Imagine checking your watch every hour to find that the country is poor by a million pounds.
This is not some distant economics class. It is true families, extended by higher bills, business paralyzed by traditional Chinese tape festivals, and young people deny the opportunity to study and work throughout Europe.
With the upcoming EU summit in the UK on May 19, the government has an unprecedented opportunity to stop the decline. That’s not enough to adjust the edge of our broken arrangements – we need a bold reset to rebuild our lost partnership. Britain needs real action, not another round-by-round disguised as a breakthrough.
First, the summit must negotiate the movement for the closest trading relationship with the EU and re-enter the customs alliance, a crucial first step. Friction-free trade will save our factories, farms and workers from suffocating barriers that drive cost extensions, delayed delivery and drive overseas investment. It will restore the supply chain that once maintained our industry’s competitiveness and provide businesses with the certainty they need to innovate and export commodities.
“We were sold to Brexit, we can’t pretend otherwise”
It is also crucial to restore freedom of movement from the start of youth mobility. Rejoining the Erasmus program and establishing a youth visa system similar to Australia will enable students and young people to live, learn and start their own careers in Europe. These are not luxury goods; they are the lifelines of ambitions, cultural exchanges and common prosperity that will shape the future of Britain and strengthen the connections between neighbors.
The government must also promote a readjustment of our defense and security cooperation. From cyber attacks to homeless people to regional flashpoints such as recent tensions between India and Pakistan, we know that conflicts hundreds or thousands of miles away may have immediate impact at home. Our security depends on shared intelligence, coordinated diplomatic and joint development efforts.
Defense is more than just bombs and guns; it’s about human security, conflict prevention and subsequent reconstruction. Strengthening security cooperation with Europe means standing side by side to face current and future challenges; Putin not only engages in war on the European border, but also has biosecurity threats, cyber warfare and climate change.
When it comes to climate change, we need to see a clear fast win from the summit. The EU’s carbon border adjustment mechanism begins to combat carbon leakage in 2023, and is planned to be fully implemented in 2026, while our own plan will not take effect until 2027, and The exemption is greater than the EU plan start up. If we continue to lag behind, British businesses will face unfair competition and our world-leading climate commitment will collapse. Aligning with these carbon tariffs in Europe is crucial to conservation efforts, promoting clean technology innovation and protecting the planet for future generations.
If the government chooses to make it a key priority, these goals are practical and are now achievable. But even if everyone has a deal, we will still be worse than before Brexit.
The Green Party’s policy is that Britain should rejoin the EU immediately once the domestic political situation is favorable. And it’s obvious that most British people feel the same. Two years Every poll shows that more than half of the British think leaving the EU is a mistake. We were sold to Brexit and we can’t pretend.
“We can choose to cooperate rather than isolate, ambitions for decline and hope for fear”
As a former member of the European Parliament, I have seen the stability, opportunities and common progress brought by European cooperative institutions. At this summit, we should have the courage to admit that leaving is a mistake and that our best future lies in Europe.
Obviously, others – Trump, is anyone? – Can’t replace the closest relationship with our next door neighbors and our largest trading partner. So let’s yell from the roof: The question is not whether we should rejoin, but when. I call on the Prime Minister to seize this moment and start the discussion on the rejoining of the EU to be involved – Recognizing that the world has changed a lot since Brexit, and the UK has a consistent public majority in the UK to support EU members. The future of Britain belongs to Europe, and our ambitions should be as limitless as the opportunities we once embraced.
Re-joining the EU will require political courage and a clear roadmap: establishing new alliances that meet the criteria for joining and support from the rally member states. But leaders never play safely. It is about facing harsh truths, delivering for ordinary people, and engaging in a future that reflects our highest ideals.
This summit may be the key to the update from regrets to renewal. We can choose to cooperate rather than isolation, ambitions for decline and hope for fear. We can use the power of collective progress to deal with climate breakdowns, defend democracy and build economies that work for all.
Britain should have better promises of economic contraction, trade barriers and losses. Our best days are not to separate, but to stand up with our European neighbors. It’s a time to renew, rebuild and formulate rejoin – the public is ready, and now it’s time.
