As the prime minister grapples with the US trade tariffs, trade unions and business groups are pushing him to negotiate closer ties with the EU

Summary

Keir Starmer faces growing pressure from Labour’s key financial backers, trade unions, and business leaders to forge closer UK-EU ties after Trump’s new tariffs sparked economic concerns.

The U.S. imposed a 10% tariff on the UK and 25% on key sectors, endangering 25,000 UK car jobs.

A TUC poll shows 66% of Britons now support stronger EU ties. Labour MPs and pro-EU groups argue Starmer’s Brexit red lines are outdated.

Critics warn ignoring EU alignment risks deeper economic damage.

          • Kecessa@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
            2·
            9 days ago

            Bingo, make the message very clear

            If you leave you’re in for a bad time (for a while, no one can tell the long term effect)

            If you come back you’re not getting the same privileges you had in the past

        • huppakee@lemm.eeEnglish
          11·
          9 days ago

          They should be given the best of privileges, but on the EU’s terms: everything that is beneficial for the people in the UK and their economy, unless that’s harmful for the union (such as exemptions from fishing quota or whatever). A stronger member leads to a strong whole, generally speaking.

          • Kecessa@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
            6·
            9 days ago

            They already had tons of privileges that other countries didn’t get the last time they joined, see how that went.

            • huppakee@lemm.eeEnglish
              1·
              9 days ago

              I now see you meant we shouldn’t give them privileges other countries don’t have either, I do agree with that. I most of all meant we should create the conditions that make it as attractive as possible to rejoin the EU. In some articles about a multi-speed EU they say the UK could join at the lowest speed in a similar way Norway and Switzerland are ‘members’ of the economic area, I think it’s more realistic the UK will first have an agreement like those two countries before they become a full/regular member again.