Thousands of people They went out this Saturday to the streets of the center of London to request the re-entry of the United Kingdom to the European Union. The demonstration, organized by the National Rejoin March (National March for Reincorporation), has been the largest pro-European concentration since October of last year and has had the participation of civil society activists and members of the European Parliament, such as former Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt. The objective of the march has been to make visible a trend that is increasingly clear in the polls: support for a new referendum for a possible return of the United Kingdom to the community club.
One of the latest polls about Brexit, published by YouGov at the beginning of August, shows that 46% of Britons are in favor of celebrating a new vote in 10 years, compared to 36% who are against. If this referendum were to occur, a 49% of those surveyed assure that I would vote in favor of returning to the EUwhile a 33% I would opt for stay outside. Data that demonstrates the change of opinion that many Britons have had in recent years, the result of turbulent negotiations and unfulfilled promises of successive conservative governments.
Slow process
“I think a lot of people are disappointed by a false political rhetoric and unpleasant. The truth is beginning to come to light, although unfortunately this situation has already done a lot of damage,” he explains. Amanda Simmons, a retired teacher who attended the demonstration. Simmons admits, however, that a future re-entry into the club will not happen instantly and that he still there is still a way to go. “Change will take time but I think we can get closer, get best deals, work in a friendlier way with our neighbors. “It will be a progressive advance, more than something immediate,” he assures.
Simon, another of the attendees, believes that demonstrations of force in the street are a first step to convince public opinion. “It will not happen overnight, many changes have to occur first, but we have to become a European country again. Unfortunately many people still defend the United Kingdom’s imperialist past and believe it should remain that way,” he explains. “The EU is an organization that promotes better standards of living: of course we will align ourselves with it. “For me it is incomprehensible that someone does not want to be part of this movement,” she adds.
Labor approach
The debate about a possible rapprochement between London and Brussels has been increasing in recent days thanks to the leader of the Labor Party, Keir Starmer. His visit to Europol headquarters, in which he opened the door to a new immigration agreement with the EU, and his meeting with the French president, Emmanuel Macron, have demonstrated Labor’s interest in renegotiating some of the Brexit agreements if it wins the next general election. Starmer, however, continues moving forward cautiously in an issue that continues to be thorny and that can affect the good results that the polls project for his party.
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“I have repeated on multiple occasions that there is no room for a return to the EU, and that includes the single market and the customs union,” the Labor leader said this week after the publication of statements in which he stated “not wanting to diverge” with Brussels. “Laws will continue to be passed in Parliament in the national interest, but that does not mean that a Labor Government wants lower standards in terms of food security or labor rights,” he clarified.
The Labor leader is aware that any misstep on this matter will be exploited by the Conservative Party to try to get out electoral revenue. Something that Brexit detractors are also aware of. “We don’t know if Starmer will change his mind if he wins the elections, but for now he doesn’t want to venture,” he explains. Peter Yearsly, an attendee at the demonstration, surrounded by European flags and posters with messages such as “give us back our star” or “freedom of movement.” For Yearsly, the only way to return to the EU is with majority support from the population, but she recognizes that many Brexit voters still reject that it was a mistake. “Unfortunately it is still not possible. We’ll see later.”