UK Rejoining The EU - SLOWLY

The Tories were adamant, and so, sadly, were Labour: rejoining the EU was not going to happen. So there would be more food shortages, more food inflation, blocks to trading with all those other countries just across the Channel, more countries with lots of English speakers picking off jobs from the UK, and more of those travel difficulties to look forward to.

Rejoining? Oh no, no, no, no, no, no ... YES

But, it seems, no part of our free and fearless press has noticed that the Tories have in fact started, piece by piece, to align the UK with EU standards and institutions, while trying to pretend that what they are doing is a win for US over THEM. The papers have the excuse of a Look Over There front page item concerning a terror suspect who broke out of prison yesterday.

10 Downing Street has announced the good news. “DEAL DONE: The UK is joining Horizon Europe. Following negotiations with [the European Commission], UK scientists will now have access to the world’s largest research and innovation programme on better terms for British taxpayers. It’s another step to grow the economy”. Shouldn’t that be “rejoin”?

Whatever. “Under the deal the UK becomes a fully associated member during the lifetime of the programme, giving British companies and research institutions unrivalled opportunities to develop new technologies and research projects in areas from health to AI”. What’s with the “fully associated” verbiage? Why the need for an excursion into estate agent speak?

There was, sadly, more: “This is the right deal for the UK, creating thousands of jobs, growing the economy and cementing the UK’s status as a science and tech superpower by 2030. UK scientists can start applying to Horizon now”. Superpower my arse. Besides, Mid Norfolk MP George Freeman rather undermined his PM by owning up to what had really happened.

“PM [Rishi Sunak] has cleared the way & negotiated UK re-entry to Horizon (now the worlds biggest R+D program): Full Association to Horizon + Copernicus & Fusion carveout … UK researchers+ Companies can apply from TODAY … New UK Funding Guarantee”. So the UK is re-entering a programme that it left as part of the agreement to leave the EU.

And it wasn’t the only item on the agenda, as former Labour MEP Richard Corbett pointed out: “So, Britain has now reversed Brexit as regards: - the EU research programmes (‘Horizon’) - the CE marks certifying a product’s conformity with European health, safety, & environmental standards … Much more to come”. OK, a bit Ron Hopeful there. But maybe not so much.

As for those critical of the Tories, the response was far from enthusiastic, with Tone’s former chief spinner Alastair Campbell reminding us “Sunak now trying to claim great credit for getting back a weaker version of something we should never have lost. PS following his previous great triumph - the Windsor Framework - a reminder the N Ireland institutions still not up and running”.

Point. And LBC host James O’Brien had his own take: “This is an interesting thread, but not for the intended reason. It tries to convey that rejoining a small part of the EU is both a ‘good thing’, which it obviously is, albeit as a mere ‘associate’ member & on terms the EU decides”. There was more.

“But, pathetically & for obvious reasons, it also tries to convey a sense of ‘us’ having scored some sort of victory over ‘them’. The continuing need to feed the delusion that leaving was a good idea has rarely looked more tragic. They are trying to celebrate the partial restoration of something they celebrated abandoning”. And once this partial rejoining is done, there will be more.

The problem for Sunak and his team is how they continue in this direction without setting off waves of howling protest from the Brexit headbanger tendency. And the problem for Keir Starmer is being wrong footed by one of the lamest PMs in history, in a field that contains some serious competition, not least comedy PM Liz Truss, and the now disgraced figure of former alleged Prime Minister Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson.

But the inevitable rowing back of Brexit has begun. Just rejoice at that news.

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