It is tricky. My assumption was the opposite, that this would help Labour win the next election, which is why Starmer is doing it. But what do I know?
He wants those sweet sweet red wall Labour voters.
Maybe it’s time to create a new party? There’s probably enough people for a new party to win power based on closer (or rejoin) links with the EU. If only people could get over their (essentially) football team view of UK politics - go on you reds fuck the blues the referee (Bercow) is a wanker etc etc.
Don’t the lib dems have rejoining or closer ties as part of their manifesto ? or did I not recall properly…
Yeah but apparently we can’t forgive them for tuition fees. Absolutely barmy but that’s UK politics 🤷. Let’s just keep voting Tory and Labour until we all die.
No but seriously, we need PR and then we need a coalition to support closer meaningful ties to the single market (or choose your variation of that). However the two biggest blockers to PR are Labour and the Tories which we keep voting for because of some tribal allegiance that (for most) started 40 years ago in the eighties… when they weren’t even born!
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
Create a new party??? Splitting the left even more is guaranteed Tory rule.
Create a new party that will appeal to voters that want more integration with the EU. That might actually attract some Conservatives that can’t get behind radical left ideals but wanted to stay in the EU. It’s only the ERG nutters that will be left behind.
Basically split both Labour Brexitiers and Tory Brexitiers into their own thing. Both of them are so hard line that they will never cooperate. What’s left will be EU enthusiasts that might, just might, pull together for closer integration / rejoin. And hopefully this new party will have a majority.
But of course if it’s more tribal red and blue that people want then bring on more Brexit! 🥹
That’s my take too - he is doing everything to try not to spook the horses. My concern is, he might stick to this after the election when he’ll have such a stonking majority he could do what he likes.
I think you’re right on this one. Certain press outlets are already painting this as a “plot to reverse brexit”.
He basically can’t say anything without the Tory press jumping on it and spinning it as some kind of secret foreigner-loving, commie plot.
I imagine his chat with Macron was pretty much: “I am highly restricted in what I can say at the moment but we’ll have a longer chat when I win. Nudge, nudge wink, wink.” Macron: “you English with you nudging and winking!”.