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Renegotiate Remain

Here’s an idea to run up the Brexit flagpole…

The EU have said there is no further negotiation to be had regarding how the UK might leave. Talks are over, no further concessions are to be made. Plan A – that is to retain trade, abolish EU legislation and shut out migrants – is shut down.

Plan B is Theresa May’s massive compromise deal, also known as BRINO: BRexit In Name Only. But although it guarantees leaving the EU, thus fulfilling the so-called will of the people, it’s just so rubbish that it can’t pass through Westminster.

Oh yeah, the Brexit Bus and it’s boldly coloured lies…

To Plan C… Crashing out, storming off, whatever you want to call No Deal Brexit. Leaving the EU without a deal is an absolute guaranteed disaster according to just about everyone except for those committed to Brexit At Any Cost… remember them? They’re a group who having stopped short of actually saying, “Trust me, I’m a politician” managed to convince 52% of the voting public of a number of fantasies such as the £350m a week that would pour into the NHS post Brexit, the end of free movement of people from March 29, 2019 and the overall concept that negotiating a deal would be easy essentially because in the words of Michael Gove, “…we hold all the cards”.

Hmmmm… there’s a lot of ducking and diving when it comes to discussing these claims, these days. At best they were hugely misguided or ill informed. Maybe there were vested interests, but that’s a whole other story, isn’t it? Whatever the case, none of these claims have been borne out. That’s not my opinion, it’s a fact. If you still choose to believe whatever new myths these people are pedalling, you might still believe Plan C would be in our best interest… FYI that’s called magical thinking, as opposed to critical thinking.

Ok. Plan D. This is my contribution: Instead of trying to renegotiate the non-negotiable (ie Leave)… let’s regnegotiate Remain. That’s it.

As well as having our own currency and being outside the Shengen zone (ok, we knew that already…) we know so much more now than we knew before this whole sorry (insulting, isolating, poorly advised) debate. We know that EU law contains legislation allowing us to “control our borders” but that UK governments haven’t enacted it. If immigration is indeed one of the main factors for Brexiteers wanting to Brexit, let’s look at that.

Our trade deals and tariffs could stay in place, and although we might have insulted our nearest and dearest trading partners, the cost savings and ease of commercial continuity would be hugely positive on both sides.

Goodbye Irish border problems and backstop! Goodbye uncertainty for all the UK citizens living in the EU and the EU citizens who have made their homes and families here in the UK.

What else might we negotiate? Specific legislation? The role of the ECJ? Fishing rights? Benefits? The EU Energy and climate package?

And the happy ending is this: once we’ve renegotiated Remain and can provide absolute clarity for both sides, we can go back to the ballot box and give people a REAL choice. A choice between two real deals. No guessing, no assumptions, just the facts.

For the record, I remain a Remainer who is pro-immigration and pro-environment. But I am also a pragmatist. And if there is a way forward that allows for an inclusive and cohesive UK (and something else on the radio, please!) then I think we have to consider it.

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