With growing opposition among UK voters to Brexit, the damage it has done and an increase in ‘buyers remorse’ any improvements to relations with the EU should be popular in the EU itself.
Tony Burke is the Co-Chair of the Campaign For Trade Union Freedom
Recent comments made by Germany’s ambassador to the UK Miguel Berger have opened the door to a broadening of relationships between the EU and the UK.
At the recent European Political Community (EPC) summit in Oxfordshire, Berger (who was accompanying German chancellor Olaf Scholz) said Germany welcomed the idea of the UK – EU security pact floated by Keir Starmer in recent weeks. “We very much welcome the initiative of a security pact. It’s not only security, it’s broader. So I would call it a Security and Cooperation Agreement between the U.K. and the European Union.”
Although Brexit was hardly mentioned during the general election campaign with the exception of Labour ruling out rejoining the EU, the single market and the customs union Keir Starmer was clear that Labour would “reset” relations with the EU – a process which has already begun.
A disorientated and shell shocked Tory Party face a divisive leadership contest so the opposition to any changes to the Brexit deal will come directly from the pro Brexit media – Mail, Express, GB News, Sun, Times and Telegraph. A Security and Cooperation Agreement packaged with suggested changes to agricultural, veterinary and chemicals reforms as well as the EU own priorities including youth mobility will send the pro Bexit media into orbit with cries of ‘betrayal’ and extra jingoism.
None of the declared Tory leadership candidates can coherently point towards any tangible benefits of Brexit apart from vague suggestions of waiting another ten years for the benefits to be clear or the old line of the UK needing an even harder Brexit.
With growing opposition among UK voters to Brexit, the damage it has done and an increase in ‘buyers remorse’ any improvements to relations with the EU should be popular in the EU itself.
However, the scars from the Johnson, Truss and Sunak years are still raw with some EU countries. The sight of hysterical and fake media stories, backed by Tory and Reform MPs, the army of ex Tory MPs jostling for a spot on TV political panels to kick the EU will horrify some key EU players. With the EU wanting something in return which may include bigger fishing quotas in UK waters the media will have a field day with a concocted ‘cod war’ to fuel anti-EU sentiment.
There may be an opportunity for young people, who had no say in the referendum, to study and work in the EU again. However, membership of the Erasmus programme, youth and school exchange schemes also brings with it the question of visa costs, which are 10 times higher for EU students to come to the UK than the other way around.
There are also a number of areas as well that would help in rebuilding the UK economy and ensuring there is a level playing field: ensuring the UK stays aligned to any new pro worker legislation which is quickly transposed into UK employment law is essential as is the right of workers in European based companies to be represented on European Works Councils.
Some companies agreed to keep the UK involved in EWCs post Brexit but others took immediate steps to remove UK workers reps and union experts from attending meetings which previously had been a statutory right. This should be easy to enact and will help bring about a level playing field.
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