One sentence summary – France and Germany have proposed associate membership as a new form of EU membership, which could have potentially prevented Brexit; however, both the Conservative and Labour parties have rejected this proposal, and factors such as culture wars and concerns about public perception may have contributed to the difficulty in finding a compromise.
At a glance
- France and Germany propose associate membership as a new form of EU membership
- Associate membership would include countries like Britain and Switzerland in the single market but outside other EU structures
- The proposal could have potentially prevented Brexit if offered earlier
- Both Conservative and Labour parties have rejected the associate membership proposal
- Factors such as culture wars, negative polarization, and concerns about public perception may have contributed to the difficulty in finding a compromise
The details
France and Germany have proposed a new form of EU membership known as associate membership.
This proposal suggests a Europe of four concentric circles, with the third circle including countries like Britain and Switzerland.
These countries would be part of the single market but outside other EU structures.
The associate membership proposal could potentially have prevented Brexit if it had been offered earlier.
Prior to the Brexit referendum, the idea of returning to a common market was not considered outrageous.
Both the Conservative and Labour parties have rejected the associate membership proposal.
The reasons for this rejection have not been explicitly stated.
Factors such as culture wars, negative polarization, and concerns about public perception may have contributed to the difficulty in finding a compromise.
Former UK Prime Minister Theresa May’s late support for Brexit has contributed to the hardening of attitudes on both sides.
European leaders’ desire to punish Britain has also played a role in this hardening of attitudes.
This has further complicated the negotiations and search for a mutually beneficial solution.
Labour leader Keir Starmer has expressed a desire to rejoin the EU.
However, Starmer is aware that advocating for associate membership might be seen as proof that Labour scorns ordinary people.
Starmer aims to demonstrate to the EU that the UK will not adopt a more competitive economic model while remaining outside the single market.
The EU has been blocking closer cooperation with the UK in areas such as agricultural goods and professional qualifications.
The UK claims to have made concessions that are not reciprocated by the EU.
This has created further challenges in finding common ground.
The Liberal Democrats’ stance on rejoining the EU remains unclear.
While leader Sir Ed Davey has refused to state whether the party wants the UK to rejoin, foreign affairs spokesman Layla Moran has expressed the party’s desire to do so.
The lack of a clear and immediate plan to re-enter the trade bloc may leave some supporters feeling let down.
Thousands of pro-EU protestors recently gathered in central London for the National Rejoin March (NRM).
The march was led by former Belgian PM Guy Verhofstadt and Remainer Queen Gina Miller.
The event was organized by Peter Corr and aimed to revive interest in the cause.
Protesters marched from Hyde Park to the Palace of Westminster.
They expressed disappointment and anger towards politicians for alleged lies and the negative consequences of Brexit.
Concerns about pollution, regulations, and the affordability of Brexit were also raised.
This news brief provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of EU membership and Brexit.
It covers proposals, political positions, and recent pro-EU protests.
The information is sourced from multiple scraped news articles.
This ensures readers have access to all relevant information and perspectives.
Article X-ray
Two puzzle pieces, one representing France and the other representing Germany, fitting together to form the shape of the European Union flag.
This section links each of the article’s facts back to its original source.
If you have any suspicions that false information is present in the article, you can use this section to investigate where it came from.
| telegraph.co.uk |
|---|
| – France and Germany have proposed a market-only deal that could have prevented Brexit if offered earlier – The proposal for associate membership has been rejected by both the Conservatives and Labour – The Franco-German blueprint suggests a Europe of four concentric circles, with the third circle including countries like Britain and Switzerland within the single market but outside of other EU structures – The idea of returning to a common market was not seen as outrageous before the Brexit referendum – The proposal is similar to one outlined in David Owen’s 2012 book Europe Restructured – Theresa May’s late support for Brexit and European leaders’ desire to punish Britain contributed to the hardening of attitudes on both sides – Culture wars and negative polarisation have made it difficult to find a compromise – Labour leader Keir Starmer wants to rejoin the EU but is aware that associate membership would be seen as proof that Labour scorns ordinary people – Starmer wants to show the EU that the UK will not adopt a more competitive economic model – The EU is blocking closer cooperation in areas such as agricultural goods and professional qualifications – The UK has made concessions that are not reciprocated by the EU – Starmer’s proposal to remain outside the single market while adopting the EU’s standards is seen as a crazy position. |
| telegraph.co.uk |
|---|
| – Sir Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, has refused to state whether the party wants the UK to rejoin the European Union. – |
| The party has faced questions about its Brexit policy due to conflicting statements from senior figures and pressure from Labour to seek closer trading arrangements. – Sir Ed previously stated that rejoining the EU is not currently on the table as voters are more concerned about other issues. – However, Layla Moran, the party’s foreign affairs spokesman, stated during a fringe event that the Liberal Democrats want to rejoin the EU. – |
| A party spokesman reiterated the party’s desire to be “at the heart of Europe” and to rewrite the Brexit deal agreed by Boris Johnson. – |
| The future relationship with the EU has become a prominent issue following comments from Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, who stated that the UK would not diverge from EU regulations if he became prime minister. |
| – Sir Ed emphasized the need to rebuild trust and the relationship with Europe, but did not confirm whether this meant full membership. – |
| The Liberal Democrats’ stance on rejoining the EU was not clarified despite repeated questioning. |
| – Some supporters may feel let down by the lack of an immediate plan to re-enter the trade bloc. |
| – |
| The party’s focus has shifted away from Europe since the 2019 general election, with priorities including GP appointments and the sewage crisis. |
| independent.co.uk |
|---|
| – Thousands of pro-EU protestors gathered in central London for the National Rejoin March (NRM) – Former Belgian PM Guy Verhofstadt and Remainer Queen Gina Miller led the march – |
| The march was organized by Peter Corr, who felt that people had given up on the cause – Protesters marched from Hyde Park to the Palace of Westminster – Supporters wore EU flags, facepaint, and berets, and some performed an interpretive dance routine – There were confrontations between pro-EU activists and other protesters opposing different issues – Protesters claimed that Brexit had “broken” British politics and had negative consequences – Many protesters expressed disappointment and anger towards politicians for lying to them – Some protesters highlighted concerns about pollution and the impact of Brexit on regulations – |
| The crowd consisted of people of various ages, from children to pensioners – MEP Terry Reintke expressed hope for the UK to rejoin the EU and called for closer trade links – Protester Steve Bray called for a fair proportional representation system and urged tactical voting – Green Party member Zack Polanski stated that Brexit has failed, particularly impacting the most vulnerable – Activist Femi Oluwole criticized British politicians and expressed concerns about the affordability of Brexit. |
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