In the face of Trump’s mayhem, Europe is the direction to which the UK must turn – and Keir Starmer knows it
In the face of Trump’s mayhem, Europe is the direction to which the UK must turn – and Keir Starmer knows it
The PM will not antagonise the unpredictable president, but it is clear to No 10 that Trump is the problem and the solution lies elsewhere, says journalist and Keir Starmer biographer Tom Baldwin
This article says that the UK might be willing to sign up for a youth mobility scheme with the EU (for 18-30 year-olds) because it could boost economic growth: "by some estimates, it could do more for growth than planning reform and housebuilding combined".
However, the article also says that the UK government thinks it would be a mistake to get too close to the EU, because this could serve the narrative of right-wing populists:
Downing Street believes that part of the appeal of both Trump and our homegrown [British] strain of rightwing populism lies in how institutions like the EU became too detached from the people they were meant to serve. In short, [the UK government is] determined not to be seen defending the status quo.
Thoughts?
Well if he knows, he is not showing it. Starmer has been cozying up to US tech giants and lawmakers a lot lately. He needs to do a complete 180 and start nationalizing more of UK infrastructure instead of less.
However, the article also says that the UK government thinks it would be a mistake to get too close to the EU, because this could serve the narrative of right-wing populists:
Serving the interests of right wingers is worse than serving their narrative. Stop giving in to nazis or you will get what the US has.
I'm not saying I necessarily agree with the idea that getting too close to the EU would be a mistake. I think it makes a lot of sense for the UK to have strong ties with the EU.
Brexit was a massive headache for Britain so I think that's why the UK government doesn't want to open up that argument again immediately. I guess Starmer does want to build stronger ties with Europe, but he probably wants Brexit-voters (many of whom were from poorer parts of the UK) to feel like their vote is being honoured. If they feel they have been completely ignored then they might give their support to Reform UK, Britain's equivalent of AfD.
I never understood why the torries thought implementing Brexit meant cutting all strings and burning each and every bridge though. They could've pursued a deal like Norway or Switzerland, if the vote was this narrow you could easily spin it as 'we want to find a solution that makes everybody happy'.
he does not behave like he knows it though
Didn't they just start charging £14 for visiting the UK? They are certainly not coming across as very inviting to individuals.
I think he is right to worry about defending the status quo in this moment. Trump returned to power in a large part because he offered an alternative and Kamala painted herself as a defender of the status quo. Now I don't think as many people in Europe are chomping at the bit for change as they were in November in the USA - but I also don't think people are exactly pleased either.
There are real concerning global changes occuring at a greater and greater pace and people want to hear that leadership is willing to act on it, and sometimes that means talking with passion and offering real change instead of just a limp-wristed defense of what we already have.