Europe - dare we hope?

We should never hace left in the first place. I am a little concerned about the conditions that will be placed on any attempt to rejoin. We will lose a lot of control in our own country and most probably say goodbye to the £. Which will inevitably raise prices again. However, in the long term its a necessity.

"I thought lots of other countries were going to follow us when they realised what a great decision we’d made hmm? Whatever came of that I wonder?"

It was just one of the lies amongst many others spread by the Brexit zealots.

Repeat the lie often enough and is becomes fact in the minds of the gullible, Farage is still using it to good effect.

FranP

Luckygirl3

We need them more than they need us. Brexit has left us on the back foot.

Given we are paying far too much for the divorce - they need us. Really bad exit negotiations, really bad contract in the first place.
When we went in it was like minded, like valued countries, even though both Spain and Italy had their problems, but now the EU is full of gimme countries who cannot afford to be in. It would appear that Denmark and France are unhappy and reconsidering

I thought lots of other countries were going to follow us when they realised what a great decision we’d made ? Whatever came of that I wonder?

Or for Denmark.

It would appear that .......... France are unhappy and reconsidering.
Reconsidering what? There are absolutely no plans for le Frexit by the current French government.

Not reconsidering their membership of the EU, reconsidering EU policies to better represent their interests. There is a big difference.

Luckygirl3

We need them more than they need us. Brexit has left us on the back foot.

Given we are paying far too much for the divorce - they need us. Really bad exit negotiations, really bad contract in the first place.
When we went in it was like minded, like valued countries, even though both Spain and Italy had their problems, but now the EU is full of gimme countries who cannot afford to be in. It would appear that Denmark and France are unhappy and reconsidering

Bibedybop

Maremia

The thing about democracy is that you get to vote again.
Would people vote again for BREXIT now that we have lived its reality?

Yes and the vote was 10 years ago, why not vote again and put the argument to rest. Who knows we might get the same result if the country thinks it has been a success.

There is no point in voting to rejoin, the EU wouldn't have us currently, but we can get some limited concessions now, thats a realistic aim.
Every EU state has a veto we need to make a lot more friends to rejoin their club, the one big obstacle is freedom of movement

We are so isolated now. Trump’s behaviour has shown this so clearly. He is threatening us constantly and attempts to bully us to follow his lead. We need Europe. We need to reverse our isolation. We need to reinstate our ability to return illegal migrants to their own country. Brexit has been a disaster!

Maremia

The thing about democracy is that you get to vote again.
Would people vote again for BREXIT now that we have lived its reality?

Yes and the vote was 10 years ago, why not vote again and put the argument to rest. Who knows we might get the same result if the country thinks it has been a success.

If the momentum continues it will only take one political party to see the opportunity to win a GE with a manifesto pledge to seek to rejoin the EU.

Maremia 17.18 "In a democracy, 58 per cent is a majority".

Absolutely and more or less double the 30% who said it was the right decision to leave the EU.

Romola

I campaigned hard for Remain and was derided on this site for saying I cried all day when Leave won. The last ten years showed that my tears were for good reason, as I knew at the time.
I'm a member of the European Movement and do all I can to support closer ties with the EU and its associates. I hate being an alien from what is our wider Western heritage.

I voted Remain as did my DS and DD. DD was in Japan on tour with the orchsestra she worked with as tour manager. She phoned me in the middle of the night sobbing down the phone when the result was announced! She knew how Brexit would make performing in Europe more difficult and double her workload applying for visas for all the orchestra rather than the few musicians who were not from the UK or Europe. DS went to work in Germany for 2 years during the transition period but possibly wouldn't be able to do the same now. I have a number of family members living in Europe including my brother who owns a villa in Spain which he cannot visit for as long as before.
However I still know people who think Brexit was the right decision and I can't understand their reasoning at all.
I still remember a poster on GN bemoaning the fact that she'd voted Leave, against the advice of her adult children, only to see them emmigrate as their jobs in the UK were no longer there!
Unfortunately any return to the deal we had is never going to happen and anything we do recover will be at a high price!

Mojack26

If I was EU I would not take us back. South of England voted us out

Farage and his posters had a lot to answer for.

Doesn't stop me wanting a 'closer relationship'.

MartavTaurus

MaizieD

MartavTaurus

I think Labour calls it resetting the relationship, though that's a bit misleading because it can't and shouldn't return to its original rapport.

Why not?

Because things have evolved over the past 10 years, I believe you can never go back, only forward.
A lot has changed, certainly the UK will have learned more about how our European friends view us, and vice versa.
The rapport is fractured, but it can be rebuilt in a different way.

I want my freedom of movement back... We won't get that without rejoining.

I really do not want to be hanging around on the periphery of the EU for ever. That isn't what I voted for... twice.

I'm as sore now as I was 10 years ago...

I agree with Martav/Taurus in that we won't be given back the same terms and conditions that we gave up at BREXIT.

In a democracy, 58 per cent is a majority.

If I was EU I would not take us back. South of England voted us out

Share of people who think Brexit was the right or wrong decision 2020-2026- Published by Statista Research Department, Feb 17, 2026
"As of January 2026,58 percent of people in Great Britain thought that it was wrong to leave the European Union, compared with 30 percent who thought it was the right decision".

I'm one of the majority 58% of people in GB that the decision to leave the EU was the wrong decision...

MaizieD

MartavTaurus

I think Labour calls it resetting the relationship, though that's a bit misleading because it can't and shouldn't return to its original rapport.

Why not?

Because things have evolved over the past 10 years, I believe you can never go back, only forward.
A lot has changed, certainly the UK will have learned more about how our European friends view us, and vice versa.
The rapport is fractured, but it can be rebuilt in a different way.

MartavTaurus

I think Labour calls it resetting the relationship, though that's a bit misleading because it can't and shouldn't return to its original rapport.

Why not?

I think Labour calls it resetting the relationship, though that's a bit misleading because it can't and shouldn't return to its original rapport.

Oh fingers crossed - if Mr Starmer manages to de-brexit us he will have my support forever!

Closer working is not rejoining.