Starmer rejects false choice between Trump’s US and EU in key speech

12 comments

1. >“Against the backdrop of these dangerous times, the idea that we must choose between our allies, that somehow we’re with either America or Europe, is plain wrong,” he said.

   I wish he’s right, but he’s assuming that Trump is a reasonable negotiator, when he’s clearly not. If his team comes back to the UK saying “follow our regulations, not the EU’s, or we will slap a 20% tariff on you”, then clearly Starmer has to make a policy choice between staying with EU regulations or deregulate the market.

2. I thought we didn’t have trade deal with the US after Brexit?

3. That is the correct choice. Has the guardian even heard what the EU leaders also published? I recall: “…the transatlantic alliance will remain…”

   If the UK were to choose it would inevitable get crushed between two tectonic plates. Also Trump will not hurt Europe. Considering he is going full scale against BRICS including now tariffs against India and Brazil, Trump will gladly be friends with the EU. We also hedged against Trump in key red states. Florida and Texas as well as other key Red States are dependent on our investments. They will do much in order to not see it puff into thin air. We also already talked to oil producers to gobble up their excess production.

   Europe, including the UK, will be fine.

4. Britain is to Europe what Israel is to the middle east for the us.

5. A good speech.

   To understand Trumpian hostility to the EU you have to understand that they feel the US is getting screwed and they’re not entirely wrong in that: EU consumer protections, for example, have always been meant as not only consumer protections but also a non-tariff barrier and the US imposes few such barriers in return. So US goods get disadvantaged in the European market whereas Europeans can just waltz into theirs.

   That’s actually a relatively sane attitude, no matter how insanely it’s expressed sometimes, and means there is a deal to be made, as much as that feeds into Trump’s own myth making. You don’t have to accept chlorinated chicken or remove all consumer protections but they want *something* in return for the status quo, which they feel they’re on the losing side of.

   The UK doesn’t need to pick sides and is well positioned to quite frankly play both sides towards our middle. Because the EU just wants stability and the US just wants placation.

6. The United States has an economy that is over 50% larger than the entire European Union, the US might be the smarter long term choice

7. What he’s saying is:
   “Although I prefer the EU, I realise over the next 20 years the US will perform economically far better than the EU, as per the last 20 years, as per the 20 years before that, as per the 20 years before that, as per the 20 years before that… “

8. “I reject the false choice between the Axis and Allied Powers.”

9. As an American who relocated here eight months ago after spending three years in The Netherlands, I have mixed feelings about this.

   I do believe that the current world order, which has provided relative stability, is increasingly being challenged. Now more than ever, Western nations need to work together on united fronts to prevent the regionalization we’re seeing. This includes the U.K. moving closer to the U.S. However, it’s also hard to ignore that Europe has experienced economic stagnation since 2008 and seems to be on a downward trajectory over the next two decades.

   That said, I must express my deep frustration with the direction of the U.S. under Trump, and the already fractured image we have globally. While I do believe the U.K. could benefit from strengthening ties with the U.S., I’m also concerned that we could use our growing soft power to dominate your markets. As much as it pains me to say, you shouldn’t rely too heavily on us. We’re becoming increasingly unstable and erratic.

10. Free trade with the US would be great. If we are going to exist outside the EU we may as well take advantage of the (often seldom) genuine opportunities that this position affords us. Also mandatory reminder to check US/EU gdp growth since 2008!

11. We are the British. We do not operate at Americas behest.

12. Yep, play it right and we can do well here.

    Or alternatively, play it wrong and get completely screwed.

    Kier is such a capable politician; able to think on his feet, massively charismatic and instinctively daring… ahhh, sh*t…

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