UK needs to rejoin EU customs union, says Lib Dem leader Ed Davey

19 comments

1. Politician restates position he has held for many years. More on this story as it develops.

2. Did he make this statement from another one of his adventure holidays?

3. People are quick to dismiss this, but this could be a big problem for Labour who’ve ruled it out, in that it could easily split their vote as Reform have on the right.

   I think Labour are safe from Reform for now, on the basis that in an election I think the Greens and Lib Dems would coalesce around Labour to avoid a Reform government, but this could change that.

   Also, all that aside, joining the customs union is common sense if our priority is growing the economy.

4. Privately educated person who worked in David Cameron’s cabinet and let innocent people get fucked by the post office scandal is pro EU, who would of thought?

5. The Lib Dems really need to rebrand themselves as the party of the EU.

   48% of the population did not want to leave and yet no major party wants to rejoin. It’s a huge market share and would be a lifeline for a middling political party with no clear pathway to PM.

6. If we’ve learned anything from the development of the political situation in the US it’s that semi-entertaining clowns can definitely be trusted, aye?

7. That would make too much sense, Ed.

   We’d rather destroy our economy for cheaper goods from China and chlorinated chicken from the US.

   Economic devastation with a side of E-coli is a small price to pay for the glorious Brexit freedoms we’re enjoying

8. Tariff free access to closest trading market remains in UK’s best interests.

   Just fucking accept Brexit was a terrible idea from start to finish, take our medicine, admit we were wrong and go back in. Only people we’re continuing to damage are ourselves.

9. Our official position is that the elephant doesn’t exist in this room.

10. We need to rejoin unapologetically. Full membership and adopt the Euro as our currency. We need closer alignment with our neighbours in order to survive in this world., The UK cast adrift off the coast of Europe by herself will not be able to compete with china ,USA and rising powers such as India.

11. Brexit has failed, it should not be the political poison it is at the moment to accept that and look to rebuild ties with the EU.

12. I voted leave and can now see that this has been the Russian plan since the 90s. We need closer ties to the EU, even if that’s not full rejoining.

13. There’s also the issue that, given the trouble we’ve caused, they may not want to negotiate a new agreement with us or, if they were willing to talk, impose conditions we couldn’t possibly agree to…

14. In 2014 “better together” was bandied about to convince people to vote against Scottish independence. It’s a shame that in 2016 the same principle wasn’t applied.

    I’ll never understand that on one hand we have a Union, as in the UK, but we can’t have another Union with European nations.

    These half baked ideas about partiality rejoining will never work. It’s all or nothing for me

15. TRAITOR!!!!!!!! Project fear! We should lobby to the be the 51sr state instead to maintain our independence!

16. I never understood why the UK fully left the customs union. The UK could have still left the single market and the freedom of movement, but had a trade deal like Turkey.

17. Why is this always being brought up? The results of the referendum were a win for Brexit. The EU doesn’t want disruptors back. It’s over.

18. As I understand it…

    A customs union means no customs and no tariffs for GOODS within the union. But it doesn’t mean free movement of capital or people or services.

    Since 78% of our economy is services, this is pointless for most things.

    But it also blocks us from either joining another customs union or negotiating our own deals.

    So, to improve things for 22% of the economy we have to permanently lock in the downs sides for the other 78%?

    And since there is no freedom of movement, this doesn’t solve the “Irish” question.

    And since the majority of Brexit voters were rural and more likely to be tied to agricultural and manufacturing, the people who voted for Brexit will actually still be subject to EU rules and processes? And the ones who didn’t will be out in the cold?

    So this seems like it’s the worst outcome for everyone actually? Only it sounds good because it sounds like “more Europe but not so much as to be undemocratic”. Which is isn’t…

19. Best of luck!

    The EU would insist on provisions no UK government could accept and Reform would hoover up votes.

    Whether good or bad, the UK left. There’s no way back – especially not into the EU. Get Spain and Hungry’s sign off? Ha!

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