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Reposted by Niall Ó Conghaile

Nick cannot comprehend that pro EU could mean anti UK rejoin. He seems unable to picture how anyone in EU might object to a transactional UK joining EU "to get richer and we'll hold our nose to all the things we don't like until we change the EU". He was raised to accept low trust transactions.

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Peter Thurlow @peterthurlow.bsky.social · 5h

Labour felt the referendum result to be an existential threat. They were terrified - the LDs too for that matter. Their whole vote - as they saw it - was turning against them. In reality of course, these days a Labour voter is more likely to be an affluent young graduate, but that scares them too.

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Yank in DK @sauldk.bsky.social · 5h

Nice positive last act there, but whooo the first 4🫠

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Niall Ó Conghaile @nialloconghaile.bsky.social · 15h

History does rhyme. We watched the struggles of David Cameron over party management. His rhetoric coarsened, grew more Europhobic. He looked to provoke fights with the 27. And of course blackmailed us at our most vulnerable moment. 1

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Josh Sherer @pickle1805.bsky.social · 14h

Sounds a bit like David Davis’s strategy of getting on the phone to “Paris” and “Berlin” to sort it all out in an afternoon…. How did that go?

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Frenchie McFrenchface @frenchie.eurosky.social · 14h

I hope so, I hope there is a real education about what the Eu is and not soundbites.

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ER 🇪🇺 @er2023.bsky.social · 14h

That's a UK problem, sorry Nick. It's not our (Europeans) problem. If you (collectively) are not ready to join again as a full EU Member State, if you (collectively) are seeking yet again an opt-out from "ever closer union" as in the good ol' Cameron days, then just stay out. That's fine by us.

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Phil Jones' body double @philsbodydouble.bsky.social · 15h

And it isn't * just * Labour that is tied to the land like serfs. In many cases, love is too. For too many Brits it is nowadays VERY unadvisable to fall in love with someone from the EU.

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Phil Jones' body double @philsbodydouble.bsky.social · 15h

"We'll take the economic / policy hit in exchange for preserving greater freedom" has always sounded so false to me. Brexit has made the average Brit far less free on his/her own continent, with far less protections & rights, than the folk in 30 countries that are their neighbours. It is a scam.

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Suz Brinkman-Wordle @firmlyaground.bsky.social · 15h

“Market” isn’t necessarily AB’s personal framing. It may be the ‘Way in’ to all those Leave voters who explained themselves in terms of the EU’s having been a ‘Common Market’ (acceptable) to begin with but then became something bigger and unacceptable.

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Nick Craw🇪🇺🇨🇦🇬🇱🇹🇭 @nickcraw.bsky.social · 16h

As many on here constatantly remind me theres a majority for rejoin but not for stuff like euro which is fine but basicaly the majority is broad, but shallow. Burnham wants to support majority & push broad base forward without risking losing the shallow voters. Its about nudging this forward now.

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Paddy Magill @padraigpostal.bsky.social · 16h

Freedom of movement is integral to the Single Market beloved by the right wing to avoid 'Social Dumping' and allowing workers to follow the work, which is why you can't have the Single Market without it.

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Catio Miles @catiomiles.bsky.social · 16h

He’s leading from behind on Europe, the consensus bit is just an excuse to do very little. On other topics in his speech he was leading, but not on Europe. And once you frame it just as a “market“, the scope and ambition is an FTA.

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Memnon of Rhodes @johngage1.bsky.social · 16h

I still remember meeting my old Professor about 3 years after the referendum. He had a German father and an English mother and had grown up in the ruins of WWII. He had voted Remain and said it was a mistake that they had campaigned on the economy. He said the whole purpose of the EU was peace.

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Andyinafield @andyinafield.bsky.social · 17h

The big change is his pointing at our problems and starting to tell the (true) story that they're all self inflicted. None of this "the eu did it" nonsense. Maybe he's the bloke to educate the inmates of Infantalised Island.

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Catio Miles @catiomiles.bsky.social · 18h

I think it was clear it was within the country. He was good at articulating how good Labour tradition was since 1945 (NHS and all that), but he couldn’t bring himself to articulate the other Labour tradition to be an internationalist party which meant an internationalist vision of the world.

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Niall Ó Conghaile @nialloconghaile.bsky.social · 5h

I shouldn't respond to this stuff, but Europeans want what's best for Europe. If that offends you, that's on you

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Niall Ó Conghaile @nialloconghaile.bsky.social · 5h

Balls. You must have been listening to another speech. He said nothing positive about Europe or about applying to join He opened a debate. Which isperhaps enough And basta! with the anglocentirism. It's embarrassing. Why would I be a rejoiner or Brexiter when I'm not British and don't live in UK?

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Frank de Wit @eurovisiongold.com · 22h

Interesting. From this side of the North Sea, I still don't have a clue what the UK now actually wants. After ten years you'd expect Labour at least would have developed some kind of strategy?

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ER 🇪🇺 @er2023.bsky.social · 23h

If he does manage to find a consensus,it may well end up exactly where I'd want it to be:S/M membership (with FoM,EU Regs without much say,£££ contributions,jurisdiction of a Court,etc) but no EU membership (for now). The Bance types may well say (at long last): "I can sell that to my constituents".

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Paul Higgins @paulhiggins551708.eurosky.social · 23h

Appeasing the xenophobes? Really? Are we still there, just where Starmer was but only a few inches closer?

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ER 🇪🇺 @er2023.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Tbh Burnham thanked us,immigrants,for having come to🇬🇧 (par.#2 ⬆️) It hadn't happened since 2024,only insults+scorn ("squalid chapter","incalculable damage"). Sunak did thank us;likely no PMs before since 2016. I wasn't expecting that much,just let us be,but I'll take it even if it's just warm words.

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Niall Ó Conghaile @nialloconghaile.bsky.social · 14h

So, word is PM Burnham doesn't want to have to go through accession or ref, so wants to talk directly to other leaders to get a special arrangement. Hence waiting until erhe summit. The leaders won't go outside the treaties. But they may offer a kind of SM deal if the UK drops the red lines and

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Niall Ó Conghaile @nialloconghaile.bsky.social · 15h

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Harry @harrycovert.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Freedom of movement has many advantages, not just visiting a holiday home. Specialised and innovative labour whose skills can’t be supported by a single country can thrive in the EU. If the U.K. doesn’t want to accept that, maybe they should wait a little longer.

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LittleGravitas, →EU immigrant, UK→ emigrant, anti-Brexit @catanonim.me · 29/09/2026

3/3 We should note: - no UK PM has attempted such a step over Brexit for basically ever - it was a brave move - it may yet build consensus - it may open negotiation doors with EU - it was refreshing, and gives a measure of hope - it was probably the best he could do in the circumstances.

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Catio Miles @catiomiles.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Maybe I’m not good at politics and maybe Labour are truly pro Europeans and know a smart way to get back in. But his speech has 2 red flags 🚩 for me: the first one is that he called the EU a “market”; secondly he said he is seeking “consensus” in the U.K. with regards to the new relationship.

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Paul Murray @renebatt.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

“…because why should capital be free to go where it wants for profit, but labour - the only thing most people have - is tied to the land like serfs!” !!! I couldn’t have put it better. Thanks for this 🧵Niall!

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Andyinafield @andyinafield.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

I don't believe the EU is uppermost in Burnham and queen Lou's minds. The speech, excellent as it was, confirms this. There's plenty to fix internally first. I believe that's the focus. You lot come after addressing our clusterfucks.

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Scott Lupasko @slupasko.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

I’m very happy with this. He’s very skilled at giving the RW press nothing to come at him with while also imo very clearly saying (without saying) that rejoin is an option if it is the best way forward and there is a strong will. I think he will use these years until the next GE to build consensus.

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stephenmcnair.bsky.social @stephenmcnair.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

EU is one of several big changes he proposes for the next manifesto. Three years to prepare the ground and negotiate options. A clear election result, coupled with PR, would be a sign that Britain is serious about a close relationship/membership.

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Niall Ó Conghaile @nialloconghaile.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

The argument for not declaring love for Europe off the bat This gets ahead of things. The reset is in real trouble as stands. I'm not convinced softly softly is going to deliver @peterthurlow.bsky.social eastangliabylines.co.uk/news/brexit/...

eastangliabylines.co.uk

The plan that can take us back to the EU

Andy Burnham has done it – he’s talking about Brexit. But now what?

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Kresten @kresten2.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Irrelevant question as the EU will not reform one of our greatest achievements just because some people within an increasingly irrelevant 3rd country tells us to.

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Niall Ó Conghaile @nialloconghaile.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

I doubt we will get answers, because this is how anglocentrism works. It was a problem for some voters in England, therefore it must be a problem for everyone else. Ask them? Why bother, they don't consider our position to be important. Britons talk politics, Europeans serve the drinks

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Bob Shields @robbo03.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

I thought Andy Burnham was about to get the removals van in. A positive speech that had more hope than fear in it. I will use caution though. He needs to move forward.

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Josh Sherer @pickle1805.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

I take your point and your scepticism. But at least he is encouraging us to have the conversation - and making clear Brexit has failed. This is progress and may lead to more. Agree with you that a positive “why the EU is a Good Thing / Britain is European” in its own right is still missing.

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cynic65.bsky.social @cynic65.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

My guess is he uses the Summit to try and piggy back on the deal offered to Canada, without FOM of course because he can't sell that, etc.

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Raymond Bennett @raymondbennett.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Just finished. He's not left me with a warm and fuzzy feeling. Good that he's left his options open but there was no dream of shared future and growth with our European neighbours just what we might agree on immigration and the fact that it is our largest trading partner. Tepid and uninspiring.

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Dr Simon Ubsdell @simonubsdell.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Oh, he’s definitely a hardcore magic guy.

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Mark Purchase 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 🇪🇸 🇪🇺 @markpurch.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

“Brexit has done more harm than good” or similar could just as easily have been said by someone from the Brexit hasn’t been done properly crowd He’s left himself a lot of leeway and space for manoeuvre without committing to very much But, at least he didn’t mention the red things 🎉

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D B Webb @dbwebb.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Thread.

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猫好きな人 @valoisdubins.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Oh oh oh isn't it middle class and pretentious to be multilingual Yes, in the UK, it is. Well done for supporting the English class system, you fucking idiot. It's NORMAL for over half the world's population.

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猫好きな人 @valoisdubins.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

When I visit Europe these days, usually in transit to the UK, I sit in cafes and listen to the buzz of languages around me and - pretentious as this sounds - feel literally a bit physically sick that the UK rejected all this as pernicious.

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Kathy Love @kathylove.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Yep, that's in the Treaty of Paris Art. 69 too: MS 'shall prohibit any discrimination in remuneration and working conditions between nationals and migrant workers' and work together 'to ensure that social security arrangements do not inhibit labour mobility.' It has a long and honourable history.

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Orius @orius.eurosky.social · 29/09/2026

How utterly farcical this whole situation is like. I'm not sure there are any other cases of so consistently and vehemently missing the point of something as the UK political commentariat does on the EU. Others might not like a strong Europe either, but they at least seem to know what they fear.

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Crazy Cat Lady Abroad @crazycatladyabroad.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

"In but special" wasn't good enough. "Out but special" isn't good enough. I've given up trying to meet them halfway. Article 49 and Copenhagen as written or FOAD.

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Niall Ó Conghaile @nialloconghaile.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Andy Burnham to LP conference. Adequate for you, for pro-Europeans? Three small points: Firstly it looks like he's reaching for language on this, which is possibly a reflection of not being clear in his mind. However... 1

Net migration down more than 80% since the peak of the Boris Johnson era.

Conference, we make these changes but we will always grateful – always, and we thank them – to those whose who have come here and are contributing to our country.

Than you, to them.

But control over immigration was weakened when we lost collaboration with our European partners.

And we are still having to work hard to bring it back.

Later this year, there will be a UK-EU summit where one of the issues on the agenda will be how we best work together on immigration.

And beyond that we will work to secure gains for our industries most harmed by Brexit.

Conference, these are important concrete steps.

But they are not enough.

I say this to you and the country.

We will not give Britain the clear path we need into the rest of the century until we decide on a long-term relationship with what is still our largest market.

I cannot say to you truthfully that where we are is good enough.

Brexit has done more harm

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Kate Byrne @katebyrne.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

It’s absolutely tedious. Here’s another thing. Suppressing immigration to the extent they have, has cost £6.5 billion. A lose-lose situation. It is no wonder the UK is fragmenting. I am looking forward to leaving.

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