À core part of Labour's "make Brexit work" agenda is SPS. Yet there is a flaw at the core of this.

To see it, let's look at the Irish Sugar company.

A 🧵

𝘙𝘦𝘶𝘣𝘦𝘯 What are we talking about here. SPS are the sanitary and phytosanitary arrangements including checks within and between jurisdictions on food.

Labour plans to expand the TCA to reduce checks on UK products coming to Europe.

2

𝘞𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘩 𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘣𝘪𝘵

The reaction to both the developments in the Gib-Europe relationship and the proposal by the Commission for youth mobility with the UK is instructive.

It is the Swissification of the UK-Europe relationship.

1 As @chrisgreybrexit points out, the end of the Gib negotiations is the end of the first phase of Brexit, the A49 and negotiations begun prior to leaving have finished.

The new phase is Swissification.

2

https://x.com/nialloconghaile/status/1781305219717960048

À deal looks close on Gibraltar and relations with Europe.

The Telegraph's take is quite instructive.

Bound up in it is all the complexes vis-à-vis Europe.

But behind the noise, there is a lesson here for third countries.

1 Firstly, Spain is a Nato member, as are most European MSs. Britain owning the Gib base makes no difference. It would be the same if Italy or the US or France or Spain were administering it from a Nato perspective.

2

Another attack on Schengen from the UK. Quite an unusual one this time, in the DT: Schengen is "unromantic".

Let's be honest here. The problem for these people is our unity.

Short 🧵 We see this all the time from the holiday-home 'Ndrangheta and their articles in the Mail, Express, Majorca Bulletin or another Europhobic publication of choice, demanding and end to unified visa waivers so Britons can have another nice holes and six G&Ts

2

I have been thinking about this and some of the reaction to this. Let me expand.

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐰𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐨? A 🧵

(I am sure I will miss stuff, of course, based on recollection, so fill in where I have it wrong)

https://twitter.com/nialloconghaile/status/1776133165318369345

Firstly some context: Europe was not paradise, but it had had huge achievements since foundation not long after the War. In particular, the leaps forward of the customs union, the single market, Schengen and the euro took vision and determination.

2

@FT have produced an interesting video on Brexit. Some comments in a 🧵

Firstly, on sovereignty, you can really get a sense that the choice is hurtling down the track in so many areas:

"sovereignty" v. economic survival

1

https://x.com/FT/status/1775131314230026466?s=20

As Anna points out, the businesses interviewed simply don't care about this C19th idea of sovereignty (the UK will remain sovereign, just as Norway or MSs)

But the choice is going to be, even on SPS, following rules with (nearly) no say or dying

2

https://x.com/AnnaJerzewska/status/1775168642612695278?s=20

Article in the @euroweeklynews that I missed. Is this publication part of some sort of pan-Europhobia expat front?

Worthwhile correcting some of the many falsehoods and half truths contained within.

1

euroweeklynews.com/2023/11/19/exp… Let's start with this. While it's true that it is Spain's agreed rule with the 26 other members states, it is a rule. It is certainly not guidance.

2

Ed Davey going all in on EEA last week has turned heads. EEA is now on the agenda for UK pols.

But it has provoked lively debate (I'll tag some involved at the end) and divided Europeans somewhat.

I have a modest proposal.

A 🧵 EEA essentially is a version of the single market without some key elements. It has become a comfortable home for three non-European states, Liechtenstein, and two Nordics, Iceland and Norway.

2

The #exceptionalists claim that they don't demand exceptional treatment, that they don't want to damage Schengen, that they just want to rejoin Europe.

Is that true?

Let's examine the anatomy of the x-ceptionalist xenomorph.

A 🧵 Let's remind ourselves of what European law actually says: the *maximum* is 90/180; there are no exceptions for holiday homes.

Schengen only works because we apply common standards across the union since it came into force.

2

Very interesting article in the Times of London on where Labour is at regarding Europe.

This will not be smooth. There is going to be a period of faffing about while Labour gets to understand Europe.

1 À worrying lack of ambition, and still the Tory-Brexiter redlines.

If people vote for this, they have been well warned.

2

I see a lot of people on Twitter, a certain type of pro-European if you will, complaining that Europe is denying Britons their "acquired rights".

By this they mean their rights of citizenship, in particular FOM.

But is this the case?

A 🧵 Of course, this question was examined by courts in several jurisdictions, including the UK and at the ECJ, without success. No court held that Britons had acquired rights to FOM in Europe.

2

curia.europa.eu/jcms/upload/do…

Paper by @AndrewDuffEU on setting out a programme for joining Europe.

First thing to say, this is far more structured thinking that the norm in mainstream UK politics and, mostly, interacts with the reality of what Europe is.

Were Labour proposing this, it'd be quite solid

🧵 I have stated in the past, much like with Darwinian theory, that any evolution in the relationship has to be an improvement on the last *in and of itself* for Europe.

2

I wrote a thread yesterday on the displacement going on on rejoin circles, that Brexit was not the fault of voters, but of "outside" forces like the UK Parliament.

Replies were clear. Not only are people unwilling to take responsibility for Brexit...

🧵

https://x.com/nialloconghaile/status/1756591433773994103?s=20

They actively blame Europe for the the consequences of their decision.

2

Two slightly related pieces that I read today:

@davidmcw in the Irish Times and
Thomas Samson for Encompass

Both set out the whole that the UK is in.

A 🧵

Mr McWilliams's piece looks at the where the UK is at in the Brexit process but how Brexit is damaging life on a micro level.

Not just broken, but broke.

2

If you don't follow Prof. @Jacobbe79601492, you should do. He's one of the good guys on here. Facts, but nice with it.

Here's his new article au @BylinesEast on potential Euro-UK relations.

Couple of points

1

eastangliabylines.co.uk/customs-union-…
Firstly, why the hell is this not being pushed by Labour? It's and easy win with big benefits and offers up possible tag-ons.

2

Part of the misunderstanding from rejoiners regarding optouts in the event of a UK application under A49 is that they assume it is like a commercial transaction: you have a position; you try to come to an agreed position publicly; all lose a little if there is no agreement.

1 The motives are profit (sell high and buy low) and concern for reputation and quality

So both sides are prepared to move so as to get the deal

Some rejoiners assume that Europe is the seller and the UK is the buyer, and Europe will move if UK is hard enough in its position

2

As usual, crucial reading from @chrisgreybrexit, this time on the situation of European citizens in the UK under the withdrawal agreement.

Quick reaction in a 🧵

chrisgreybrexitblog.blogspot.com/2024/01/the-sc…
First, it's important to acknowledge, that part of the point of Brexit was to make Europeans feel insecure, to hurt them. The idea is that you may be low on the ladder and your life hasn't worked out, but at least you can take rights from foreigners and make them worse off.

2

This looks to me like the the Brexit issue that will be the most pressing for Labour.

Whether it will turn people back towards Europe is another question.

1

kentlive.news/news/kent-news…
The first and most obvious reaction is to say, you voted for it.

And it goes with the fact that everyone is complaining about the UK's choice of and to Brexit.

Roadies, farmers, fishers, tour guides, carmakers, bankers, manufacturers, even lawyers

2

uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/english-l…

Important article in the Economist on Labour's Europe policy.

For the British pro-European voter this is worrying. Labour is mainly empty platitudes when it comes to Europe. They don't "feel" it.

🧵

economist.com/britain/2024/0…
British pro-Europeans need to start considering if this is where they want to lend their votes. Europe is off the table. That is just the reality, and Lammy's soft soaping of you won't change that.

Hoping for a second term Pauline conversion is naïve.

2

How the single market works. And perhaps where it's not. With a little rant from me.

(And a bit on pint bottles of wine)

A 🧵 If Britain were a member state, and If British officials had been minded, they could have "legalised" sale of pints of wine not just in the UK but across Europe.

This is because of the single market.

2

Lot of discussion with @TimmoWorldWide of @CarryonTouring_ yesterday.

Two points he consistently makes.

Firstly, crewing tours and fhs music biz in general is a valuable area where the UK has a comparative advantage. It's competitive

1 Secondly, he states that in the past US bands would pick up a British crew for their entire tour of this continent. Now they hire Europeans for the tour, including for the UK leg.

All because of the British choice to Brexit.

2