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TheRealMrSteve

@reallymrsteve.bsky.social
238 followers 256 following 831 posts

Brexit broke the UK- we've got to fix it again! Proud member of the tofu-eating Rejoinerati Presenter of 'The Single Market Show' Pro-HS2

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Reposted by TheRealMrSteve
Rafael Behr @rafaelbehr.bsky.social · 10h
Why the Kremlin was pro-Brexit and why it still matters even if 2016 meddling didn’t swing the result www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
theguardian.com
Brexiters can’t cope with the fact that Putin was cheering them on | Rafael Behr
Russian meddling probably didn’t affect the referendum result – but the Kremlin’s motives for wanting to undermine the EU still matter, says Guardian columnist Rafael Behr
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Dropped a bit of a clanger about Finland there- it was in EFTA prior to joining the EU in 1986, not the EEA. The EEA wouldn't exist for another 6 years- it was launched in 1992 and only came into effect in 1994. It was an otherwise good read.
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
There is no option of rejoining the Single Market & saving the tricky bit of rejoining the EU for later. The Single Market is set out in the EU treaties & applies to EU members only- see TFEU, from Art.26 The Norway option is also off because EFTA said no in March 2019, so that leaves...?
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
You made some good points but they were marred by basic errors. Conflating the EEA with the Single Market- they are different legal structures. EFTA 4 said no to the UK joining EFTA/EEA in March 2019- no evidence of a shift in position. The '75 ref was on staying in- we joined in '73.
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Canada can neither join the EU or the EEA- it is not a European country.
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Sorry, but you are confusing the EEA with the Single Market, and Switzerland isn't even in the EEA and has a worse trading relationship with the EU than Norway. The Single Market, the internal market of the EU, only exists between EU members- do read TFEU Art. 26 onwards.
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
That option is not available to any country outside of the EU. I'm afraid there are no intermediate stops back to the EU- it's just rejoining the EU or staying where we are with less.
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
The EU literally is the pdfs I read- TEU...TFEU... Anyway, I think we are done here. Thank you.
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
No, I'm genuinely interested- there has to be a reason why. I've seen people referring to structural problems with the Euro that need to be fixed. We might both learn something.
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
What do you expect from the people that earned the moniker of 'swivel-eyed loons'...
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
You still never answer why your country is avoiding the Euro. Please explain why so we can all understand.
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
It did- you keep getting this wrong. Go and look it up.
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
It's almost as if this is the instruction manual for the current German Schengen policy...
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
I'm fine with Schengen, but the sea border is seen by many as the only border that matters due to endless media coverage and right-wing politicians stoking up tensions.
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Factually incorrect- the UK compromised completely on the Euro to the extent that it got nothing that it wanted. Still waiting for one of you to tell me what the UK's proposal was...
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Yet Denmark clearly isn't taking its EU membership very seriously- if your currency is so tightly pegged to the Euro, then why not show that your country is truly European and adopt the Euro?
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Is that the same Schengen area that has 2 hour passport checks for people on a Flixbus entering Germany from Poland?
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
If you see someone say something untrue, is it better to correct them or just nod along?
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Is there a non-paywalled version?
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Joining the Euro is a separate process to joining the EU, but you know that, right? And how do you know there will be no opt-outs- have you read Protocols 15, 19, 20 & 21 of TFEU recently...?
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
I know about Denmark's opt-out- it's in Protocol 16 of TFEU, just after the UK's Euro opt-out which funnily enough is still in Protocol 15. I've had the pdf open most of today so it wasn't hard to find...😆
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
First of all- tell me- what was the UK's proposal for a common currency?
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Which structures might change? What evidence do you have? The EU won't offer non-EU countries a level of access that jeopardises the integrity of its Single Market- is that a familiar phrase? Here's France's J-N Barrot earlier this year reminding us of this:
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
So TFEU, Art.26 onwards is wrong then? That's quite the claim you're making.
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
There is no option of Single Market only first- the Single Market is the internal market of the EU- only EU members are in it.
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
I understand perfectly well what the EU is. 1. A peace project 2.A European power bloc 3. Words printed on A4 paper I've read those words- have you?
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
No, it was the UK that compromised- learn your EU history.
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
So when is Denmark going to be a good EU member and adopt the Euro?
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
The UK did compromise whilst in the EU, on big stuff like the Euro.
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Your Norwegian friends know they are not in the Single Market- they know it every time they buy something from the EU & get hit with import charges, and every time they pay for shopping in a supermarket. Their country chose protectionism over political & economic integration- their choice.
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
That's perhaps why Schengen isn't seen as particularly useful here in the UK- there's a sea border where everything grinds to a halt with queues for ticket/passport checks, waiting an hour or 2 for your train/ferry. It's totally different to crossing the border from France to Belgium on the A16.
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
This is where knowing the difference between diplomatic PR speak & what the treaties actually say & how they perform in the real world is crucial. The commission is no different to any other political body when it gushes fulsomely about its achievements- it's selling Europe to the world.
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
The Single Market requires all of the political & economic integration of the EU treaties to exist between EU members. All the things the EEA agrmnt excludes are proof of why the EEA is not equivalent to the Single Market. EEA was Delors' baby & he never intended it to replicate the SM. 👍
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Option 4- EEA isn't the Single Market- they are different things. That's a far-too-common error people make. In addition, the EFTA 4 said no in 2019 & there's zero evidence that position has changed since then.
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Sigh... There is only 1 Single Market in Europe- it is the internal market of the EU- see TFEU from Art.26. It was invented by the EU, for the EU only. It removes *all* barriers to trade between members. The EEA agreement keeps barriers to trade in place *by design*- it's not the SM. 👍
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
LOL that you think the EU's Customs Union is separate to the Single Market- go & reread TFEU from Art.26 again. The Single Market is a *development* of the customs union- the one that launched in '68- you can't have one without the other. And here's Delors stating the bleedin' obvious.
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
If Norway was in the Single Market this page wouldn't exist. www.tullverket.se/en/startpage...
tullverket.se
Transport by road between Sweden and Norway
The border between Sweden and Norway is Sweden’s only land border to a country outside the European Union. To facilitate trade, there is a unique treaty that allows the transport undertaking to stop a...
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Where is your evidence that an EFTA/EEA deal is possible? The EFTA 4 said no to the UK joining their little club in 2019 & there is zero evidence that position has changed since. And why should we aspire to be like Norway? They have a trade border with the EU & can't freely export into it. EEA≠SM
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
I know which countries are in the EU and which are in the EEA. And I know that the phrase 'part of the EU's single market' is meaningless. Only EU countries are *in* the Single Market- it's there for you to read for yourself in TFEU, from Art.26.👍
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Obviously.
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
The EFTA 4 cut off that route in 2019. Stick to the big prize.
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
How does your claim about the UK being a shield work when there are now way more direct ferries between Ireland and the rest of the EU due to Brexit?
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
There has still never been polling about Ireland joining Schengen. Maybe you should pester Irish politicians to get a poll done on this specific question so we have an indication of public feeling on joining Schengen (if you live in Ireland and have a vote there, of course).
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
They aren't and you've clearly got a gap in your knowledge. I'll help you- here's the EU itself explaining what the Single Market is and who is in it. Can you see any hint of the EFTA 4 getting a mention here?
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
In English, please?
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Fascinating but you make the common error of thinking we can be in the Single Market but in the EU. No non-EU country is in the Single Market currently- 3 EFTA states are in the EEA, but the EEA is not the Single Market- they have very different histories and treaty texts.
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Glad you took it with good humour- thank you. The belief that there is a 'SM+CU but not in the EU deal' is far too prevalent here, and makes us look like clueless exceptionalists and cherry-pickers. And in case you were interested here's a screenshot from EFTA's faqs a few years ago.
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Fascinating (I had to chuckle at the QA2 answers where 1/3 of Irish respondents were clueless about their own country's Schengen status) but having looked at all of the questions it's not about joining Schengen, is it.
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
You do know that Norway, like all EFTA members, can't form a customs union with the EU because that would be contrary to EFTA's own rules? I'm guessing not.
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TheRealMrSteve @reallymrsteve.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
It's not rocket science, surely...?😉
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