‘Britain is back’: Keir Starmer promises UK will be at the heart of Europe
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/jul/14/britain-is-back-keir-starmer-promises-uk-will-be-at-the-heart-of-europe?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other
Posted by AdaptableBeef
24 Comments
Not sure how you can be at the heart of Europe without being in the EU but OK.
He probably means London as usual. Anything from the Midlands and above will get ignored as usual.
Didn’t vote for Starmer but nice to see some optimism coming from the top. The UK has so much untapped potential.
He means to airlift the entire country and drop it in the middle of Europe obviously
Good luck fixing 14 years of decline in your first term only to get back to neutral ground.
The whole “I would simply do the <good thing>, not the <bad thing>” vagueness works for oppositions. People are going to get sick of Starmer’s vague promises if they’re not followed up with something concrete.
You’d hope with the experience he has in his team, not just the MPs, but the likes of Sue Grey (for execution) and Tony Blair’s advice (for politics) he’ll know this.
He will definitely do better than his incompetent predecessor. Realistically, the EU needs a strong and cooperative UK, and vice versa. I have a feeling that Starmer will get along well with the folks in Europe. Not to mention, he has much bigger nutjobs in his own party and especially in opposition in Parliament.
But we’re not actually going to rejoin the EU. Well, not this decade anyway.
Starmer’s at the wheel man, he’s doing his thing. Britain is back!
I love the passion and determination. Im sure it’s going to be a challenge but this is true leadership.
Let’s see if what he says and what he does end up being the same. It wasn’t even two weeks ago he was saying the UK wouldn’t join the single market in his lifetime.
I doubt it. And honestly, that shouldn’t be much of a priority just yet. Unless it’s going to magically fix everything.
Can’t even fund our public services and Kier wants to physically move the whole country to the middle of Europe…
Big Tony’s back in power now, lads, the sky’s the limit
He’s going to win the Euro Cup for Britain tonight.
Just outside the building leaning in and trying to be relevant.
It’s all bluster. Over the first week it’s all been about how bad .. worse than we thought narrative. That’s just to manage expectations right from day one.
Uk Missed its chance. Entrance market for commonwealth countries, profit, investment for places outside London that are basically the same as Greece, profit.
Brexit to stop the immigrants, except the majority of immigrants aren’t from the EU? Indian workers have completely taken over supermarket and fast food jobs since brexit. Immigration is up.
The country not chance the UK has of being at the heart of Europe is deciding to end the Gas crisis and intervention in the Ukraine but unfortunately there is a crush of recruits in the army and navy.
Lol no it wont, after brexit U.K is lucky the EU does not point and laugh every time they enter a discussion
Britains main contribution to the EU was finance.
It’s the easiest job to move somewhere else.
Brexit fucked it, and it isn’t coming back.
Sorry Starmer, but you need to join the EU, and the Euro and pay €100 billion as a penalty.
He will get nothing without restoring the free movement of citizens
Ahaha, your obsession with Ireland’s GDP is getting bizarre, my friend. Let’s dismantle your arguments with a bit of critical irony, shall we?
First, your insistence on nuance is touching, but you’ve missed the boat. Sure, GDP per capita isn’t the perfect metric—no one’s claiming it is—but dismissing it outright because it doesn’t fit your narrative is rich.
Allow me to “enlighten” you: The fact that Ireland’s GDP per capita is significantly higher than the UK’s, France’s, or Germany’s is a reality, not some fantastical concoction. Yes, it’s influenced by multinationals, but to pretend it’s utterly meaningless is laughable. It indicates economic activity, investment, and yes, wealth, even if it doesn’t translate perfectly into individual bank accounts.
You’re not making a direct comparison between the two countries? Could’ve fooled me. You’ve gone to great lengths to argue that Ireland’s GDP is misleading while suggesting that the UK’s situation isn’t as dire. That sounds like a comparison to me.
But let’s indulge your point about “NUANCE.” The people of Ireland aren’t living in a utopia, and their GDP per capita isn’t a magic wand. However, it’s indicative of a robust economy that attracts significant business and investment—an area where the UK, post-Brexit, is struggling.
And here’s the kicker: Yes, Ireland has a higher GDP per capita than France and Germany too. The fact that you think this undermines my point is amusing. It’s not about having a “weird psychological issue” with the UK; it’s about facing facts. Ireland’s economic model, flaws and all, has been remarkably successful within the EU framework.
So, in summary: your fixation on debunking Ireland’s GDP to defend the UK’s economic performance is, frankly, bizarre. The UK has potential, no doubt, but let’s not pretend the data is irrelevant just because it’s inconvenient for your argument. Cheers!
Oh dear, replying in the wrong place—how ever will we recover?
And yes, I have replied several times. Consider it my public service, trying to drag this conversation back to reality.
You keep saying you’re happy to accept Ireland is doing better, yet you can’t seem to stop downplaying it. GDP per capita isn’t perfect, but it’s a significant indicator. Your insistence that it “significantly overstates” Ireland’s success is rather convenient, isn’t it?
As for what it means for the people of Ireland, it means jobs, investments, and a higher standard of living. Multinationals bring money, infrastructure, and opportunities, even if it doesn’t directly translate to everyone’s pocketbook.
And yes, I see you’ve mentioned France and Germany. How very astute. The fact remains that Ireland’s economic model is successful within the EU framework. It’s not about my supposed obsession with the UK; it’s about acknowledging facts.
So, if you’re done deflecting, maybe we can both accept that Ireland’s GDP per capita reflects real economic strength, even if it doesn’t fit your narrative. Cheers!