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AIBU?

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Original poster

To wish Starmer would make a unilateral decision to rejoin the EU?

308 replies

Wildflowers99 · 27/02/2025 18:59

That’s all, really. Yes it would be ‘undemocratic’ but should we sacrifice national interest on the altar of a vote from 10 years ago that everyone seems to regret?

We feel adrift during a scary time, and the US has all but ghosted us.

OP posts:
HhalloNine · 27/02/2025 20:28

Marmiteenthusiast · 27/02/2025 20:12

Nope. I'd much rather Starmer have some backbone and resign, though. Wish we could vote on it - he'd be out like a shot.

He really wouldn't and anyway who is going to do better?

BatchCookBabe · 27/02/2025 20:28

Wildflowers99 · 27/02/2025 18:59

That’s all, really. Yes it would be ‘undemocratic’ but should we sacrifice national interest on the altar of a vote from 10 years ago that everyone seems to regret?

We feel adrift during a scary time, and the US has all but ghosted us.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Glad to see that two thirds of posters think YABVU.

Bet you didn't see that coming @Wildflowers99 !!! And not everyone regrets it dear. 🙄

Why would we wanna go back into that boys club that controlled everything we did and took £350 million a week off us (whilst the vast majority of the other countries - around 2 dozen - paid in fuck all, but just took out?!)

Madness. Best thing we did leaving that corrupt organisation!

TheNoonBell · 27/02/2025 20:26

Would they really want the Brexit party back in the EU parliament? They were joint largest party by MEP's before we left.

PandorasJam · 27/02/2025 20:25

Co-operating with like-minded NATO countries is the key to security. Forget the EU which is too divided.

GreekDogRescue · 27/02/2025 20:17

You want a dictatorship OP

SpottedDonkey · 27/02/2025 20:13

Unfortunately, the problem is that for Labour Brexit was the ultimate political wedge issue. It divided their supporters in two. Hundreds of Labour MPs represent seats outside the M25 which voted Leave in 2016, many of them by wide margins. Including senior cabinet ministers like Rachel Reeves in Leeds. And Angela Rayner in Manchester. And Yvette Cooper in West Yorkshire.

WilfredsPies · 27/02/2025 20:12

Theunamedcat · 27/02/2025 19:50

They don't want or need us back in

We won't get favorable conditions if we rejoin we will be worse off than we were before

It's pointless

Completely agree. Can you imagine what we’d have to agree to before they’d even consider it? We might as well just shut down parliament and hand over the keys to the front door. They’d make such an example of us to stop any other country who was thinking about it.

Marmiteenthusiast · 27/02/2025 20:12

Nope. I'd much rather Starmer have some backbone and resign, though. Wish we could vote on it - he'd be out like a shot.

Purplebunnie · 27/02/2025 20:09

If we could go back we certainly wouldn't have the deal we had before we left. There would be many, many conditions upon our re-entering. I'm not sure what constraints we would find ourselves under. I think we really blew it and I take no satisfaction in that I didn't vote to leave. And I don't blame all the people who voted to leave as I am firmly of the conviction that there was outside interference from a couple of places that was instrumental in the outcome

AaaahBlandsHatch · 27/02/2025 20:06

This reply has been deleted

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passwordaboutyou · 27/02/2025 20:06

I'm a staunch remain voter but doing this would be a terrible idea, it'd play right into Reform's hands.

Wintersgirl · 27/02/2025 20:05

SexAndCakes · 27/02/2025 19:24

This is the same sentiment as everyone at the time saying there should be a revote because people didn't understand the referendum.

I voted remain but am staunchly against anything that undermines our system of democracy. If you do away with that we are in serious trouble.

Yes absolutely, I was just going to say the same thing, I'm a remainer and I was gutted when we left however, we live in a democracy and I respect the result of the vote.

TheFirstTimeEverISawYourFace · 27/02/2025 20:03

Completely agree op 🇪🇺🇪🇺🇪🇺

JustSawJohnny · 27/02/2025 20:02

AGREE.

At this point its about how vulnerable we are without the backing of the US.

We need allies. It's that simple.

abracadabra1980 · 27/02/2025 20:01

🤣

AgnesX · 27/02/2025 20:01

As much as it sounds attractive it's not an option.

It needs to be a referendum. Again.

ButterCrackers · 27/02/2025 19:59

HhalloNine · 27/02/2025 19:46

Not true.

People who voted Labour also may have voted against Brexit.

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Truth - read my words.

Partybaggage · 27/02/2025 19:58

Biscuitsnotcookies · 27/02/2025 19:57

I think you missed the point

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What was the point then?

Partybaggage · 27/02/2025 19:58

I voted remain but i would not vote to rejoin if there was another referendum.

Biscuitsnotcookies · 27/02/2025 19:57

Partybaggage · 27/02/2025 19:56

Outside of Mumsnet the VAT policy is very popular among people from all walks of life. I doubt there's a correlation between remain voters and those who feel wealthy people should be let off paying tax on luxuries.

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I think you missed the point

Partybaggage · 27/02/2025 19:56

edwinbear · 27/02/2025 19:42

He can’t rejoin the EU and put VAT on school fees. It’s illegal to tax education in the EU. Labour are absolutely wedded to taxing private schools and they won’t give that up. And frankly, people in the UK seem to hate private schools more than they hate Brexit, so can’t see it would go down well, regardless of any benefits.

Outside of Mumsnet the VAT policy is very popular among people from all walks of life. I doubt there's a correlation between remain voters and those who feel wealthy people should be let off paying tax on luxuries.

MidnightMeltdown · 27/02/2025 19:56

StandFirm · 27/02/2025 19:34

Our economy is really suffering from the barriers in trade with Europe. It was stupid then and is stupid now. The US will not give us a fair deal. I know Starmer is trying to play both sides but it won't last.

Rubbish. Unlike Germany, the UK isn't even in recession. All major economies are suffering as a result of the Ukraine War and Covid

Thank fuck we're not in the EU, otherwise we'd now be on the hook for the Covid recovery bill for all the poorer EU counties. As it is, it looks like Germany and France are going to have to foot the bill.

ARealitycheck · 27/02/2025 19:55

IMustDoMoreExercise · 27/02/2025 19:43

There are rumors that France will have to bailed out soon which will probably cause riots in Germany as they will have to pay for it.

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What will piss Germans off even more is that for a number of French citizens they can retire at 62/63 depending on when they started working. Imagine being a German woker at aged 65 to 67 knowing some of your tax is going to Countries where you would be retired if you lived there.

ChardonnaysBeastlyCat · 27/02/2025 19:54

Be careful what you wish for!

And I’m saying this as a convinced Remainer.

IdaGlossop · 27/02/2025 19:53

What a ludicrous idea. I was a reluctant remainer but wouldn't want to go back in now. Lots of reasons why. Trump has a visceral hatred of the EU. At the moment, we are holding the line between the EU and the USA at a time of great peril. Putin hates the EU too so yes, let's poke two bears, just to see what happens. EU countries, France in particular, are more than willing to work with us on defence without us being in the EU. Labour has far too much to do without the huge distraction and bad blood of another referendum. So far, we have escaped tariffs from Trump while they are being imposed on the EU. The price of rejoining would probably be accepting th Euro so we'd all become poorer.