely have been reached. Second, its a limbering-up round for the coming Labour leadership challenge. Third, and most importantly, Makerfield is a test of what Labour would have to look like to beat Reform when it matters. So what could be more helpful than for everyone involved – every cabinet minister, every backbencher, every commentator – to reach back into their memory and find the stupidest thing that was ever said about Brexit, and say it again in a more excitable voice. Get ready for Brexit-argument bingo; if you think youve heard them all before, thats why its so fun.Keir Starmer jumped first, even before the byelection was on the cards. After announcing a plan to nationalise steel – an industry that is already under government control – he made some huge admissions about Brexit, followed by some even larger promises. He said it had made us poorer, it had sent migration through the roof and it had made us less secure. It wasnt what youd call hold-the-front-page, since its common knowledge that Brexit has made us poorer; but its extremely surprising, of course, to hear the prime minister make a straightforward statement on the EU which relates to reality, rather than a convoluted set of red lines, related to an alternative universe in which Europe is begging to take us back, but were holding firm. Continue reading...
theguardian · 2 days ago
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![I am not going to walk away, says Starmer – UK politics live The prime minister said he wouldnt be setting out a timetable to stand down if Andy Burnham wins the Makerfield byelectionJakub Krupa writes the Guardians Europe live blog.The European Commission has been asked about its response to the renewed talk about Britains potential future attempt to rejoin the European Union – but did not take a bait.At this stage, there are discussions on closer cooperation in a number of areas, thats where we are, and thats what we are doing precisely in preparation for the next summit rather than speculating about big or renewed issues.We are not there. If we ever are in that situation, I will gladly reply to [this question].I just wanted to come here to Labour party headquarters to say a big thank you to you. The election results were not the ones that we wanted, they were really tough. But you worked your socks off.
Its not been easy circumstances in the last 10 days. But you have just got on with the job that we asked you to do.
If you look at just some of the figures that came out last week. We had growth figures that were the best in the G7. Thats because of the hard work that weve done in government. On the economy weve got ourselves into a good position, having inherited a real basket case from the last government.
The NHS figures were really good, which again vindicates what we did, which was invest in the NHS, which is what we said we would do.
And thats on top of all the other things … The Employment Rights Act. The biggest upgrade in renters rights in a generation.
And then of course all the work that we are doing around child poverty, of which I am really proud. What a game changer that will be for a whole generation and will be measured for years and years to come because the children will feel the impact for the rest of their lives. They will have chances they wouldnt otherwise have had.
The election results tell us that people are frustrated, they dont feel that their lives have changed quickly enough.
We need to build up the urgency of what we do. We need a bit more hope in there. And we need to remember at all times what we are here to do. We were elected to government to serve the people of this country.
And I remind myself every day that in July 2024 millions of people voted for us to come into government, to get on with the job, to govern, and to bring about the change that they want.
So I am focused on the job that I was asked to do, which is to serve my country and to carry out my duties as prime minister of this country. Delivering for the very many people who voted us into office, who are saying, just get on with it, get on with the job, get on with the change that I need to see in my life. And that is what I am going to be doing.
We now have an important by-election coming up. It is Labour versus Reform. We will know very shortly who the candidate is. Whoever they are I am going to support them 100 and I want every member, everyone in our movement, to support them. A Labour candidate to beat Reform. That is the fight that we are in. Continue reading...](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/3d4cb48b2b793e697ba61a5eda3e11be8cc2d378/500_0_5000_4000/master/5000.jpg?width=140&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=4592a1391f1911cd9c37b56b7be83fb0)
I am not going to walk away, says Starmer – UK politics live The prime minister said he wouldnt be setting out a timetable to stand down if Andy Burnham wins the Makerfield byelectionJakub Krupa writes the Guardians Europe live blog.The European Commission has been asked about its response to the renewed talk about Britains potential future attempt to rejoin the European Union – but did not take a bait.At this stage, there are discussions on closer cooperation in a number of areas, thats where we are, and thats what we are doing precisely in preparation for the next summit rather than speculating about big or renewed issues.We are not there. If we ever are in that situation, I will gladly reply to [this question].I just wanted to come here to Labour party headquarters to say a big thank you to you. The election results were not the ones that we wanted, they were really tough. But you worked your socks off. Its not been easy circumstances in the last 10 days. But you have just got on with the job that we asked you to do. If you look at just some of the figures that came out last week. We had growth figures that were the best in the G7. Thats because of the hard work that weve done in government. On the economy weve got ourselves into a good position, having inherited a real basket case from the last government. The NHS figures were really good, which again vindicates what we did, which was invest in the NHS, which is what we said we would do. And thats on top of all the other things … The Employment Rights Act. The biggest upgrade in renters rights in a generation. And then of course all the work that we are doing around child poverty, of which I am really proud. What a game changer that will be for a whole generation and will be measured for years and years to come because the children will feel the impact for the rest of their lives. They will have chances they wouldnt otherwise have had. The election results tell us that people are frustrated, they dont feel that their lives have changed quickly enough. We need to build up the urgency of what we do. We need a bit more hope in there. And we need to remember at all times what we are here to do. We were elected to government to serve the people of this country. And I remind myself every day that in July 2024 millions of people voted for us to come into government, to get on with the job, to govern, and to bring about the change that they want. So I am focused on the job that I was asked to do, which is to serve my country and to carry out my duties as prime minister of this country. Delivering for the very many people who voted us into office, who are saying, just get on with it, get on with the job, get on with the change that I need to see in my life. And that is what I am going to be doing. We now have an important by-election coming up. It is Labour versus Reform. We will know very shortly who the candidate is. Whoever they are I am going to support them 100 and I want every member, everyone in our movement, to support them. A Labour candidate to beat Reform. That is the fight that we are in. Continue reading...
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theguardian · 2 days ago