4 ms·

It's not going to happen. I'd love the UK to rejoin the EU but there isn't the political will to do, either here or in the EU27. Remember too it only takes any

It's not going to happen. I'd love the UK to rejoin the EU but there isn't the political will to do, either here or in the EU27. Remember too it only takes any one of the remaining constituent nations to veto any membership consideration - and that's only after a process of political wrangling which can take a decade or more. If international treaties are famous for anything, it's that they are formed at glacial pace. I'm also doubtful the public will is there in the UK, either. I wish I could say with confidence that if we had another referendum tomorrow on whether to rejoin or stay out, rejoin would comfortably win but I can't. It's one of those things which seems so obvious if you support one side, you just can't see how the other can possibly take the position they do. In respect of the site, it's not going to persuade anyone who was either in favour of Brexit or on the fence, is it? It's clearly designed to preach to the choir. But partisanship and ideological bubbles is how we ended up in such a mess in the first place. If any campaign is serious about rejoining, they need to accept two things, IMO - first, that it's a generational cause, not something which will be achieved within a few years, and second, that any campaign will only succeed by making concessions with the EU and the pro-Brexit faction among the public, by understanding them and by forming a new relationship. To call this task gargantuan is an understatement.

Stevvo 4y ago
There is one situation where it could happen. If the courts give Scotland another vote for independence and they vote yes, then it's quite possible the government would offer a vote on rejoining as a last resort attempt to hold the country together.
mactunes 4y ago
I have a genuine question which I have been wondering about for sole time: Is there anything positive to this “one nation can veto everything” rule? It feels like this is really blocking a lot of progress in the EU where some of the right-spectrum nations can simply block anything or bargain from. Why do we have this rule and is it hard to get rid of it?
- nine_k 4y ago
  Yes, there is. The rule means that nothing can be forced onto any nation. Many people, and nations, would be hesitant to join a union where you can be coerced to tolerate neighbors you otherwise wouldn't. Hence the idea of consensus.
- origin_path 4y ago
  In practice the EU has already got rid of this rule in almost every area, for that exact reason. However, it means that the arguments for leaving the EU get stronger. It used to be that a good answer to opposition to the EU was "but they can't force us to do anything because there's a veto". Now it's very far from that. It's that exact trend that led to Brexit in the first place - your comment shows why it's problematic perfectly. EU supporters see it as a way to force left wing politics onto populations that otherwise would reject it.
- raxxorraxor 4y ago
  Because we don't have a real European public and open discourse. It is just some losers online that happen to speak English as a common language. But even then you wouldn't know anything about domestic politics in Bulgaria (assuming your aren't from there). You cannot really get to anything you can call democratic voting, it would be so random and indirect that it would basically become meaningless. So states still need a hard veto for themselves and the direction the EU will develop in.

Stevvo 4y ago

There is one situation where it could happen. If the courts give Scotland another vote for independence and they vote yes, then it's quite possible the government would offer a vote on rejoining as a last resort attempt to hold the country together.

mactunes 4y ago

I have a genuine question which I have been wondering about for sole time: Is there anything positive to this “one nation can veto everything” rule? It feels like this is really blocking a lot of progress in the EU where some of the right-spectrum nations can simply block anything or bargain from. Why do we have this rule and is it hard to get rid of it?

nine_k 4y ago
Yes, there is. The rule means that nothing can be forced onto any nation. Many people, and nations, would be hesitant to join a union where you can be coerced to tolerate neighbors you otherwise wouldn't. Hence the idea of consensus.
origin_path 4y ago
In practice the EU has already got rid of this rule in almost every area, for that exact reason. However, it means that the arguments for leaving the EU get stronger. It used to be that a good answer to opposition to the EU was "but they can't force us to do anything because there's a veto". Now it's very far from that. It's that exact trend that led to Brexit in the first place - your comment shows why it's problematic perfectly. EU supporters see it as a way to force left wing politics onto populations that otherwise would reject it.
raxxorraxor 4y ago
Because we don't have a real European public and open discourse. It is just some losers online that happen to speak English as a common language. But even then you wouldn't know anything about domestic politics in Bulgaria (assuming your aren't from there). You cannot really get to anything you can call democratic voting, it would be so random and indirect that it would basically become meaningless. So states still need a hard veto for themselves and the direction the EU will develop in.