🚨🚨 "Joining the EU Single Market Could Be the Gamechanger for Keir Starmer’s Government". Excellent piece by @blogwyatt.bsky.social outlining some options for the UK to move closer to the EU internal market arguing particularly for a Single Market Agmt with the EU. 🧵 bylinetimes.com/2025/01/13/k... - ThreadSky

profjacob.bsky.social • 48 days ago

🚨🚨 "Joining the EU Single Market Could Be the Gamechanger for Keir Starmer’s Government". Excellent piece by @blogwyatt.bsky.social outlining some options for the UK to move closer to the EU internal market arguing particularly for a Single Market Agmt with the EU. 🧵 https://bylinetimes.com/2025/01/13/keir-starmer-eu-single-market-explained/

Comments

was-steve.bsky.social•47 days ago

I agree with much of what Polly Toynbee has to say on this matter.

A new referendum would simply give the right wing press and media another weapon to beat Labour with. Any major move to rejoin would do the same.

Small steps with a plan to make rejoining a pillar of their next election manifesto

was-steve.bsky.social•47 days ago

Meantime we need to tackle the domination of the right wing press and with the toxic mass of social media.

We could begin by making it illegal for any major news outlet to be owned by any non UK tax paying resident. We should also make it illegal for anyone to have more than 5% ownership

misterdac.bsky.social•48 days ago

Thank you, @profjacob.bsky.social

The trigger exit possibility should not be accepted, whatever the negotiation.

If 🇬🇧 wants to apply to our SM, they have to accept the same conditions as other members.
It should not be a problem.

In any case, 🇬🇧 will stand as a rule taker, just like with the TCA.

esemptius.bsky.social•48 days ago

Why would the introduction of new rules in the SM have to be dependent on the UK parliament approving them anyway? What if they disapprove and leave in 1 year? Do we have to wait till they are gone to introduce our new rules. Let it be. We tried appeasing them for decades and it didn't work.

misterdac.bsky.social•48 days ago

One year is the general rule for each member.

kathylove.bsky.social•48 days ago

It is. But all current members are sufficiently committed To the SM that nobody expects any of them to just pull out. The UK might be another story. And given the complexity of changing border and regulatory arrangements, nobody wants to admit a new SM member on a temporary or precarious basis.

esemptius.bsky.social•48 days ago

It's simply not the right attitude to come to the table and already have your exit in mind. Fair enough for an exit clause of course, but if that is so important then you're probably not very committed. Why would the EU waste time negotiating with the UK again if it isn't even sure it'l stay?

johnahob.bsky.social•48 days ago

That's not happening. Nobody wants another Referendum. Closer ties is the way forward.

tidybox.bsky.social•48 days ago

It is plausible for Labour or a future Government to discuss prospects of a SMA without requiring a referendum (see UK membership of CPTPP). Modification of the existing trade framework between UK-EU would be considered an entirely economical decision, without political ties of membership.

johnahob.bsky.social•48 days ago

Macron made a great point in having a second level of membership. That includes Ukraine and Moldova who need to be brought within the system.

jmolofsson.bsky.social•48 days ago

In the case of Ukraine and Moldova (and possibly some other candidate countries) it's intended as an interim step. It would be impossible to foresee how long-lasting, but the intention of full membership with voting rights and everything makes it less applicable on the volatile United Kingdom.

tidybox.bsky.social•47 days ago

Ukraine and Moldova will likely gain EU membership whilst UK is still mustering the courage to discuss a Single Market agreement. Functioning of EU is what matters. UK will need to join the queue. It is within Labour's power to begin talks on Single Market now, than wait another 8 yrs.

profjacob.bsky.social•48 days ago

Starmer has no current electoral mandate to take the UK into the EU SM/say yes to freedom of movement. But that need not rule out UK & EU trade negotiators exploring an outline single market agreement (SMA) for the longer term while they hammer out a food standards agreement in the medium term. /2

profjacob.bsky.social•48 days ago

"The key Objection to a SMA From the UK’s Point of View Is a Democratic One": An SMA would require the UK to apply new EU single market laws without having a say in their content. Starmer is on record as saying “…we will not be a rule-taker." /3

profjacob.bsky.social•48 days ago

EU law single market laws cannot be dismissed as technical trade rules — some regulate subject matter of political and economic importance, such as take-overs & mergers, financial services & the rights of patients to receive health care in other EU countries if their own health services can’t cope.

profjacob.bsky.social•48 days ago

The democratic deficit of an SMA might be overcome if all EU rules applied in the UK had been approved by the UK Parliament, and if Parliament could trigger a speedy exit from the SMA if the EU adopted laws the UK could not possibly accept. /5

esemptius.bsky.social•48 days ago

Do you really think that is desirable? So if the EU wants to introduce new rules in the SM is has to wait for the British parliament to approve them? And already planning your exit doesn't exactly testify of a commitment. Would companies settle in the UK knowing they can leave the SM any moment?

profjacob.bsky.social•48 days ago

The Parliament would periodically consider new EU SM rules & vote on them as a package. If Parliament accepted the package, the new EU rules would be applied in the UK. If Parliament rejected the package, the SMA would terminate in one year & the provisions of the TCA displaced by it would revive.

tidybox.bsky.social•48 days ago

Isn't this the practice in EEA-EFTA countries? That they consider new EU/EEA rules and vote on them in Parliament before they are brought into legislation- Not ignoring the existing decision-shaping mechanism as signatory to EEAA (Art. 97-104).

Art 127 of EEAA allows 12 months notice on withdrawal.

profjacob.bsky.social•48 days ago

The UK & the EU could terminate anyway if they gave one year’s notice — that is the position in the EU/EFTA Agreement under which EEA states participate in the EU SM. Terms of withdrawal such as residence rights of migrants & payment of outstanding financial contributions could be agreed in advance.

trickcyclist.bsky.social•48 days ago

“Could” implies there is doubt. There is no doubt, it would be a game changer.

helenmagi.bsky.social•48 days ago

Starmer's mandate is forged on the back of just 34% of the vote. In a co-alition govt with Lib Dems and Greens he would have been able to be bolder but his majority is based on areas that voted Leave.

heppy111.bsky.social•48 days ago

I'm still desperate for *anyone at all* to explain to me the mechanism by which the UK can just, magically, "join the SM."

Anyone?

kathylove.bsky.social•48 days ago

Not magic. International treaty on European Economic Area (= SM). All EU members must join; EFTA members may join, 3 have. So UK could join EFTA, then join EEA. But UK is much different from other EFTA countries and may not be welcome.

kathylove.bsky.social•48 days ago

Theoretically possible for UK to join EEA directly (not via EFTA) but would require significant negotiation. In any scenario joining requires consent of all current EEA members.

heppy111.bsky.social•48 days ago

This is what I mean.

There is no mechanism for "just joining" the SM.

I'm getting tired of people not understanding that, as you correctly say, whatever routes there may be, none of them is simple and none of them is, right now at least, remotely possible in the short term.

misterdac.bsky.social•48 days ago

I guess it will end in a TCA 2.0, EEA-like, 🇬🇧 staying outside EEA.

It’s the best 🇬🇧 can hope.

misterdac.bsky.social•48 days ago

That’s what happens when you’re a difficult partner.

heppy111.bsky.social•48 days ago

Yes, we'll end up either with some interim fudged job or nothing until we apply to join the EU as full members (no time soon).

prettyhatmachine.bsky.social•48 days ago

Why use the words “magically”?

It looks a lot like you’re trying to imply it’s impossible.

Which of course would be an incredibly stupid thing to say.

Hopefully it was just poor phrasing on your part.

heppy111.bsky.social•48 days ago

Because "magically" is how those clamouring for SM membership think it can be achieved.

It cannot.

Membership *is* possible but there are no easy or rapid routes to it.

prettyhatmachine.bsky.social•48 days ago

So you’re using “magically” to create a straw man argument against those asking to start the process.

Rather than the current incompetent dithering from Starmer.

Got it.

heppy111.bsky.social•48 days ago

I'm creating nothing of the kind.

People want immediate action.

There is none that can be taken to achieve, instantly, the result they crave.

K.S. is dithering, yes, which is, ofc, frustrating for many. But he is also pragmatically correct in his understanding that no immediate return can happen.

prettyhatmachine.bsky.social•48 days ago

We can both acknowledge that it takes time, and also be fully aware that Starmer’s repeated refusal to move towards it is utter idiocy.

heppy111.bsky.social•48 days ago

Now you are talking sensibly.

I cannot disagree.

shartford.bsky.social•47 days ago

I fail to see how rejoining the single market could be the URGENT shot in the arm. There's nothing speedy about rejoining the single market. The EU will not consider it before the Tories and Labour both agree on it and have won elections on that.

frenchieinlimbo.bsky.social•48 days ago

It would be indeed
Will he listen to the voice of reason though?

sandgrouse.bsky.social•48 days ago

Keir Starmer is too frightened of right-wing populism to move closer to Europe.

federateuk.bsky.social•48 days ago

He is right to be frightened.

sandgrouse.bsky.social•48 days ago

Fear has a way of making the possible, inevitable.

federateuk.bsky.social•48 days ago

Hopefully fear has a way of finding the right strategy to make the possible inevitable.

Trying to reverse Brexit is not that strategy.

The question is, are the people brave enough?

catanonim.me•48 days ago

Though I would very much like to see membership of a Customs Union also.

tidybox.bsky.social•48 days ago

A customs union membership would only apply with accession to EU. There is no framework that offers this privilege to a non-EU country. It would not prevent separate customs arrangements- SPS/veterinary agreements and PEM Convention would remove sufficient trade barriers.

catanonim.me•48 days ago

It could be built into a bilateral Association Agreement, together with SM. Also: Türkiye.

tidybox.bsky.social•48 days ago

An association agreement combining a customs union and Single Market is pointless outside full membership, as it returns powers of negotiation back to EU.

ejoftheweb.bsky.social•48 days ago

They are there anyway. Particularly when it comes to regulation, the EU's market size means that UK business is necessarily a follower. The only way we get to influence regulation is with a seat at the table, but we are always de facto bound by them.

tidybox.bsky.social•48 days ago

I agree. I have no problem with regulation. I don't think our MPs have quite accepted that UK is bound by the gravitational pull of EU. UK was an enforcer, accepting and applying regulation above minimum standard. Divergence is a con.

catanonim.me•48 days ago

1) It would be on the way to Article 49.

2) The UK is a demandeur as things currently stand.

3) It cannotbe said to be "pointless".

tidybox.bsky.social•48 days ago

I'd agree with your first point. It makes sense as a transitional arrangement towards membership, just as it was applied following UK withdrawal from EU. It would be pointless as a long term framework, as Government would have its hands tied on any future or existing trade agreements.

kresten2.bsky.social•48 days ago

Then EU membership should be the goal.

catanonim.me•48 days ago

https://bsky.app/profile/catanonim.me/post/3lfp3i46tck2s

chimpzilla.bsky.social•48 days ago

Labour need to do something. The current Brexit cannot even be implemented. Labour is falling apart in office already. However it is estimated that 60% of the pain of the Frost Brexit deal is to come as it hasn’t been implemented. If they keep on down this road Starmer is going to fall

federateuk.bsky.social•48 days ago

There IS a plan. Address the underlying reason for so much Euroscepticism - especially in those English communities outside of the largest cities.

#TakeBackControlProperly would be a good slogan, although best not to mention Brexit or the EU at all really.

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