Would the EU ever let the UK Back in?

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It has been just over seven years since the UK voted to leave the European Union. Despite this, the former chief EU negotiator for Brexit, Michael Barnier, recently said that the door to the UK rejoining the EU is open and the UK will be welcomed back with open hands. But is there any chance that the UK will join anytime soon? And would the EU ever let the UK back in?
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1 - news.sky.com/story/brexit-pol...
2 - www.independent.co.uk/news/uk...
3 - www.theguardian.com/world/202...
4 - www.reuters.com/article/us-eu...
5 - ec.europa.eu/neighbourhood-en...
6 - eastangliabylines.co.uk/uk-ca...
00:00 - Introduction
01:56 - Reasons the EU Wouldn't Let the UK Back In
03:40 - Reasons the EU Would Let the UK Back In
04:36 - What Would Rejoining Look Like?
06:52 - Brilliant

[@cgt3704]

The UK politicians simply do what any politician does: refusing to admit they were foolish.

[@Aceshigh451]

You are 100% correct

[@somethinglikethat2176]

They are doing that because a significant part of the voting British public are doing the same. I'm sorry but this is on the British people. They were given a choice and a majority chose to believe nonsense.

[@JevansUK]

Parties are merely seeking to avoid brexit being part of the election debate, Labour will move to closer alignment, rejoin is a long road but it is the direction of travel, the tories need to come round before it happens the EU won't want to have to go through this shit again

[@youxkio]

Then they abandon the ship when their policies end up sinking the boat.

[@cgt3704]

@@youxkio Farage approves this message

[@tarotstudent3258]

As a EU citizen I am wary about the UK rejoining the EU. Even though more British people than before might regret Brexit, I still doubt they want the responsibilities that come with a „real“ EU membership. I often felt that (while the UK was still a member of the EU) there was quiet a dissonance between what the UK and what continental European members thought the EU is. It always felt like the UK treated the EU as a trade union they wanted to economically benefited from rather than an ambitious political project (which I think the EU is) which they would have to fully commit to. That’s why I personally think this polling is misleading. Instead of asking British people if they regret Brexit, British people should be asked, if they want the Euro and Schengen implemented in the UK. Then let’s see the results… I doubt most British people are up for a „real“ EU membership. As long as that is the case I don’t know why we are even discussing a possible rejoining 🤷‍♀️

[@gontrandjojo9747]

@@thetruth9210 Don't worry, we all know the majority of Brits are Daily Mail readers. That's why we will never let you come back even if you want to.

[@vicentiumunteanu2385]

@@thetruth9210 "the British people don't regret Brexit, don't confuse the Guardian with the British people" If You hate the guardian you must be in prison

[@claudioricci1]

@@thetruth9210’s not the Guardian that ran the poll, and various other successive polls over the years that show Brits are becoming more and more for rejoining/pro-EU over time; they are just reporting it. Which, by the way, have plenty of Right Wing media publications. Unless you’re saying the press shouldn’t report 3rd party polling? Are Yougov (Zahawis company btw), Savanta and plenty of other polling companies all conspiring to lie about public sentiment for the last few years shifting? Of course not.

[@ahgversluis]

Exactly. I’m a UK-sceptic when it comes to that.

[@ahgversluis]

@@thetruth9210 Then they’re thicker than we thought

[@miguelmonteiro7942]

The question shoud be Does the EU wants de UK back? I don't think so. EU has moved on from Brexit.

[@ianboakes8670]

It's a win-win then. Or a lose-lose, one of the two.

[@DaveLongcock]

We dont want to return, take no notice of these bogus polling statistics.

[@buddy1155]

What is an UK?

[@antonnurwald5700]

I think it depends on interests. Germany was always happy to have the UK in to balance France. France prob wants UK to keep out. For me (german) the question is if the UK can commit to this project and find a stable majority for it. If this is the case, yes please. If this is just another round of arrogance, lies and cherry picking, please stay out.

[@antonnurwald5700]

If the UK should manage to get through this current crisis of organized self harm and move beyond delusions of imperial grandeur, so will it (have moved)

[@biopsiesbeanieboos55]

The UK leaving the EU was, effectively, a self healing wound for the EU. No one in the EU is regretting the loss of the UK. UK is on its own, for at least 2 generations.

[@Dzyn79]

EU is corrupted and short of money. Germany spent too much money for migrants and is short of money as well.

[@mattwillis9173]

I’m not sure about that. Germany recently broke EU protocol by approaching U.K. for a trade deal.

[@ianboakes8670]

Maybe, but your tone seems to suggest a bitterness about the UK leaving. Would you have liked them to stay or were you always hoping for a split?

[@biopsiesbeanieboos55]

@@ianboakes8670 I’m interested as to why you feel my tone is more worthy of discussion than the own goal that was brexit.

[@Silverfish-qv8ig]

@@biopsiesbeanieboos55 Because you are clearly hurt by it. Looking at the facts, the UK leaving was an economic, cultural and military loss for the EU. That's not exceptionalism, just the truth. The UK was the biggest contributor in the EU to popular culture and a net contributor. The size of its military is also very important to the EU. So yes, the EU should be mourning the loss, not that it would do publicly anyway!

[@davidsummer8631]

There is a legal opinion that the UK could not re-join the EU because the UK doesn't have a written constitution which wasn't an issue when the UK joined the EEC

[@samhartford8677]

And given their current crack down on basic human rights... Nobody wants a larger Hungary in the EU.

[@riskinhos]

@@samhartford8677 hungary has a constitution.

[@henninghesse9910]

@@riskinhos but unfortunatly hungary has very different understanding about what rule of law means compared to all the other eu member states. Well, there is Poland... Let´s say everyone within the eu would enjoy seeing both countries following the britsh example and just leave.

[@johaquila]

@@henninghesse9910 Not everyone. It would be quite inconvenient for Germany if this big neighbour were to leave the EU, and there are also strategic considerations that make it advisable to allow this US vassal state to stay in the EU, now that the bigger US vassal has left.

[@henninghesse9910]

@@johaquila I am quiet ok living in a "US vassal state" when I see the other options. And life is more inconvenient with Poland inside the EU, in my opinion. Strategic considerations are: nukes and guess what our french and us buddies got a lot of em and we have to invest in our army aswell.

[@N0rnagest]

I think it's possible for the UK to re-join the EU, but the UK will never get the privileges back that it had before.

[@gontrandjojo9747]

Even with all their priviledges, they were constantly whinning and claiming that the EU was "stealing" their money. Imagine how they will be if they are treated like anyone else. They shouldn't any time soon as long as they remain this arrogant and deluded people.

[@pixhammer]

Uk definitely won't join without keeping the pound, it's a non-starter, if that is an impossibility the UK will likely stay out permanently.

[@ltmund]

It will be pretty hard to argue against a bus when 350M is correct.

[@frankthetank5708]

​@@ltmund The UK is losing 4% of it's GDP every year actually because of leaving the EU. Compare that sum with the 350millions which had been paid for membership brutto.

[@globalismoblackman]

Faaaaacts 👍 UK negotiations will come with a weak leverage and EU will have for breakfast, lunch and dimmer spit out the bones and fluff of the UK meal lol hahaha 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@bruceketcheson4877]

Haven't heard a SINGLE time someone in the EU thought, man it would be great to have the UK back in the EU. NOT a single time. So matter how much the UK swirls about wether Brexit was right or wrong, they and there insistent stances are not missed, nor wanted at all.

[@jeffsmith3392]

Well that's encouraging. I don't want back in. I don't want EU citizenship. They can shove their star ⭐

[@stannumowl]

Well, let them come back. But on a general basis, without exceptions they used to have. I'm not sure what speaks more to me here. Desire to see all EU's possible growth or wish to see how the UK will get over themselves and actually take part in european integration

[@jeffsmith3392]

@@stannumowl European integration.. The stuff of nightmares. Glad to be gone. Crack on fellas.

[@stannumowl]

@@jeffsmith3392 Don't worry, I will be absolutely fine if you wouldn't try it as well. Gluck 😁

[@berendsasker6172]

The sole reason for Brexit is rampant Nationalism and their over inflated ego has only gotten worse. They could not handle being small fry in a prosperous EU, they would rather be an impoverished tax haven. And that is fine.

[@neutronalchemist3241]

You don't allow to enter someone that you know is not in good faith.

[@TomTom-ik8dm]

The problem is, UK once again (as in the 1970ies) only wants to join for economical reasons. That doesn't fit for EU and will be rejected.

[@louis-philippearnhem6959]

I completely agree.

[@celtspeaksgoth7251]

Which is how it should be, as in 1973 we joined the European Economic Community. Clue is in the name.

[@frankkobold]

​@@celtspeaksgoth7251which just shows again how uneducated people like you are about that topic. The EU and all it's predecessors were founded as political peace projects, with trade as the means, not as the end.

[@frankoneill5675]

@@celtspeaksgoth7251 The clue is in the first sentence of the Treaty of Rome. The EEC/EU isn't a never was just a trading bloc like the nation of shopkeepers see it

[@maartenaalsmeer]

@@celtspeaksgoth7251 Treaty of Rome, 1957: “Determined to lay the foundations of an ever closer union among the peoples of Europe …..”. Article 2 of the Treaty also promoted the 'spirit' of closer union in its description of the aims of the Community, ending with "closer relations between the States belonging to it." It was *never just economical* and that has been clear for decades.

[@BewareOfTheKraut]

You forgot to mention the brontosaurus in the room: no more 🇬🇧 institutionalized tax evading and money laundering. And that’s unlikely to happen…

[@paulwood6729]

*cough* Panama Files

[@arthas640]

The UK does it to but they're hardly alone in that. The Dutch had a major tax evasion scheme going, Irelands economic growth was largely thanks to helping big businesses avoid taxes, European art markets are huge in tax evasion schemes, Luxembourg is infamous for tax evasion, and the EU just recently had a major VAT scheme that was costing them billions in lost tax revenue. When ranking the worst tax havens in the world you almost always see Ireland, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg above the UK with the "Dutch Sandwhich" scheme being one of the most famous tax evasion schemes among the public. To give an idea of the scale of Ireland's tax evasion prowess Apple alone transferred over $300 billion worth of IP to Ireland to avoid American and other European taxes. Malta ranks below the UK on those lists but is quickly gaining ground. Honestly Europe has a whole is terrible about tax evasion. Most of the most famous cities and countries for shady banking, tax evasion, and money laundering are almost all in Europe. The UK is bad about all that but they're hardly alone and nobody really seems eager to kick Ireland or Luxembourg out despite both their economies being heavily influenced by tax evasion schemes and Luxembourg basically just being a nation sized tax haven and very little going on in the country economically aside from a tool company and a laundry list of companies having empty offices there to avoid taxes.

[@a.r.stellmacher8709]

That’s most likely the reason why England wanted out. They (Westminster) love tax evasion, money laundering and the likes.

[@DragonTheOneDZA]

"WE'RE LEAVING" "Ok can we come back??"

[@vapsa56]

The answer is no. They got their sovereignty. But their😊 victory doesn't taste as sweet.

[@finneogan]

I'm afraid your third argument for the EU to let the UK rejoin is a very weak one, and I would actually argue the opposite: having a country leave and letting it rejoin soon after would set a catastrophic precedence. Populists in several member states would have it easier than before to clamor for an exit when the electorate is allowed to change their mind a few years later if they don't like the outcome of going it alone. A no-risk exit would thus potentially destabilize the union. From that perspective, this is actually the _strongest_ argument _against_ letting the UK back in in the foreseeable future. Especially with the horrible British FPTP election system in place that isn't just the most unfair in all of Europe but systematically fosters division and polarization within the electorate.

[@Astergio23]

I think if the rejoining (for UK) will be complicated and long as the leaving process was, it will show how this processes are far from being really viable by every state at their will.

[@maxkrepps9474]

I have only skin deep knowledge about things like this, but I want to gain some insight from someone who seems or claims to be knowledgeable. So, something seemingly similar happened in the USA where texas left and later rejoined with a bunch more states. Yet I don’t think there was any more states to secede after they rejoined. On top of that initially they left mexico and joined the USA, what stopped even more states from doing the same, given that they got the opportunity to take their chances and have the United States pick them up after they didn’t like it? Is there a reason why it would be different in the UK? Sorry if I am ignorant on this, if theres one thing I have never understood, its politics.

[@xXRealXx]

​@@maxkrepps9474US states are legally not allowed to leave the Union after the Civil War. So no state is going to leave the US now

[@appstratum9747]

"I'm afraid your third argument for the EU to let the UK rejoin is a very weak one..." Yup. Exactly.

[@samxiang4669]

Well he did say, for the arguments for rejoining, "let's assume the UK is fully committed to the EU cause," as he said previously that the UK being politically divided over the EU could lead to it joining and rejoining which is an argument against

[@johncook2303]

The various polls taken do indeed make it look as if there are many regretters but are they asking the right questions in these surveys, such as, 'would you be prepared to rejoin the EU if that meant joining the Euro, open borders and no opt outs ?', my feeling is that the results might be a little different.

[@iangascoigne8231]

You mean ask loaded questions?

[@LivingroomTV-me9oz]

Or you could load it even harder by asking, “Would you rejoin the EU if it meant a Frenchman could sleep with your wife?”

[@eelvis1674]

I would be interested to see that poll. But while I do think it would have fewer brexit voters agreeing. I don't think much of the younger generations who are the more pro EU ones have the same attachment to the pound etc that people did when the Eurozone was first created.

[@iangascoigne8231]

@@eelvis1674 Your evidence for that claim is?

[@iangascoigne8231]

@@LivingroomTV-me9oz Well Brexiteer’s did say if the UK remained in the EU we’d have 70 million Turks as our next door neighbour.

[@anthonyolive3114]

Don't even think about it. You voted out. You're out.

[@zam6877]

Honestly the UK was such a pain in the ass when they were in the EU

[@metamind411]

Can it be trusted to not start blaming all of its problems on the EU a millisecond after and leave again making the EU go trough the mess of Brexit a second time? I think not. Maybe after there’s a generational change so in like two decades

[@martinhawes5647]

Atleast the second time we’d actually have “oven ready” conditions for leaving.

[@lenawagenfuehr53]

Brexit really isn't a mess for us - our supermarket shelves are full

[@neuralwarp]

Yes we do blame the EU. Reality hurts, doesn't it.

[@metamind411]

@@neuralwarp Thank you for proving my point, stay out

[@_PatrickO]

@@neuralwarp Brexit was caused by terrible right wing UK politicians and propaganda. The referendum which was non-binding and ridiculously misleading was used to set up a cliff dive exit that happened if politicians failed to agree on anything else. That is absolutely insane. They crashed out of the EU like complete morons. The referendum was designed to group hard and soft brexiters together because hard brexit was a minority and 70% of the people did not want it. Soft brexiters have little in common with hard brexiters. Soft brexiters have the most common ground with remainers. You can rename it as "soft remaining" it would be the same thing. The UK sabotaged tself. I think the best outcome is NI reintegrates with ireland and england/scotland gets the isolation its crappy right wing politicians wanted. Scotland would have to declare independence if they don't like it. The UK doesn't really offer anything to the EU, it is a dying nation that has a growing trade deficit. The UK is becoming pakistan. The UK went woke and is now going broke.

[@HelenLemink]

Eu works way better without the UK and all the Eu institutions feel it now. We have seen a very significant change since Brexit, decisions are easier to take, solidarity is higher. It would be also the case without Hungary for example but the big difference is that the Hungarian problem could be solved by a political change in that country. For UK, the problem is way deeper, it's also the medias, the mentalities, etc... That won't be changed soon, it's gonna take generations at least. "The door stay open" is a diplomatic way to say "not really, but you can still hope if your mentality really change one day". Managing Brexit was for Barnier the worst years of his career, if there is one person really happy to see Brexit done, it's him. So don't be sure the door is that open.

[@hackman669]

Keep your independence. Never bow down to to pressure. 😄

[@richardgregory3684]

You mean everyone now just does what France/Germany tells them to, because whilst the UK - being the same size as France - was big enough to say no (and plenty of much smaller EU members were happy to take advantage of that), the others aren't. When was th elast time the EU did something Germany did not want, or failed to do something Germany did want? How often has it been the case that France and Germany get together behind closed doors and reach a deal to suit themselves, and then use their combined size and economic power to impose it on everyone else? I mean, get real, when is a small country ever going to vote against or use it's hypothetical veto?

[@richardgregory3684]

@@Buckets1000 Just like they did in Greece then?

[@richardgregory3684]

@@Buckets1000 The Uk joined the EU which was then the EEC, the European Economic Community, in 1973, eight years before Greece did. lol.

[@richardgregory3684]

@@Buckets1000 And?

[@tntg5]

UK : I want more countries using the euro and agreeing on Shengen Also UK : there will be no euro here and also, i don't agree with shengen policy. Basically Uk came to europe to mess things up while keeping itself away from the mess.. and then leave

[@artrandy]

The EU doesn't need the UK to create a mess, its in a pretty big mess all of its own...😀...

[@tntg5]

@@artrandy true.. therefore, the less mess the better

[@artrandy]

@@tntg5 The UK has just signed up to the CPTPP, an international trade organisation, which would be incompatible with that of being a member of the EU. We can't have both. All major parties in Britain are in favour of this new project. If anyone needed any evidence that the UK will not be rejoining the EU, this is it. This channel is simply indulging in clickbait, to stir up all those Remoaners in the UK, to get to their battle stations, and make Continental Europeans believe that Britain is suffering from 'buyer's remorse', when only the indoctrinated really believe that Britain wants to go back to jail. You go your way, and we'll go our way, and when there's a majority of Neo-N8zis in the European Parliament, don't come knocking on our door for some sanity, like Europe did in 1940. You can get on with it.........

[@cplcabs]

Where did you get that nonsense from?

[@tntg5]

@@cplcabs from the video you have just watched my dear. It says UK pushed for widening eu borders to new members (while closing its border and using its own currency)

[@cgaud1n69]

As an American, I have a fondness of the English. That said, the Brits are a bit hard headed about their perceived stature in the world, not unlike Americans who inadvertently act in a way that irritates many across the globe. THE WORLD DOES NOT REVOLVE AROUND US. Many countries have vastly different customs beliefs, political philosophies. Yet we look at the world through the prism of our own value system and we tend to judge everyone else that does not conform to our Western standard and legacy of self governance. You gotta give a little to get a little. UK now is realizing that the long-term benefit escaped them and now they are scrambling to remain relevant. Not sure how this will play out, but Great Britain will never regain the stature it had after WW2. They need to get back to steering the world on the proper moral compass and the World will follow.

[@AmberJays]

Speaking truthfully, it's genuinely not a complex with the majority of people here. There's honestly no desire to strive for power or greatness, in part owing to our own history (which even 500 years down the line we still get berated for), and on the other end we are berated because we are no longer that. So it's like being stuck between a rock and a hard place with contrasting inward opinions between those who assume we think we're some Empire in 2023, and those who assume we think that we want to be an Empire in 2023 - but in reality, neither of those are true (people just don't have the energy to keep trying to explain it) lol. As for UK media and UK politicians, never ever ever conflate those with general views of the UK population, for the most part it is barely accurate. If there are two phrases that the majority of us in the UK would gladly never hear again for the next 100 years, it would be: "the polls suggest" and "brexit". The actual reason for Brexit can be pinpointed to a single event, in which Brussels made a unilateral decision to allow unregulated immigration into the bloc, which put an immediate strain on infrastructure, in turn rapidly decreasing the quality of life (as people were struggling to find affordable homes, get doctor appointments, get dental appointments, get kids into schools with spaces available, etc). In the UK, because we were still dealing with the aftermath of the credit crunch which practically wiped out a large chunk of our GDP overnight (given that we have quite a large financial services sector), we were still dealing with really harsh austerity measures, and the immigration decision by Brussels was the straw that broke the camels back because it exacerbated an already bad situation. In the view of the public, it wasn't the fact that there was immigration, but the means in how it happened - aka, Brussels making a unilateral decision which directly negatively impacted quality of life, rather than it being a controlled flow where it wouldn't burden supporting infrastructure all at once. Consequently, a lot of the public reached a boiling point, and because it became a national issue, that's when UK politicians jumped on the bandwagon as it would curry favour if they turned their attention to it. At the time, Cameron was the Prime Minister, and the government faced a rebellion where a large portion of the party would break away to join a different party (UKIP - largely a single-issue party focused on the question of EU membership), which forced the PMs hand into either: 1. securing an agreement with the EU that the bloc will be reformed so that future decisions are consulted with member states, or 2. putting the question of EU membership to a public referendum vote. Cameron was then told that if he got reassurances from the EU that it will reform, then other politicians would drop support for a referendum on EU membership, and largely that would placate much of the public. However, when he approached the EU about it, they weren't willing to at that time, and that is what triggered the referendum. Media being typical media dressed the issue up as it being some anti-European rhetoric, but that's always been nonsense. It was always about the institution overstepping its boundaries and, in many peoples' views, interfering on subject matter it had no business making unilateral decisions on. More so, it is an issue which has been a stain throughout the EU, including the continental member states. The only difference is that because the UK was in a much more vulnerable position following the credit crunch than the continental countries, the effects were felt quicker here than they were elsewhere. As for the speculation of the UK ever rejoining the EU bloc, I hand on heart do not see it ever happening again. During the exit discussions, both EU and UK politicians spent so much time political point scoring rather than acting in good faith, hardly anyone in the UK would trust either side to ever go through that process again. And quite honestly, I think a lot of people in the EU would view it the same way - ultimately that it's simply not worth it. But for what it's worth, that's the real truth behind it all, not that any media outlet is going to run a truthful story lol.

[@captainbuggernut9565]

Ask Ukrainians if the UK is relevant my American friend. Who was first to supply them with kit. Who has been training them for years. The EU is a political organisation the likes of which no American, Chinese or Russian would tolerate. It wants to control the horizontal and the vertical. When we joined it wasn't like that. Hell it wasn't even the EU it was the EEC. A French dominated hegemony. A reaction to Anglo-American dominance at the end of WW2.

[@phoebegreig6523]

Says the country pushing gender ideology into everyone else! Try getting a competent President before you judge other countries

[@GCS88]

@@captainbuggernut9565 Was Ukraine ever relevant even before their wars?

[@Journey22405]

@@GCS88in fairness they supplied a lot of grain to third world countries.

[@maartenc6099]

The UK had a unique position within the EU and they squandered it.

[@PJ-om2wq]

Yes you're right. The UK was dragged in against its will by John Major and the EU did squander it.

[@nvbnvb2240]

they where forced to fall in line with Germany/ France on top of that they where forced to submit there goverment control to foreign entities....Getting out was te Wright move since France wanted to push for further integration....Aint it funny a decission to give themselfs more power is taken witouth a blockwide referendum on the question further integration or less integration....Thats burocrats for you they believe they can make te decissions better then you can...

[@quivop7759]

As an European I definitely wouldn't like that to happen. We are better off. It's just crazy that you never talk about how European citizens feel about it. I haven't heard any european saying "we were better with UK as members". Let's have a referendum in the EU to ask citizens if we would like that. That should be the question.

[@gaborrajnai6213]

Me as an European citizen feel sorry for those british guys, who didnt want to take part on Brexit.

[@YoheYamatai]

Why do I feel offended right now 😞

[@redf7209]

Gullible brexit voters were being told EU couldn't do without the UK so we would get great trade deals

[@StormShadowHarris]

First of all, the referendum was heavily grandstanded by populists and suffered from a huge misinformation campaign, and still, it only succeeded by 1% of the vote. Nobody under the age of 18 COULD vote, and that didn't help the disillusionment problem. We're not a nation of bumbling idiots just because we backslid, and while i appreciate that the European commenters on this video are talking out of resentment for having to deal with UKIP representatives, I neither appreciate their assesment of my home, nor do I think it'll help change any minds about Europe. Besides, excluding a member for a 1% margin of error after a massive misinformation campaign and backsliding into populism would be a rather hypocritical thing to do for a Frenchman, Spaniard, Pole, Hungarian, German, Greek, Italian, Bulgarian, Austrian... did I miss any? Second, yes, obviously Britain has problems. We have a blatantly undemocratic system. Everything from our media to our education to our healthcare to our key industries has been undergoing a process of privatisation, monopolisation and gutting. We have a knife crime epidemic, we've handled immigration terribly, there are flats being built on the Thames exclusively for the purpose of Oligarchs while we suffer a homeless crisis. We aren't a perfect country by any means. But we've also stepped up massively to help Ukraine. We still belong to NATO, and even the most unsalvageable little englander was in favour of European economic integration through the free market. We do care, and we do try, and as time moves forward and people get more disillusioned with Tories and populist movements and labour sorts it's damn act out, we're going to care and try more.

[@RayyMusik]

As a European I hope to see the UK, undoubtedly an important part of Europe, back in EU during my lifespan. Don‘t forget, most brexiteers just fell victim to criminal liars back in 2016. We should kick out Hungary instead.

[@ab-js2gw]

Real question is whether the EU would take UK back.

[@thorus528]

There needs to be a referendum among citizens of current EU members wether or not to take the UK back. I doubt it would succeed, at least not until the costs of the Brexit procedure have been reimbursed. The previous exceptions to EU rule for Britain are completely out of question this time round.

[@DavidEdwards-uf5lg]

Could UK rejoin EU? Good god I hope not,EVER.

[@MarkPitts-hk8dv]

Stick the EU. Don’t want it anyway. You all dance to Berlin’s tune anyway.

[@ThomasIsBored]

We're better off together. No use for hard feelings if it hurts us in the long run

[@grumpygit447]

Don’t worry we don’t want to rejoin

[@ExitiumNL]

@@ThomasIsBored Yes and no. The UK rejoining would be better for both parties, but the UK has way more to gain than the EU. While I don't oppose the UK rejoining, it would have to be as a 'regular' member (including Schengen and the Euro), and with some sort of guarantee of not leaving a few years later again. Could do the latter in the agreement as well, like a clause that states that the EU won't be able to invoke article 50 for x years after officially joining the EU, but for it to work the UK would have to really want to join. Not just the current government, but the vast majority of the country.

[@kbqvist]

You are right, there would be no special treatment of the UK, and it would only happen after the UK showing a clear commitment over a couple of election cycles..

[@williamhenry8914]

I would say more than a couple but broadly yes I agree

[@SaintGerbilUK]

Which would be a clear violation of the Copenhagen criteria. Vote our way or else, isn't exactly "guaranteeing democracy".

[@williamhenry8914]

@@SaintGerbilUK What do you mean sorry? No one is forcing the UK to rejoin, the OP is just saying 'no special treatment'

[@jounik]

​@@SaintGerbilUKClear commitment means actually working towards meeting the criteria for a member candidate, something the UK is a few decades behind schedule in even attempting.

[@MikeAG333]

@@jounik Bwahahaha. Keep on telling yourself that, and one day even you might believe it.

[@zwojack7285]

As an EU citizen, yes. But without any of the goodies they had before

[@wakey87]

Exactly why we will never rejoin, the eu has been out to punish the UK from day 1.

[@jameswelsh4064]

@@quasii7well the uk did, we had passport control and kept the £

[@reheyesd8666]

Why join a stagnating economic market? What benefit is there?

[@bababababababa6124]

Honestly that would still be a better scenario for them than whatever is happening in that country now 😂

[@davidevans3223]

NEVER going to happen the eu could reform but looks like it's going the long way total collapse can't blackmail Poland and hungry like Greece

[@bertoverweel6588]

It's not rejoin but join the EU under the same rules and regulations as all other members. And without the English exeptionalism.

[@paulstarstarpaul5700]

As an EU citizen I don’t really care if Britain rejoin. However if they want rejoin there shouldn’t be any exceptions for them anymore. They had that the last time and it wasn’t enough. If they want to join a second time there should be no opt outs. I hope the EU sees it that way too.

[@DavidEdwards-uf5lg]

Exceptions? What exceptions?

[@DavidEdwards-uf5lg]

​@@CorvoFGanother Pillock remainer.

[@karldubhe8619]

@@DavidEdwards-uf5lg Brexiteers have this delusion about the UK, you think it's still an empire. When you talk like that, I hear you talking Russian.

[@DavidEdwards-uf5lg]

@@karldubhe8619 I know exactly what the UK is, and I know exactly what the EU is, that's why I voted to get out of that corrupt unaccountable unelected EU. Never to return hopefully.

[@neghentropia]

@@DavidEdwards-uf5lg if you don't even know what the UK opt-out from EU legislations were, you shouldn't take part in this discussion, or at least you should do it more humbly. Unlike the UK did ;)

[@aidanclarke6106]

The UK has always seen the EU as a commercial union (which it is not). Therefore, their place would be in EFTA instead, not the EU.

[@gogledhol]

Maybe amongst older generations; yet, younger generations have a much stronger European identity and are more in favour of Schengen, greater integration and Erasmus, not just the trade.

[@philipjamesparsons]

Well, the original vote was to join a common market. This was the initial purpose of the EU. It later morphed into a political union.

[@aidanclarke6106]

@@thetruth9210 - These are excerpts from the treaty founding the European Communities (boldface added by me): "(founding members) determined to lay the foundations of an *ever closer union* among the peoples of Europe, resolved to ensure the economic *and social* progress of their countries... affirming as the essential objective of their efforts the constant improvements of the *living and working conditions* of their peoples, ... determined to promote the development o the highest possible level of knowledge for their peoples...". How is that not political?

[@Lorre982]

Little problem, Norway don t want the UK in EFTA.

[@nigelsynnott7344]

@@thetruth9210 The govt of the day did ask the population to choose to stay or leave in 1975. The resounding yes to staying says a lot. We live in a representative democracy, so we delegate decision making to our MPs or MEPs, which is why referenda are rare, - a good thing, considering how poorly the 2016 one was run. Both sides lied, but leave lied more and better and won. For referenda to work for everyone's benefit, you need an educated and involved electorate, and questions framed to eliminate lies. Switzerland has both, we have and had neither. The EU is not a federal institution yet, and it is democratically run to a much greater degree than the UK. Under PR, no party could gain power with only 43% of the vote, leaving the majority disenfranchised. Would you have been happy if Remain had "won" the referendum on their 48%?

[@Kaizen917]

By the sound of it, that Copenhagen criteria of proving the uk is a stable democracy could prove to be the most challenging bit.

[@ab-ym3bf]

Almost all 4 Copenhagen criteria have obstacles for the UK in them. How about this part: "Membership presupposes the candidate's ability to take on the obligations of membership including adherence to the aims of political, economic and monetary union" We all know the UK only wants to join out of economic necessity, not because it believes in any of the goals of the EU.

[@amh9494]

​@@ab-ym3bfwho said the UK wants to rejoin?

[@ab-ym3bf]

@@amh9494 Why bring up something that is not the topic of the discussion? Is reality too harsh for you that you need to change the subject?

[@mhoward8352]

I do not want to go back into the EU and no one l know wishes to go back, l don, t know where you get that idea from,

[@amh9494]

@@ab-ym3bf your last paragraph begins with the assertion the UK would like to rejoin based on economic reasons but there's no evidence for that. The only thing you know is that people believe brexit went badly. Reality exists beyond your biased reading of the situation.

[@alexanderpetersen1664]

As a european member I would not even allow the brits back in to be honest.

[@robertmurray9514]

With out a doubt. Leaving the EU was the biggest cock up in our recent history. It’s funny how anybody you ask now never admit to voting to leave. Even bodger ‘Boris’ never really wanted to or believed that people would vote to leave. The public were genuinely lied to about the massive amount of money we would save by leaving. Remember the lies on the side of the bus. Shameful.

[@belamoure]

UK when it was a member spent its time in the EU whining, criticizing, laughing at EU and asking for rebates. Now EU without GB is more focussed to the matter at hand and can move faster and more efficiently without the constant warpings of GB. It won't happen ever. GB does not deserve EU. Barnier said nice words because he did not want to be lynched by the ferocious locals if he would have said otherwise. So much rosbeef there.

[@BewareOfTheKraut]

@@thetruth9210 Yep, the EU is much more focused and operational since Brexit. Despite having Hungary and Poland as members.

[@StaceBecco]

The EU is a basketcase 😂😂😂

[@BewareOfTheKraut]

@@thetruth9210 Yeah, it’s going to implode next month for sure. According to Nigel Fromage it should have collapsed directly after Brexit. But it will definitely end soon, right? Right.

[@BewareOfTheKraut]

@@StaceBecco A basket case which the US prefers to trade with instead of UK.

[@StaceBecco]

@@BewareOfTheKraut Still a basket case. I'm American and the UK is an important tracing partner. The senile idiot in the white House hates the UK so of course he won't do the UK any favors. The US needs to remember who it's friends are. Especially one it is heavily relying on matters such as such as AUKUS. The core of the EU is fine, but the rest of it is plagued by high unemployment, debt, stagnant growth and a general sense of decline. I went to Southern Italy and was told by locals about the misery of mass unemployment. Which is 17% for the South of the country and youth unemployment 45%. Absolutely disgraceful

[@fyngolnoldor4891]

Yeah nah, the UK shouldn't be allowed in unless it is willing to adopt the Euro IMMEDIATELY as a sign of their commitment to the project. Also the previous privileges should not be reinstated.

[@redf7209]

EU rules already make that the case

[@GCS88]

Well ever since Brexit alot of people have been researching about UK's story as a member of the EU and we all have one way or another found about De Gaulle's opinion about them why He did not want the UK in the EEC which eventually became the EU and I believe He is right that the UK's interest never aligned with the European projects but for its own benefits, looking at the way Brexit has affected people and mostly those who voted for Brexit cements the idea of this Nation as a me,me,me type of people, I personally wouldnt let them back in regardless of the compromises they might possibly accept, they were a headache when they were leaving and they're still a headache when they were gone, a very troublesome country that doesn't like cohesion.

[@BikersDoItSittingDown]

We do like cohesion - of the European countries. It is just not necessary for the UK. Every time one of you countries decides it wants to rule all of Europe, the UK ends up spilling its blood "in Flanders field". The EU might stop this from happening again. You need it - the UK doesn't

[@namonamo494]

as a eu member if they ever want to, i hope on this very special occasion it'll go through a ref in each eu member just so i could vote no or at the bare minimum, if we ever get there, it must be as a real member with the same rules/cost as any member and not with special exemption/specific rules

[@andredavis4657]

Barrnier is an astute politician and a straight talker, yet chooses words carefully. When he says "the door remains open for EU application" he means just that. The UK can send in their application whenever it wants. Processing the application will be another thing (Euro, Schengen, cross party support) and will take time

[@AndyHenderson26]

Let’s say the EU was in favour I don’t think it’d take that long as we’re pretty much aligned in everything 🤷🏻‍♂️ The UK hasn’t really diverged from EU regulation and laws. Schengen can’t happen unless the Republic of Ireland is forced into it too otherwise you’d be violating the Good Friday agreement creating a harder border between NI and ROI

[@andredavis4657]

@@AndyHenderson26 my point was more on "the door is open, but theses a queue" said in politically correct speak

[@Cl0ckcl0ck]

He also doesn't have a say in the matter at all. He's an appointed bureaucrat for the EU and doesn't hold any office in France.

[@AndyHenderson26]

@@Cl0ckcl0ck all EU positions are appointed bureaucrats…

[@Cl0ckcl0ck]

@@AndyHenderson26 Nope, the EU parlement is elected in national elections and so is the European council (which has the final say on everything).

[@namenotfound8747]

Throw Farage in the Thames as a sign of good faith as a start.

[@louis-philippearnhem6959]

Please don’t, he will wash up on the Dutch or Belgian coast!😱

[@iandennis7836]

​@@louis-philippearnhem6959ahh, don't worry, we'd fish him out when he apologises..........probably somewhere around Southend😂

[@Ooze-cl5tx]

honestly , one of strongest arguments to keep the UK out of the EU is that first thing in they would send Farage as an MEP again

[@epicmonkeydrunk]

@@Ooze-cl5tx I would do that either way if his passing down the road. Vile suit of a man.

[@aidanclarke6106]

Stop littering in UK waterways, they are dirty enough

[@wilddata]

UE can finally move forward politically without UK. UK was always asking for exceptions and was most of the time against Germany and France when a major decision had to be taken.

[@simonsadler9360]

Inflation in my Spain below 2 % , a litre of good Spanish brandy €3.0 . Have a few drops in my early morning real coffee , one litre if good red wine in cartons € 1.05 . Britain can piss off you no longer have an Empire thanks to illegal Brexit !

[@rugbydazz2264]

Well that's because we joined a COMMON MARKET in 1975, NEVER were we asked if we wanted to be part of a federal superstate and we DON'T!!

[@wilddata]

@@rugbydazz2264 so England (not UK) preferred to be stuck in the past with a 1975 agreement? While Scotland, Wales, North Ireland wanted to stay in EU and move forward?

[@theoryianabsolute8777]

​@@rugbydazz2264Then you are not, and you are paying consequences

[@rugbydazz2264]

@@wilddata That's right we never voted to be part of a federal superstate and we never would, you have to remember we are not part of the continent and we have island mentality we don't consider ourselves as European, that is something that continentals do.

[@dabotz_draws]

The main idea behind the EU is to get our fractious, perennially warring continent stitched together enough that none of its countries will feel the need to go to war with a neighbour ever again. In a world with polities the size of China, India or the U.S. a continental union is also a way to have some traction in international relationships. The economic benefits are important, but also - really - cherries on the top. Having a potentially hostile island nation just off the shores of the block could be a source of troubles, and that is a reason to offer a way back in to the UK. At the same time, the EU seems to function better without UK's influence... So, as long as the country does not revert back yo old habits and tries to assault France, many Europeans will be very glad to let UK follow on its merry brexiting path. Personally. I feel divided...

[@theperson8539]

I don’t disagree, however, the Normans started that whole thing, and the Plantagenet kings had a better claim to the French throne. Let’s not pretend otherwise. The English never attacked France undeservedly, and it’s resistance and subsequent defeat of Napoleon is the only reason France isn’t in charge of the entirety of Europe rn. You still drive on the wrong side though, which sucks (I can only associate them with Napoleon and Hitler, so they’re objectively bad), but that’ll hopefully be solved one day.

[@gerritvalkering1068]

There's a lot more behind the EU by now. As you say, we live in a world with China, India and the US. Single European countries are just not relevant on a world stage. Many European countries united in a single political en economic entity are. A three way trade war has been going on between the US, China and the EU for years now, if not decades. Had Europe still been fractured, it would have suffered through that instead of dishing out as much as it takes. There is also shared military development and specialization. No European country can afford the cost of designing and building a modern fighter aircraft, but by pooling specializations and resources, it's possible. Germany builds heavy tanks. France builds light tank hunters, there's a variety of APCs. In designing something completely new (and not a modernization kit for a current design) it helps when you can order a German engine, Dutch detection systems, and get an Italian cannon.

[@BikersDoItSittingDown]

I agree with you. The countries of Europe need the EU to stop their fighting. As for the UK going to war in Europe, yes there were wars in France because it is a French duke who became king of England and had lands in France too, but these wars are long past. The UK army in Europe has never been to invade it but to secure freedom for those other nations. Yes France, we went to war with you to free Portugal and Spain against the tyrant Napoleon. Yes Germany, we went to war twice in the 1900s to secure France from you occupying it. We did not do this to land grab. Many of you have a very short memory!

[@davidscott6375]

I’m not sure what you mean by your first point, “the main idea behind the EU” but the EU has nothing to do with the military side of things, standing together, that’s what NATO is about and the UK is still part of that.

[@BikersDoItSittingDown]

@@davidscott6375 You forgot to mention that only 2 countries in the EU are paying the agreed amount on defence. As an ally, most EU countries make poor partners for our defence.

[@neodym5809]

The UK would not satisfy the Copenhagen criteria, as it lacks robust checks and balances. It became a member before this criteria existed.

[@neodym5809]

@@thetruth9210 Yes. In the UK, no checks and balances exist. The House of Commons is almost all powerful. No second elected chamber to stop it. No constitution to bound it.

[@mariatheresavonhabsburg]

​@@thetruth9210 Well, Romania has a constitution, contrary to the U.K.

[@giansideros]

​@@thetruth9210displaying your British (English) Exceptionalism mate, that you can't conceive of a country like Romania possibly being better than the UK in any criteria reeks of hubris. Like the Qing Dynasty who couldn't fathom the thought of Western barbarians as they saw it having leapfrogged their society.

[@StaceBecco]

​@@giansiderosNo, he is pointing out that Romania is a corrupt, mafia country. And the fact that it still is just shows how limited the EU's influence is.

[@gleeart]

Does Albania have a constitution & would It thus qualify? (😂).

[@rashomon351]

biggest obstacle is UK media, which seems to be right wing anti EU in a majority. It's not politics that form public opinion. At least in the UK, it's media. Media paves the roads, politicians walk on. Public opinion is formed by media, politicians just adhere to public opinion, to get re-elected. So, when talking about "taking back control", I think, it's not the EU you need to take it back from. In such a scenario, nothing any political party could promise to the EU is of any relevance, as long as it constantly get's torpedoed by media/public opinion. As long as company interests define media content which heavily influence public opinion, which is echoed by party politics, there's no hope for a place of the UK in the EU. Don't get me wrong, the EU might agree to a renewed UK membership.But If UK media doesn't support it, this will just be the beginning of another Brexit discussion. It wasn't Nigel Farage, it was UK Media paving the road for Nigel Farage. And I don't see any change in UK media landscape. And - sry, guys - I know you're trying to be a neutral voice of reason in this otherwise heavily politicised media landscape. But in such a lopsided media landscape, you have to put some weight on the other side to get it back to neutral.

[@Jay_Johnson]

Murdoch

[@MikeAG333]

Pure twaddle. The referendum was won despite the media bias against Brexit, and that bias remains.

[@UltraHylia]

I think the UK would really benefit from a wider range of opinions and viewpoints in the media in general. I don't consume any UK media at all because there is no differing of opinion. Most the newspapers are owned by Murdoch, the BBC chair is decided by the Tories and regularly follows their lines. Genuinely feels like no matter what news paper/station you consume, you'll have the same toxic, right-wing messaging and often misinformation programmed into you. This was a factor in Brexit (as well as xenophobia and nationalism) but also the Tories reign of power and many other things. Rather than allowing one man (and possibly the Tories) control public opinion, we should be allowing a range of viewpoints for people to individually think about for themselves. Unfortunately, I can't see any way this could be achieved in this country. I don't like to generalise and there will be exceptions to the rule but older generations appear to believe whatever the media tells them and younger generations don't engage with it at all because there is nothing inline with their values to engage with.

[@Leberteich]

Not to contradict your point about UK media, but 'right wing' and 'anti EU' are not necessarily bedfellows. Margaret Thatcher was staunchly in favour of the UK being in the single market, and her EU Trade Commissioner Baron Cockfield didn't just advocate the common market, he designed it.

[@nlpnt]

@@Leberteich That's getting to be like saying the US Republicans are the party of Lincoln. Those people are dead and there's been a real march away from the traditional expansionist center-right and towards populist messaging and nationalism in the past decade.

[@edvin884]

I hope EU will not let UK back. Or! If they want to rejoin, they should go trough the whole proces.

[@andrewwilson9179]

The British have burnt their bridges

[@gabbertje-rh7rw]

Did the British suddenly become fans of the European project?

[@Jay_Johnson]

Half of us already were the other half didn’t know what it was.

[@gabbertje-rh7rw]

@@Jay_Johnsonf the UK would apply to rejoin, it would be for economic reasons only. I don’t think that’s the kind of members the EU wants.

[@Jay_Johnson]

@@gabbertje-rh7rw not true. Most young people are/were committed to EU institutions such as freedom of work/movement and Erasmus. Many like me see We have more in common with young people in the EU than many within our own nation. I am a European, I want to rejoin not just for economic reasons but because that is my identity.

[@gabbertje-rh7rw]

@@Jay_Johnson Many people would like to rejoin for economic reasons. As long as there isn’t a majority supporting the European project I doubt the EU will be interested.

[@somethinglikethat2176]

​@@gabbertje-rh7rwthe thing is the UK bring money to the table. Without them the EU either has less to spend on, or needs more from other members. The UK lose more from Brexit, but the EU isn't winning from it either.

[@ostrogonov]

I think in the case of the UK, there is no case for "rejoining". It would be a simple "join request". And as no special treatment would be given to any other third country asking for joining, thus it would be the same case. Does anyone imagine Norway or Serbia asking to join but requesting opt-out clauses of any kind?

[@josipag2185]

Britain has its reasons. Read about Soros, 1992 and ERC and Germany having every possible privilege from the start. Brits would never leave the £ and they have their historic reasons, they tried to join the ERC, failed and then grow when having independent currency not in some limits that failed against Deutche marke (all the curriencies failed, even France by the end of 1992). Anyhow. They have their reasons not ti trust when Germany is priority.

[@Dzyn79]

@@josipag2185 Right!

[@okamsug]

Don't let them back in. There is no need for them.

[@teaser6089]

Edit: *Jesus* my the reaction section to my comment has exploded, no clue what's happening down there. I think we would, but not without some serious political reprecusions for the UK, they wouldn't be getting the same amount of seats and we'd need a garuntee that they won't simply "Change their mind" 5 years down the line again

[@KangaKucha]

Pound has to be replaced by Euro too.

[@NichoTBE]

We would 100% lose the £ and have to adopt the Euro as a condition. Plus they will soon drop the article allowing countries to leave I have no doubt.

[@kw2142]

​@@KangaKuchalike Sweden & Poland etc?

[@KingAgniKai]

Drooping the £ will never happen

[@unchartedfire]

They made a choice, let them stay gone.

[@kimwit1307]

"Would the EU ever let the UK Back in?" Maybe, but I don't expect it to happen anytime soon. First the UK will have to ask for it and then they would have to actually qualify (and I wonder about that). Then ALL of the EU members would have to agree on it, which is not a given. And of course there will not be any special rebates/exceptions this time around, so the UK would have to agree on that beforehand with a sufficient (qualified) majority of the electorate being on board.

[@globalismoblackman]

ONLY on EU terms Broken Britain has an even weaker hand of negotiation than Pre Brexit. Greed and arrogance is costly Little Britain has to realise and face reality the are no an empire and super power anymore.

[@mfredholm]

For me to agree, I would set the bar at 70% voting in favor in a ref. Anything less would just be to risky. And I would also prefer them to join separately as Individual countries, that way Scotland could ensure not having to be dragged out against their will again.

[@Sanutep]

that is the whole problem, when the polling people ask the question I imagine they mean "rejoin the EU as it were when we left" when, in reality, it would be markedly different and the UK would not be given ANY special treatment or perks. the polling question needs to be more detailed

[@mfredholm]

@@Sanutep I agree, the question should be phrased: "Apply to join the EU under current EU rules for new members" because that is all that is on the table. And not to forget that we in the EU can add anything we want to that on top of the current set of rules for becoming a EU member.

[@sashabraus9422]

​@@mfredholmI don't think Scotland, England, Wales, or N. Ireland are even considered "countries", but rather "nations" within the country of "Great Britain." Like how Puerto Rico is a nation, but not a country. So having them join separately is either impossible or up to the Crown.

[@rafaelcuevas3209]

I think that EU has big challenges ahead which will be easier to face with UK outside the Union.

[@lesskeels3417]

100%. Well said, dear sir. Let the UK follow its destiny and the EU theirs also. After all. we were square pegs in round holes inside it.

[@thatundeadlegacy2985]

Dump spain italy and greece,

[@bigrobsydney]

The real question is whether or not EU citizens would agree to it. The VAST majority don't want a bar of the UK after the way the UK conducted itself. The UK also had benefits that other EU nations did not have, and the wounds from the UK's behaviour will not be conducive to those other nations agreeing to such benefits again. The UK makes almost nothing, and services are being moved to the EU bit by bit, so I fail to see what significant goods or services the UK could provide that the EU could not either provide for itself in time, or obtain from other non-UK suppliers. In short, don't let the door smack your arse on the way out.

[@lennard9331]

Given how much progress has been made in terms of improving the EU's efficiency as an institution ever since the UK has left, I personally think many EU citizens would be fervently opposed to the UK joining ever again. Over its 40 years+ membership of the European community, the UK has made sure that it has always been a hindrance to proper economic integration because this was never in its interests. The UK might be worse off outside the EU, but the past three years have shown that the EU is better off with the UK outside of it.

[@recoil53]

Seriously, when your ex is better without you they shouldn't take you bake. It's not a charity. But having said that, neither should France and Germany oppose a British Secretary General. They should keep that matter separate and Macron his shown that his judgment in that matter is questionable.

[@bernardoesperanto3194]

@@recoil53 -- "British Secretary General" - Do you talk about NATO?

[@kawashnasim5463]

The EU isn’t exactly fairing better, there is wide inequality, economy is slower at recovering than most of the world and is experiencing economic slowdown due to the UK leaving although it’s effects are less due to it being the bigger of the 2 single markets. It’s cool that they’ve cut down on some beuaracracy but they lost the vaccine rollout and it’s largest markets such as Germany are facing massive economic issues while the usual suspects Greece and Italy are continuing their downward spiral. They had done a good job having enough oil and natural gas for the winter but Tbf so did the UK while the UK subsidised energy for all which I argue is more impressive. Most economists do agree that the initial divorce period would be the hardest for the UK and British political turmoil wasn’t related to the EU, we ousted a prime minister for having a party during a lockdown and lizz truss for her bonkers economic policy. Germany and France are also experiencing political turmoil with the French protests and macron’s reworking of pension schemes while Germany’s coalition government is collapsing. The EU consists of a lot of member countries but looking at similarly sized economies and populations to the UK (mainly France and Germany) their all in crises.

[@recoil53]

@@bernardoesperanto3194 Yes, I forgot to type that part.

[@dlevi67]

I would disagree with your assessment that the UK has always been a hindrance to economic integration. Thatcher was a prime mover behind the institution of qualified majority voting (vs. the previous 'unanimity' requirement) and a big proponent of the single market. Whether this counts "today" for the purposes of re-admission is a different question entirely.

[@w18853]

As an European who only read the title: hell no. An EU without UK actually functions better than with Brittain Edit after seeing the video: we still don't want Brittain back. Boris Johnson and the lot made the political institutions worse. Further they never joined Schengen or used the euro, so there is no hint that Brittain/UK was ever commited to the EU cause. So they rather should stay out of the EU. Brexit was a good thing for continental Europe

[@socialenigma4476]

Are all Europeans so vindictive and cold hearted or is it just you?

[@bigczad9869]

Interesting take what country are you from mate?

[@tomaszwida]

Boris is not actualy a problem anymore, the idiot of ukip party is the real danger. until UK fixes it self internally we don't want them back in.

[@HappyCatholicDane]

I think Britain is an integral part of Europe, and that them rejoining would be preferable. The EU project is after all about uniting Europe in peace and prosperity. That said, Britain does need to grow up a bit first.

[@eugenieponleve667]

@@bigczad9869 From an EU member state obviously ,then someone who has the right to give one's opinion about the EU

[@yufoh7753]

From the very moment brexit was announced it was going to happen, myself and my friends/family were gobsmacked at the idiocy of it all and predicted how everything would pan out. And it DID. Yet half the UK population were living in la la land with their fantasy brexit dreams. You've dug your own sh-thole, now you can live in it. Thank god I left the country years ago.

[@aidanmaguire8712]

The ship has sailed and UK will never be allowed back as they were always negative members

[@perjensen3047]

Agree. Some of our member states will ensure that the bar is set to high for the UK to accept.

[@givemeabreak8784]

No. It's basically a huge relief that the UK is out.

[@frazermountford]

If the EU want confidence in our Government and political system perhaps we should try to sort that out first. Which i think was the real problem in the first place.

[@celtspeaksgoth7251]

Tjhere you have it in a nutshell. Brussels interfering in domestic politics. Belgium itself is a failed fractured state. Oh the irony.

[@coolguysdontlookatexplosio6837]

​@@celtspeaksgoth7251the 'failed state' does outperform the uk economically right now (gdp growth, inflation) so I wouldn't look at Brussels but fix your own problems first

[@gen_x_dad]

@@celtspeaksgoth7251 Even after leaving and looking like the incompetent idiots you really are, you're still pretending you made the right decision and talking as if you know anything about any country in the EU. Belgium is fine. Here, any issue we may be dealing with is insignificant to Brexit, Johnson and 13 years of tories in general. England will be a 3rd world country in 20 years...

[@zakwood3094]

@@celtspeaksgoth7251 lol bit bitter?

[@coolguysdontlookatexplosio6837]

@@thetruth9210 yeah, unitary Britain workes soooo well, that's why you talk about the troubles right? Well, Flanders and wallonia never got violent with each other. As for the economics, we haven't had a fuel shortage or vegetable shortage the last 10 years, sooo

[@joem0088]

Hasn't the UK wasted enough of everybody's time ? Just forget about them.

[@matteiooo]

I will never forget the moment in my english class, when we learned the word cherry picking while talking about the UK membership in the EU and the early plans of a brexit.

[@cplcabs]

Ah yes, cherry picking. Did you happen to learn what demand meant as well when the Eu was making ridiculous demands of the UK?

[@dallysinghson5569]

There were no ridiculous demands. Just ridiculous lies from quitlings.

[@KevinMurphy0403]

I’m 55 and, assuming I reach average life expectancy, I wouldn’t bet money on the UK being back in the EU in my lifetime. I hope I’m wrong

[@Goady1000]

I dont

[@andrewlucas744]

I'm similar age, Kevin, and whilst I expect the UK to rejoin in my lifetime, I expect to be quite an old man. But I see rejoining as a process, rather than an event, with a steady integration of standards and trading arrangements over time. Also, to put it brutally, we are waiting for the 60+ generation from 2016 to die off, to be replaced by a more open younger generation, less obsessed with WWII.

[@QuantumShock1]

@@andrewlucas744 It's cute seeing people always assume old people voted leave, the EU referendum was the first time I was old enough to vote and I voted out. Sorry to burst your bubble but the dream of all the "old 60+ brexit voters" is a fallacy.

[@Iltazyara]

@@QuantumShock1 Factually true statements backed by statistics are a fallacy? Congrats on being one of the *minority* of young people who was tricked into voting leave, but you're part of just that, a minority. While a *majority* of older voters voted leave. A minority isn't no one, it's a *minority* of people. More young people voted remain than leave, more old people voted leave than brexit. Hell, just the swing of the years between the vote and enacting article 52 would've seen enough old people die off and young people get old enough to vote, moving the trends up a few years would've changed the vote. So your little anecdote is pure bullshit. Old people voted brexit, and them dying off pushes Britain more in favour of the EU.

[@KevinMurphy0403]

@@QuantumShock1 and that is you’re right to vote leave. And you won, well done. However, you are in a minority. Statistics show that, although in a minority, a sizeable proportion of young people voted leave. It’s interesting to note that only 25% of those with a high level of education (ie a university degree) voted leave.

[@gps8958]

The British ruling class has an Empire Superiority Complex and can never coexist with inter state cooperation and egalitarianism. And accordingly the ordinary citizens suffer.

[@louis-philippearnhem6959]

I agree

[@philipjamesparsons]

No, the British ruling class serves themselves and not the British people.. Those who are running the EU project are exactly the same. They are all after a new empire. They are politicians, cut from the same cloth. Most of those ruling us are freaks be it Biden, Putin, Sunak, Macron, Kim Jong Un, etc.

[@PayneAdams-mp2zz]

This is bogus, the british ruling class wanted to stay in the EU. Its the "ordinary british" that have nostalgia for the empire.

[@mirfjc]

@@thetruth9210 Only anglophobic bigots think Brexit had anything to do with empire. It was an unholy mix of the "free marketeer" rich wanting to strip away employee (and other) protections with the idea they could make a quicker buck; shameless opportunists looking to ride something to power (Boris); non-London English voters tired of being "mistreated" but not having their own version of SNP or PC to register protest votes with; anti-immigrant sentiment especially towards eastern Europe; and the feeling that the EU commission was a far-off, unelected institution (despite national governments controlling the EU). And even with all this it was a very close run thing. It's always important to remember that London (think that's in England?) was almost as pro remain as Scotland (and has more voters than Scotland). And that even in Scotland a million voters voted Leave. Anyway, anglophobic bigotry applied to this makes as much sense as UKIP's Little England europhobic bigotry.

[@mirfjc]

@@thetruth9210 (agreeing with you, not attacking you 🤭)

[@countmorbid3187]

I remember going to the UK and of course got singled out and checked every time. How different from other EU countries. Even easier and less control entering Switzerland. I think it is ok like it is. UK wanted out and once back in they surely want out again at the first implemented policy they don't like. EU gets by without the UK just fine.

[@ianboakes8670]

The only difference I've noticed about travelling to an EU country since Brexit is that I have to wait a few seconds longer to get my passport stamped. Sure, we'll need a visa in the future but that doesn't sound like a huge deal. In any case, if any EU country wants to make it as difficult as possible for a tourist to visit then they are just self-harming and not worth the trouble to spend money on.

[@countmorbid3187]

@@ianboakes8670 AND here we go! Brexit stupidity as per. After all these years you still don't get it. I know it's hard for a Brexiteer but try to think anyways for a change. YOU LEFT THE EU! YOU ARE NOW A THIRD COUNTRY LIKE EVERY OTHER COUNTRY NOT IN THE EU with no special status like Norway. Even after leaving you still think you are special and that we treat you different from other third countries ... we DON"T and we don't care. Can't remember the last time Brexit was even mentioned here in the media. We don't care, we moved on!

[@claudia_fl]

That's absolutely no no - they had special conditions and they believed they r smarter and greater than others.

[@eirinym]

If the EU does let the UK rejoin, it'd have to be no opt outs, fully committing to it. The idea that the UK got a bad deal in the EU when it got to keep the pound and have special exceptions 😂 no, if the UK rejoins it's in or out.

[@gogledhol]

We shouldn't have had any opt-outs in the first place.

[@hawkanonymous2610]

@@gogledhol I mean, noone knew where the EU was going when the UK joined so I would say the opt-outs were fair but today, I would oppose such opt-outs. Either the UK wants into the EU as the EU is right now or the UK doesnt want that.

[@imbonkers3629]

U lefties live to be dictated to , so if they say we take 50% of your gdp that’s ok you get our un employed like last time , u follow our orders ur vote yes u clown 🤡

[@stephengraham1153]

@@hawkanonymous2610 If the EU has any sense it would stipulate that 1. UK pays full contributions, no refunds. 2. UK electoral system is reformed to become more democratic so that a bunch of right or left wing nut jobs don't take control of the country based on less than 50% of the vote (PR would be my preference). 3. It must be enshrined in UK law that future referendums on constitutional issues must have over 60% support to pass. 4. There must be at least 50 years between referendums on EU membership supported by legislation. Personally, although I would like for nothing better for the UK to re-join, I doubt the EU would let the UK back in again. Xenophobia, exceptionalism, racism and a pathological hatred of anything European is so ingrained in certain parts of English society that the spectre of another brexit every five years would be too much for the EU to bear. Another round of anti-EU propaganda from the far right media about bendy bananas or something similar and the EU could be dragged through the whole sorry episode again. I hope for the best but I expect the worst.

[@dieselpub2]

@@hawkanonymous2610 as said earlier by someone else, everybody know where the EU was heading since the beginning, since it's clearly stated in the Rome Treaty from 1957. British politicians claim they didn't. But either way, they lied, or have a very bad comprehension of their own language.

[@HH-hd7nd]

Barniers offer only means that it is possible for the UK to apply like other potential members. He only said that the EU would consider the UK rejoining and not shut the idea down immediately just because of Brexit. That said - I'm against the UK rejoining unless the Brexiteer mindset is gone for good, once and for all. And even if that happens - no opt-outs, no exceptions. Day 1 implementation of the Euro and Schengen.

[@_PatrickO]

That is the only way it should ever happen. No special treatment when rejoining, adopting the euro is required.

[@LuLu-ip4zb]

There are many eu countrys without the euro

[@paulwood6729]

@@LuLu-ip4zb Only Denmark has a legal exemption to using the Euro.

[@dlevi67]

@@paulwood6729 Yes, but Sweden has been playing games about it since day 1 of the Euro, and so are Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Czechia and Hungary. In addition, some countries that are in the monetary union would definitely be better off out of it, and so would the union.

[@chozer1]

@@paulwood6729 hell yeah we love our currency but you can still use the euro here pretty sure

[@pawellach590]

I don't want to tell you what should you do but I always said leaving the EU was a shoot in the foot every year you will be poorer and poorer.

[@gabbertje-rh7rw]

We don’t want Brexit reversed. It’s a daily source of entertainment.

[@bababababababa6124]

0:23 it’s mental how after everything that has happened over the past 7 years since the referendum, people STILL think that leaving was a good idea 😂

[@anonomous8719]

When remainer propaganda is spouted everyday telling you how bad it’s going and it’s a mistake - some people will see through it.

[@grtcara8386]

@@anonomous8719no mate, it’s because 30% of the population are as racist as it gets and xenophobia is so important to them it’s such an integral part of their life that they will live in a tent and eat boiled grass if they have to so you’re never going to get a 80-20 rejoin vote best case 65-35 and that 35 you just forget about you never give them power ever again

[@mnm5165]

@@anonomous8719your economy is literally a dumpster fire right now, yet you’re still like “yep this is fine, it’s just propaganda” 😂😭 I worry for people like you honestly

[@SaintGerbilUK]

​@@mnm5165yes so is everyones it seems like maybe a global virus 🦠 and the Ukraine war are negatively affecting everyone.

[@TrippyFox]

@@anonomous8719 I'm also a an unironic Brexit supporter. For 3 main reasons that I know for a fact you're racist ass can't comprehend: 1. It damages the UK and the EU which is good for the world in general. 2. The EU single market allows for richer EU countries to exploit poorer EU countries, as the UK was one of the many Western countries benefiting from this arrangement I'm glad that it no longer is. 3. Protests/boycotts/strikes for EU nations especially around worker rights have much less political power because it is near impossible to successfully protest the EU parliament as one nation's workers and there is no worker unity among the EU.

[@Doso777]

What makes people think the EU even want the UK back? Too much drama.

[@xcoder1122]

The UK never has been a real EU member to begin with. UK only joined the EU because they got a special deal and that's never going to happen again. If they want to rejoin, they get the same deal as everyone else and that would be a far worse deal than they had before they left.

[@warrenschrader7481]

I can imagine the EU getting "creative" when it comes to letting them back in including: 1. Force Brits to drive on the right side of the road. 2. Update Big Ben to a digital clock. 3. Force them to completely abandon imperial units. 4. Rename all of the landfills to "Boris Johnson" 5. Make coffee the national drink.

[@uberbyte7467]

6.Give back northern ireland to the irish 7.offer gealic in schools

[@jamessteel9016]

Not until the Tories are gone, their vile attitude towards the EU has damaged the relationship it could take years to fix.

[@j.4332]

no the voters have a vile attitude,no-one wants to rejoin.

[@mr31337]

The Tory Party was dissolved in 1834. 🤦‍♂

[@Ooze-cl5tx]

@@user-jt4pk8ii4z oh yes, spout your vile sht about the continental europeans for decades up until now and then complain that you dont get a hug for it ?? That isnt even funny anymore

[@Roberta-yf4ge]

​@@user-jt4pk8ii4zwell British people brought that on themselves

[@piplupempoleon4225]

​@@user-jt4pk8ii4ztell that to UK young people, I bet you are boomer in midlands countryside or something

[@jokersauce5100]

Unfortunately I don't see the UK joining the EU in the foreseeable future. British people will never give up the pound, and the EU can't concede on this, as it would look like there are no consequences for leaving. Kind of a stalemate.

[@pixhammer]

I think this is why single market access is probably the most likely outcome in the next decade. I don't think people realise just how politically impossible losing the pound is to the UK, it is an absolute non-starter, if that was a requirement, they'd definitely pick staying out.

[@JanBruunAndersen]

Yes, UK cannot join without giving up on the £.

[@Jay_Johnson]

There has to be a compromise somewhere between Denmark and where the uk is currently.

[@anna-flora999]

​@@pixhammerwhy would the EU allow that, though?

[@prplt]

the UK could just agree to adopt the euro in the long term tho but never do it there's no way to actually force a country to adopt the euro, like Sweden, Poland, Czechia and Hungary are supposedly required to do it in the future but they're not and the EU can't do anything about it (and these countries have been in the EU for like 20 years already)

[@jeroenvanzwam6991]

I remember british representative Nigel Farage's behavior... Please stay away from the EU.

[@AkiraNasuki]

Rejoining is too late, UK is on its own, once you leave it is harder to rejoin and chances are it would never be as it was before

[@roddychristodoulou9111]

This is a bit of a daft question because the UK is out of the EU for at least 20/25 years before any kind of talks to rejoin .

[@davidmstephenson69]

I would say at least 225 years at a minimum.

[@johnludmon510]

Britain rejoining the EU isn’t going to be a thing for a long time and when it is the UK will have to accept a lot of things like the euro to rejoin.The last seven years have been a display of how not to do things from our political classes and no one has got what they wanted. Trying to rejoin now would just reignite the divisions in the country and be almost as damaging . The UK is out and will stay out for a long time we have to accept that reality and get on with things.

[@Ok_yes_its_me]

Everyone likes to pluck these numbers out of the air as if they mean something. Personally I think it will take a long time because the people of the UK would have to want to join the EU for the right reasons. And that's not what's going on right now. But the EU is changing too. When it takes in Ukraine everything will change. The CAP will be finished. And many other changes.

[@Ok_yes_its_me]

​@@johnludmon510I agree and we need radical reform for our own sake at this point. Long term those changes will support an application to join an EU that will have changed a lot in the interim.

[@comicalmaz4432]

More like 40-50 years, I reckon...

[@ORO323]

Yes but probably not with the same privileges that it had prior leaving.

[@marinusvos]

Not probably. Without the privileges!

[@msemakweli133]

When a problem club member keeps threatening that they will leave, and they finally do you the favor and leave, then they realize you're doing just fine and they are the one in a mess, the last thing you want to do is readmit them. Just ignore the whole thing and continue with your life. France was lucky they were readmitted into NATO.

[@mugin11223344]

It's one thing to say the door is open, another thing is how open the door actually is.

[@valicourt]

As a strong anti Brexiter I don’t think the U.K. should rejoin. There was a reason why France blocked the U.K. joining three times in the past. You can’t just have a little look outside to see how it works out. It’s not just about money. It’s about being part of a European community. If the U.K. only want to join because they are economically hurting than that’s bad luck. Nobody in Europe is waiting for more drama from the U.K. We have enough drama as it is.

[@pauli2169]

Absolutely not. Let them drown in their Sovereignty.

[@eddiecalderone]

And with this attitude who is going to entertain the idea of rejoin? Not a chance

[@mormacil]

@@eddiecalderone Rejoining would in the long term be better for the UK. Not rejoining would be better for the EU anyway. The EU doesn't want the UK back in. It's the UK that asks.

[@eddiecalderone]

@@mormacil I respectfully disagree, in the long run leaving is beneficial for the U.K. There’s very little desire to even talk about the argument, never mind going through all that again.

[@mormacil]

@@eddiecalderone History will speak, it would certainly mean bucking historic trends.

[@eddiecalderone]

@@mormacil The U.K. is not asking, as far as I know. If that was the case Labour would be calling for such thing. The path that the eu is chosen is different from what the U.K. want

[@westfale520]

even if the UK wanted to go back to the EU, I doubt that EU citizens would want that. Too much trust has been destroyed. who doesn't say that after a re-entry into the EU, the Brexit discussion starts all over again? out, in, out .that's not how it works. Moreover, it costs billions. As an EU citizen, I don't want the UK to join the EU anymore. Since Thatcher, I can't stand this chatter anymore.

[@geoffwright9570]

Think the conditions we would have to accept rejoining the EU would be a huge mistake to make.

[@louis-philippearnhem6959]

Read my lips: No more exceptions, no more opt-outs! More cooperation, more solidarity, less jingoism.

[@MikeAG333]

In other words, less democracy for the British. Right. So long as we're all clear.......

[@Ooze-cl5tx]

you need to remember , the english dont do cooperation. They must win and they can only win if someone looses , so a fair deal or win/win to them is a loss. Keep that in mind so you better understand them.

[@GrammarNaziAUS]

​@@MikeAG333Y'know, this is the same situation as with the Scottish. The Scottish cannot vote for anything entirely by themselves, because they don't make up a substantial enough proportion of the population. Ironically, you British refuse to let them leave a union they enterred by choice. The hypocrisy of Pro-Brexiteers knows no bounds. Just *say* that you are a xenophobic nationalist, okay? No one believes otherwise.

[@MikeAG333]

@@Ooze-cl5tx Sheesh, you argument is as poor as your spelling. (Loses) No, let's try that again. Your argument is ridiculous. Your spelling is just poor.

[@timonsolus]

@@MikeAG333: No, actually more democracy for the British (PR instead of FPTP and no unelected Lords). But less sovereignty.

[@Harry-TramAnh]

We've made our messy bed, now we've got to lie in it.

[@gogosegaga]

No we should not put up with a mess caused by liars the point is to fix it.

[@Harry-TramAnh]

@gogosegaga I don't think you've understood the expression fully, but ye, how do you propose fixing it?

[@victorvandenbrink6851]

As an EU citizen I think the UK rejoining might be as big a mistake as it leaving in the first place. It would seriously undermine the authority and sovereignty of the EU. We shouldn't allow nations to leave and enter as they please, when their own political landscape is going through troubled waters. It would be like rekindeling a relationship with someone who cheated on you. Scotland is welcome as far as I'm concerned as they have always been more inclined towards the EU, and they didn't really have a fair say in Brexit.

[@qweqwe9678]

poor Scotland

[@BikersDoItSittingDown]

I agree. We are divorced and we should now go our separate ways

[@jinmo2821]

How brazen and shameless of UK to even think about "re-joining" EU!!!

[@ralfwasmund9656]

The UK will stay outside the EU for quite a while. The EU and World is moving on. A lot will change. So I m not sure if the UK as we know it will ever join the EU again.

[@davidty2006]

Well one thing is for sure Millenials and us zoomers are highly pro EU. Longer UK is out the EU the more anti eu senitment will start again. And maybe reach point of britain activly bombing the mainland or blockading ireland off.

[@StaceBecco]

The UK has moved on. No one cares anymore.

[@fba90130]

I think you're misunderstanding Barnier. The door IS open to EVERYBODY. I don't think the EU has ever barred any country from applying. Whether the application will suceed is quite another thing. UK politics such as it is is a danger to the European project.

[@ne_one]

While many might vote to remain in a rerun of the 2016 referendum, I think far fewer would vote to rejoin. Many seem to think if we rejoined, we'd go right back to our pre-2016 status - which is very unlikely (albeit not impossible). The UK - either to "make an example" of it or purely because "it's legally and politically new applicant", depending on which side of the debate you're on - would almost certainly be allowed no opt-outs, no rebate, and would be required to (eventually) join Schengen and adopt the euro. While that wouldn't deter some, losing the pound for the euro (and the loss of independent monetary policy that entails) has been a primary concern of the UK political class (and not just Brexiteers) for decades - ever since the ERM days. And that's just one of many, many issues on top of that too that would make it much harder to rejoin (we've since signed trade deals with other countries, our law and economy is beginning to diverge, etc.).

[@21Noticias]

As a EU citizen myself, I would not support the UK back in the EU. You cannot understand the enormous feeling of betrayal some of us has been having these years. Also, lets assume, UK comes back to the EU assuming all the EU requirements UK has decline to adhere to and lets assume the changes are actually implemented. How do we know in 10 years you would not like it and leave again? BTW, about the military comment, the UK was the main stopper for the creation of a Single EU Defence policy. I think you are only looking at the good stuff, the same the Brexiters claimed would protect them from the backlass from the Brexit.

[@davidetemil]

You should make a video to explain why some countries are not in the Schengen area or eurozone.

[@alexboehm7171]

UK does not keep contracts. So, no.

[@Antimonium]

Brexit has taught me that politicians will tell you anything to get some attention and secure themselves a position, beware of fearmongering

[@rephillips56]

The UK must decide if they want to join the EU or NAFTA plus (Japan, Korea, Australia and New Zealand). Going it alone is the worst option for the UK.

[@ivankrizanic507]

That's the thing, UK isn't joining a "single market" or a "customs union" any more and treating it as such is fairly derogatory

[@nero9506]

As an EU citizen, I feel that Brexit was probably one of the best things that happened to the Union. Now we can actually look forward to further political integration and cooperation. The Brits don't want to be responsible EU members, they just want to rip us off. Or at least the Brexit voters do.

[@dariuszgierczak9387]

My friend I could not agree more, we don’t need UK, English people trusted Boris, Nigel and populist slogans. My personally don’t want to see ukip in EU parliament.

[@buddermonger2000]

The only people who want to be "responsible" members are France, Italy, and Germany. Also, Belgium, where the capital is because it has no real identity of its own. Beyond that everyone is just using it for their own personal gain, and that includes the French, but they got to write the rulebook, which means being a "responsible" member is something they got to help define. The whole thing is basically a way to get freebies and easy economic development which is why the former eastern bloc even joined.

[@Apeiron242]

Brits didn't want to be up to their eyeballs in Muslims.

[@knowthatyoudontknow]

Yes. Poland and Hungary are definitely gonna support further political integration. The new EU refugee pact that is being rejected by both countries is a prime example of that.

[@a.r.stellmacher8709]

@@Apeiron242 Yet you got left and right.

[@alessandrolenares8563]

honestly, at this point, it might be easier for them to join the US. (At least it would make the 4th of July more interesting)

[@Abmotsad]

Even I, as a US citizen, can't explain to you in strong-enough terms what a bad idea that would be.

[@Ooze-cl5tx]

@@Abmotsad maybe the UK would instead offer to readmit the USA into the british empire ? 🤣

[@vicentiumunteanu2385]

Great, nice constitution, guns everywhere, fair health system, US dollar instead of Pound, Republicans and Democrats instead of Torys and Labours, ... Republic country anyway...

[@Abmotsad]

@@vicentiumunteanu2385 Three corrections: 1) the US Constitution is a shit document, 2) the US health care system is a smoldering dumpster fire full of feces and pus, and 3) there is no Republican Party in the US. Instead, there is a group of absolutely deranged nut jobs and another group too cowardly to call them out who, as a unit, have appropriated the designation "Republican". But you're right about the guns and Dollars.* *(50% of which are now in the hands of exactly 6 people.)

[@derekardito2032]

The only thing the UK has in common with the UK is language, as most Europeans speak English, this would be foolish to join with the USA whose lifestyle, laws, customs, are far more alien to the UK's than any European nation, the UK being part of the USA would only be as a vassal state, a giant military base as it was in WW2. Could anyone envisage British kids swearing allegiance to " O'l Glory" everyday in, schools, and the religious shit that goes with America, women not being able to have abortions even when raped, not being allowed to jay walk, having freedom of speech without any repercussions, having the possibility of Trump in charge.

[@josephbille-volkenborn1271]

Britain has always wanted special consideration to get into and while it while in the EU. Why would anyone in the EU or common market ever think of giving Britain the option?

[@herbertmarzinek5855]

GB should have never been let in