So, I ought to declare an interest as a former member of the Party’s Federal International Relations Committee, and a member of the Liberal Democrat European Group on and off over the years. You might therefore imagine that I’d be pleased that Ed Davey is finally talking about our future as a member of the European Union. I’d put it more as relieved, though, as it’s been an open door that we’ve rather shied away from in recent years.
Now I do get it, in that calling for us to renew our membership too soon was a risk – remember 2019, anyone? – but we are a pro-European political party, retaining strong links with our sister parties across the continent and with a historic belief that pooling sovereignty in pursuit of economic growth and freedom is a thoroughly good thing. And, given that public support for returning to our place on the European stage runs at four times the level of our support in the opinion polls, it feels like an obvious step to talk about an ultimate goal to rejoin.
No, it won’t be easy. After putting the Member States through the psychodrama of Brexit, the United Kingdom, and not just the Liberal Democrats, will need to persuade them that any move to return will be long-term and not vulnerable to the next spin of the British electoral wheel. The terms will have to be discussed, and the reality of those terms might not be immediately attractive. But the discussion has to start here, and who better to lead it than a political party that believes in the concept of closer co-operation and understands that the pooling of sovereignty requires some sacrifices on both sides.
The European Union has demonstrated beyond doubt that it doesn’t need us more than we need it, and that protecting the Single Market was more important to retaining a not entirely committed member, so British politicians will have to enter talks with a touch of humility – the economics suggest that we need them rather more than they need us, although both sides should benefit, the British through access, the existing Member States through a larger internal market.
We do have the advantage of those strong links with our sister parties, giving us an insight into the debates in the Member State capitals, and there is some goodwill there, to an extent due to the work done by senior Liberal Democrats who have kept our presence at ALDE strong – I highlight Sal Brinton and David Chalmers here.
Coincidentally, this week sees an election for a new Chair of the Liberal Democrat European Group, and I’m rather hoping that the winner will write something for us next week. And yes, I’m their Returning Officer, for my apparently many sins…
I’m expecting a busy day ahead here at Liberal Democrat Voice, with some fascinating articles submitted. In no particular order, Tom Reeve is calling for a wealth tax, whilst Tara Foster believes that the Party should take a stronger stance on the right to protest. We’ve got a couple of new contributors, so a warm welcome to Dino Schreuder, who writes on the role of vocational training, and David Moon, who reminds us of the words of John Maynard Keynes. And, of course, we’ll have Mathew Hulbert’s always ebullient weekly column.
In site news, some of you will have started to receive a daily e-mail featuring the previous day’s articles – what do you think? We’ve also sharpened up our social media act, with better use of Bluesky to encourage readership. If you’re not following us there, why not?
And with that, it’s time to let our contributors take the spotlight…
* Mark Valladares is the Monday Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice.
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11 Comments
I don’t think that conflating Europe and the EU is helpful. Using phrases like “but we are a pro-European political party” when you mean a pro EU part is likely to put more people off than it persuades. Also it would be a good idea to at least try to understand why many people oppose the EU, particularly the concept of ever closer union and trying to accommodate them.
I too was pleased to see Ed at long last reflecting party policy on the BBC yesterday.
Ed rightly emphasises the need to build trust but the last 6 years of denying what the party believes just made him appear untrustworthy with ever more convoluted attempts to not answer the question.
The changed geo political context helps make the case for us.
Linking to the defence debate, regrettably, we do however need to face reality and be clear with our European allies that the UK in its current weakened economic state is simply not in a position to significantly increase defence expenditure in the near future and so needs to focus what limited resources we have on defending the UK (including the arctic approach) itself.
This means ceasing to seek to play second fiddle to the US globally including withdrawing from bases in Cyprus and the Middle East. Diego Garcia can be transferred to the US.
We also need to be prepared to share our nuclear deterrent with the French and play a full role in joint European defence procurement.
In our pending negotiations with the EU, we need to be prepared to offer to play a role in the wider defence of Europe, but if and only if, we are swiftly re-admitted to the EU, preferably on our previous terms, and are then able to afford it.
I would hope that such a realistic and honest approach (with an end to rhetoric about ‘global Britain’) would be understood and respected on the continent.
Belarus is European.
Are the Lib Dems pro them too?
” the economics suggest that we need them rather more than they need us”
Many of us on the left do have reservations, to say the least, about the austerity inducing rules of the EU’s so called Stability and Growth Pact (SGP). But the question of EU membership shouldn’t be all about economics.
FWIW my own concerns also include the political nature of the EU. I would have voted, on balance, to remain within the EU prior to the 2015 Greek euro crisis. Whatever the rights and wrongs of the dispute between the Greek Government and the EU, it should have been resolved by the EU’s courts with the help of the EU Commission and EU Parliament.
As it was the German government which has no democratic legitimacy outside its own borders, assumed control of the EU during this period. It became a dispute with Angela Merkel and the German government on one side , and Alexis Tsipras and the Greek Government on the other.
Lib Dems are meant to believe in the rule of law and the importance of settling disputes legitimately through the courts. But , obviously, not when it comes to the EU!
I would prefer to concentrate on having as close a relationship to the E.U. as possible, without re-joining.
This is right.
Starmer’s “baby steps” are not working. The EU are fed up with having been given the run-around by successive UK governments. Now they see Starmer dipping one toe into the water, and they just foresee more trouble from the UK. So the EU make big demands, Starmer slows down his baby steps, and no real progress happens.
If the EU are ever going to allow us back in on reasonable terms, they will need to be sure that we are going to stick the course this time. A necessary first step is for at least one leading political party to come out as a committed pro-EU-membership party.
… and by the way, it also overcomes the usual voter response “But I don’t know what the Lib Dems stand for!”
@ David Allen,
“… and they just foresee more trouble from the UK.”
Yes. They just need to look at the British opinion polls and they’ll see strength of the far right parties. They won’t need a crystal ball.
“A necessary first step is for at least one leading political party to come out as a committed pro-EU-membership party.”
I’d say the necessary first step is to engineer the type of economy which will ensure the far right has minimal support. The EU too has a key part to play in this. Many EU countries have had a worse record than ourselves in this respect.
Peter,
The far right are just as strong in Germany, France, Italy etc as they are in the UK. It’s not specifically the far right that the EU are worried about, it’s that even the mainstream parties in the UK are blowing hot and cold. Which doesn’t incentivise the EU to make a deal with the UK.
“I’d say the necessary first step is to engineer the type of economy which will ensure the far right has minimal support.”
Well, as a Leaver, you would say that, wouldn’t you? You have described an unachievable goal as a “necessary” step. It isn’t.
@ David Allen,
‘You have described an unachievable goal as a “necessary” step.’
We had such an economy in the post war period. There’s no reason we can’t have one again. It wasn’t perfect but there was always a sense of optimism that things were on the up, that if we worked hard we’d be able to find a reasonably well paying job to afford a home and raise a family etc.
We should be tough on fascism and also tough on the causes of fascism. If the EU doesn’t agree with this, why is it worth joining anyway?
Do you also think the goals of the LibDem constitution which include such admirable goals as not being enslaved by poverty etc are also unachievable?
What struck me about this post was the reference to 2019. We’re told to build on our successes. We can also build on our failures if we get the messaging right. The thing about failures is it is memorable and this is invaluable to a Party like us. We can show consistency in using the pro-eu message and if people remember our stance in 2019 it will reinforce it. Also humility is missing in our politics. It is human to fail.
On a different note, I think we are putting too much emphasis on what the eu thinks regarding our return. First, they are a rules based organisation and if we apply and fulfil the criteria they will let us in. Second, the world is changing and I sense that even with the political volatility of our electoral system the eu and its members will welome our return sooner than we might imagine.