johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 1hAnyone who bothered to read even just the first line to the preamble of the Treaty of Rome can tell you that: "DETERMINED to lay the foundations of an ever closer union between the peoples of Europe". Does that sound like a trade organisation? 011
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 1hAsk them what rights they want to give away for themselves. The prohibition of torture? The right to a fair trial? No punishment without law? Freedom of thought? Freedom of expression? 000
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 1hNothing like some great English comedy. 😅 The benefits of Brexit that made England the envy of Europe. 😂 000
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 14hOh I couldn't agree more Kate. And I would be the first to welcome Scotland to the EU. 000
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 18h A less generous thing to say would be that it would be for the UK to take measure so it can comply to EU requirements, rather than the EU having to adapt to appease a country that has shown time and again that appeasement doesn't work 220
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 20hThe UK doesn't have "a larger economy" it is 6x smaller. The UK was far more important compared to the EEC and yet it still had to beg for membership three times. But must important of all: the EU is about far more than the economy but very few in Britain seem to understand that. 130
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 20hIt's great to hear another British exceptionalist. Britain doesn't have to join Schengen because it's an island lol. Tell that to Malta. Tell that to Cyprus who are in the process of joining. "It makes sense" for the UK and Ireland to stay out of Schengen as (soon, when Cyprus joins) the only ones. 000
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 20hWhy don't you just answer the question he asked? Oh. Because you can't. I wouldn't be surprised if you were a Brexshitard lol 000
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 20h"I got caught with my pants down so now I'll yell 'do your own research'" 😂 410
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 21hThere is also no demand in any EU member state to water down freedom of movement. 010
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 21hHave you seen this @nialloconghaile.bsky.social 000
Reposted by @johanbeerts.bsky.socialBremain in Spain @bremaininspain.com · 21hThis is the second of two pieces exploring the options for Britain’s future relationship with the EU by former European Parliamentary Labour Party leader Richard Corbett labourlist.org/2026/10/imag...labourlist.org'Imaginary and real obstacles to Britain resuming its membership of the EU' - LabourListFormer EPLP leader Richard Corbett looks at the myths and real objects that arise in any conversation about rejoining the EU. 31916
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 21hMore drivel about not having to join Schegen and how to avoid the euro. Stay out if you do not like European integration. 010
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 22hOh and not to mention that the UK liked parts of Schengen, as it happily had access to Schengen databases. Which it failed to feed and kept that hidden from other member states, and whose content it illegally downloaded in the months leading towards Brexit. 020
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 23hYou also never hear in the UK that borders intra-Schengen matter less now because we have common databases, police in member state A can see car registration plates from country B in real time, we have European arrest warrants, we share fingerprints and much more besides. 020
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 23hI think that antipathy is largely built on ignorance of how it works (not uncommon of anything EU-related in the UK) and exceptionalism. 010
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 23hAnd the sentence "I will refrain from mentioning how regularly and thoroughly Europe reforms, while having to apparently take lectures from the home of Henry VIII powers and the invisible constitution." made me laugh out loud. 😜 1223
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 23hExcellent article Niall. I wasn't even aware of the suggestion of ending freedom of movement to facilitate the glorious return of the UK. All we have to do to achieve that is give up who we are and what we built. Incredible. 2187
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 23hThat's why I think the UK will never rejoin in your or my lifetime ER. The vast majority in Europe see Schengen as a great achievement, it enjoys tremendous support, some countries have given an arm and a leg to be in it. But in the UK it is seen as a negative. They are not fit to be members. 010
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 23hIt's sickening how little so many even in high positions in England understand about the EU. Well, they have only had half a century to learn of course.... 171
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 23hSome very good points indeed. Especially where Britain lectures us on "reform" from a country that hasn't seen reform for centuries. And I wasn't even aware of the "suggestion" for the EU to end free movement of people. These people are so backward and narrow-minded. 150
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 06/10/2026Have you ever been to Northern Ireland? 100
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 06/10/2026If joining Schengen, one of the EU's finest achievements, is seen as a "scare story" already then there is ZERO hope for Britain. 080
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 06/10/2026Why is it that Schengen, which is good enough for 29 (soon 30) European nations, is beneath the dignity of the British? Why should we once more allow a special regime for Britain, only for them to come back and demand more exemptions and opt-outs? If you don't like what the EU is, stay out. 180
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 06/10/2026Here we go again. And opt-out from the euro, Schengen can be ignored and then we can welcome our British friends who do not believe in European integration back. All we have to do is bend the rules so our British friends can join the club once more while rejecting even our finest achievements. 2155
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 06/10/2026We have been hearing that for decades coming from England and it only makes us laugh harder every time. 000
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 06/10/2026Ah yeah the "rapidly failing EU project" lol. So "failing" that nine countries are in the queue to join it. So "failing" that others, like Mercosur, are trying to emulate it. "A union that never was" lol. We are so irrelevant clowns like you get their knickers in a twist over us. 😆 000
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 06/10/2026Would that work in tandem with the Galileo replacement Britain was going to build after Brexit? 110
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 06/10/2026It's funny how they have something very similar to Schengen and freedom of movement with Ireland (the CTA), but if this happens in the EU it's somehow bad. I'm sure it has nothing to do with xenophobia but I am yet to figure out what it is. 010
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 06/10/2026Yes ER it's sickening how so many in England seem to "think" their country is the top destination for immigration or refugees. Take refugees. All but two or so EU member states take more refugees per capita than the UK does. But England keeps droning on and on and on and on and on about them. 010
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 06/10/2026I haven't even mentioned NI or unification, but keep trying. The British won't get exceptions in the unlikely event they apply to join the EU. How they deal with that is their problem. It's certainly not the EU's job to give concessions to an unappeasable country to solve the problems they created. 110
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 05/10/2026Why is it with you British that Schengen, that is good enough for 29 - soon 30 - European nations is beneath your dignity? You are really showing that you are not fit and will not be fit in the foreseeable future to be worthy of being in the EU. Or maybe I should say "English" instead of "British". 221
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 05/10/2026The only reason Ireland aren't joining Schengen is the British partitioning their island. If you talk about two of the EU's finest achievements as "poison pills" then you really don't belong in the EU. If you already have that kind of mentality the EU shouldn't even consider closer ties. 000
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 05/10/2026Gosh. When I hear Conservatives talk about leaving the ECHR and thus undermining the Good Friday Agreement and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement with the EU I'm not even sure of that. Not sure how widespread support for that is with the Conservatives but it certainly doesn't inspire confidence. 110
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 05/10/2026Oh yes absolutely. It's definitely not Scotland or Wales. 000
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 05/10/2026Probably yes. Although the EU will want to know whether in three or eight years there won't be a UK government that will tear it all up again. So much time has been wasted on Brexit already, wasted on making everything worse, that I doubt the EU will want to waste yet more time. 100
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 05/10/2026I always laugh when I hear people from the UK moan about "hard right parties" when the UK has been under hard right party rule for well over a decades, pushed to the right by Farage. The UK's current home secretary, a "socialist" would make Le Pen blush. 110
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 05/10/2026Exactly. And that is exactly what they should do. I do not believe for one minute that EU citizens would support a British return if the UK start moaning about Schengen, the euro, the money to pay and much more besides. 100
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 05/10/2026Good. I think the EU is better off without the current hostile, selfish, adversarial UK where the best thing the PM can say about the EU is that membership would make deportations easier. I do not believe for the life of me that that will change in the next few decades. So better off apart. 100
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 05/10/2026It's only ever about what you can get, how you can get exceptions, how you can improve your economy. It's never about how to build a better Europe for all of us. 100
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 05/10/2026You're not "pro EU" if you are already thinking about how to "escape" one of our finest achievements. Schengen is good enough for 29, soon 30, European nations. If it is beneath your dignity to join then the EU shouldn't even consider having you. We tried appeasing u for decades. Look how that went. 200
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 05/10/2026Last time is gone. You relinquished your membership, remember? And it's not always about YOU YOU YOU and what YOU want and what hinders YOU. Perfect illustration of why the UK is not fit to be an EU member. You don't believe in European integration and you reject even our finest achievements. 100
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 05/10/2026The CTA basically is a sort of Schengen + freedom of movement anyway. It become redundant should both Ireland and the UK join Schengen. 010
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 05/10/2026"Brejoin" would not be an epic win if the UK started as a half-hearted member again, asking for exemptions right from the start. The EU only gains if the UK joins as a positive and constructive member, not as the troublemaking demandeur of exceptions it always was. 000
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 05/10/2026Ireland/CTA is not "a good reason for that". The only reason Ireland isn't in is because the UK isn't. It can keep its precious CTA which basically is Schengen + FoM anyway. The EU tried appeasing the UK for decades and it didn't work. No way the EU is going down that failed path again. 020
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 05/10/2026It's more than a "starting position". The EU isn't going to negotiate over its acquis with the UK. 120
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 05/10/2026Good. That's the way it should be. We need better members, not necessarily more members. 0101
Reposted by @johanbeerts.bsky.socialDavid Henig @davidheniguk.bsky.social · 05/10/2026Well thanks for that feedback *EU source* - "yes we all say we support the UK returning, but if you think you're getting a single opt-out of anything, forget it..." 10364
johanbeerts.bsky.social @johanbeerts.bsky.social · 05/10/2026Completely agree Jack! It would be the best way for all. And I doubt Ireland would want to be the odd duck as the only EU country outside Schengen (after Cyprus joins in the next few years). 110
