‘We need a referendum’: Readers respond to Sir John Major’s call to rejoin EU single market within five years

A.Debate continues over Sir John Major’s call for Britain to rejoin the single market within five years. Independent‘s Europe: The Way Back Following the campaign, readers are reacting to the proposal with a wide range of views on Brexit, the economy and the UK’s future relationship with the EU.

Some argued that a referendum was necessary before any major constitutional change, while others said a general election should be the real test, with parties making their positions clear in their manifestos and voters being allowed to decide.

On the practical aspects of rejoining, many readers noted Sir John’s warning that any move towards the single market would come at a “price”, including the acceptance of EU rules and the return of freedom of movement.

While some have said these conditions would make re-entry politically difficult or unrealistic, others have suggested that changing public opinion and future leadership could eventually make closer alignment with the EU more achievable.

Here’s what you need to say:

ask people

There’s nothing wrong with the former Prime Minister and the firebrand Remainer wanting us to rejoin the Single Market, is there? He’s not alone in this. Yes, that would mean ignoring the referendum and reversing some of the core tenets of Brexit, but undoubtedly that is what large sections of the country want.

At the same time, a large part of the country wants to respect Brexit.

The correct course of action in a democracy is to ask the public. The second group was a million larger when these numbers were last tested. However, one must be open to the argument that people may have changed their minds over the years. Therefore, I think retesting is necessary.

Let’s test again in the next general election. Parties that support remaining in the EU should include rejoining in their manifestos, and parties that support Brexit should include maintaining Brexit in their manifestos. And let’s hear what the country wants and take action

Krispad

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EU does not want a divided nation in its club

Wise words from John Major. I can’t speak for the EU but if I were responsible I wouldn’t want a divided nation arguing over two ideologies that I don’t want in the club, so he’s right that the debate needs to be won first and that will probably take some time; The country faced bankruptcy last time before rejecting mutual opposition and embracing a common future.

FreeLife

We need a referendum

We need a referendum before there is a fundamental change in our relations with the EU; otherwise those who take Brexit leave will be furloughed indefinitely, and those who remain will remain on leave forever.

It is an extremely important decision for the general election when it is wrapped up in other issues. And politicians have a habit of being too short-term to make a change big enough to reverse the Boris deal without a new mandate. We are too important a country in the world to have to accept a frictionless middle ground, but we cannot make any decisions about our fate and future shape of this agreement.

Frame

burnham Wrong Prime Minister for pro-EU people

We must rejoin the single market as soon as possible. Andy Burnham’s biggest problem is that having just won the Brexit seat, he may not be the right person to lead it. He will be very worried about losing the seat he just won. I said before that he would be the wrong Prime Minister for pro-EU people. If Ed Miliband becomes chancellor instead of reviving the economy by rejoining the single market, it will be all about taxes, borrowing and waste.

We can’t just tax and borrow our way to wealth. This country needs a proper economic plan and rejoining the single market would be a good start. I voted Labor in 2024, but that was Keir Starmer, who promised growth derailed by Trump’s misguided war in Iran. After years of turmoil, I did not call for his resignation. Any dramatic change of direction would need a general election to gain a democratic mandate or risk undermining our democracy and the legitimacy of this government at home and abroad.

astronomy

music to my ears

I fully remember the disbelief and horror of watching the referendum results live on television before dawn 10 years ago. Neither my husband, nor my siblings/mother-in-law nor I were pro-Brexit in any way! In addition, 99 percent of our friends and neighbors voted to Remain. Brexit voters won, as we always knew, by a very narrow margin.

10 years later, it is clear that Brexit was a dismal failure! The nationalist fervor behind choosing to distance ourselves from the rest of Europe never made economic sense. Why was it decided to limit the export of our products to our European neighbors when geographically their territory is so close to the UK and therefore arranging the transportation of multiple goods to various EU regions is certainly preferable to finding other, less accessible points of sale!?

Current discussions about rebuilding and strengthening our education, trade and travel links with the EU in the near future “sound good to my ears”….

JanetC

We must address the real reason for Brexit

The reason we had Brexit had nothing to do with taking back control or leaving the single market or customs union. These were just fig leaves. The only reason people wanted Brexit was to stop immigrants, including those from Eastern Europe, from coming here.

So until we find a way to control immigration and stop illegal immigration completely, these people will never be satisfied. Of course, those planning Brexit did so for two reasons: money and power. And they said everything and promised everything because lying came naturally to Johnson and Farage. Corbyn had misguided motives, but people like him were in the minority. For the majority, it was about not having people who didn’t look or sound like them. They had no economic or other justification.

So if we want to go back to Europe we have to address this issue. Otherwise, economy, employment etc. All our discussions on the topics are useless.

punda

The benefits of leaving will continue to grow

Since we voted to leave the declining, anti-democratic, power-grabbing EU political union, the UK has outperformed our peers in the EU political union; It is predicted that Germany, France and Italy will continue to move in this direction by the IMF and even the OBR.

We rose from the 7th largest exporter in the world to the 4th exporter and became the world’s second largest service exporter after the USA.

More free trade agreements will be signed and existing ones will be improved and improved. The benefits of separation will continue to grow and grow in the coming years. And we don’t even have a government yet that actually supports Brexit and will take full advantage of it. We’ll get one of these when Labor is expelled after the next general election. No party that advocates reconnecting us to the EU political union will win this election.

King’s Forest

Each member state will have a shopping list

“But Sir John said this was an important step in repairing the broken relationship and should pave the way for a longer-term aim of fully rejoining the EU.”

This implicitly assumes that this is the intent. Brexit was not primarily an economic decision.

There is generally zero appetite in the country to sign up for unrestricted free roaming. Rejoining the EU would mean getting ‘our share’ of all illegals entering the EU, not just those crossing the Channel. We will have to join Schengen, join the Euro and pay over £20bn a year in membership fees. Barnier can claim all he wants that he sees no reason why we should not revert to our original terms of membership with all exit options, but he no longer speaks for the EU and if you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you. Each member state will have a shopping list of concessions to demand from the UK, or individual veto rights will be exercised. How much of your national silver are you willing to donate to avoid having to queue at passport control?

sj99

Watch The Independent editor-in-chief Geordie Greig’s full conversation with Sir John Major below:

Negotiations will take years

I doubt that member states will be willing to welcome back their most destructive former members. Once this is proposed, it will be weakened by the Conservatives and their allies on the far right, who will promise to withdraw when they take over government (if ever).

The UK could seek to extend its existing agreement with the EU, but even this would be opposed and lead to financial and trade instability. Even if an agreement was reached for the UK to reapply to join, negotiations would take years and waste many prime ministers! As an EU citizen I would be very cautious about Britain rejoining!

Pale Horse

Some of the comments in this article have been edited for brevity and clarity.

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