Amid deepening debt and an onslaught by the president-elect, Labour must calm the markets, then think big economically
Should we try to bolster our friendship with Europe?
The author claims that the UK government "must unambiguously launch talks on a big, expansive trade deal with the EU coupled with a deal on European defence".
It'll never stop being funny to me that the UK claims to have special relationship with the USA, a thing that nobody over there has ever heard about or cares.
It's like them thinking they're the nemesis, in modern EU terms, to Germany and France, who also do not care about this
I think most reasonable people that follow these things don't think there is a special relationship. They know full well where the balance of power lies and how much of a shit USA gives about the UK (or anyone for that matter).
Not even Ireland has a special relationship with the US, and that would be the closest country I can think of that might be able to claim such a relationship. With their history, and currently a self avowed Irish American president in charge. The US has only one special relationship and that's with itself. Always has been and always will be.
Thatcher then Blair's neoliberal privatisation plus a decade and a half of Tory austerity has completely fucked the country, and that's the kinda weak position that America will use to enforce its will on us.
Kier Starmer's Labour party has already shown unwillingness to move away from austerity policies so we're likely on the same track of decline with or without being in the EU.
Should we try to bolster our friendship with Europe?
I once had a girlfriend who started acting like a little bitch, created much drama and dumped me for no good reason. Then she tried to come back to me a few months later. Can you guess what I told her to do? It rhymes with "thereof".
Agreed and I feel like people are sleepwalking on this. Between Russian agression and concerns from the USA and China - we shouldn't just be welcoming the UK, we should be working hard to bring them back to the fold. If the EU want to keep living in a world where the EU is possible, they've got to start making stronger efforts to protect and shape it.
The UK doesn't need to necessarily jump straight back into EU membership. There are other ways we can work together with Europe. Maybe at some point the UK government will consider rejoining the EU customs union and/or single market.
There are other ways we can work together with Europe.
My point was, Europe may not want to interact with a fickle country like the UK anymore than necessary again. They probably don't need the aggravation.
EU is willing to fuck over its own members who they consider to be 'periphery' (PIIGS) or having trade deficits (even though the trade deficits were keeping surplus countries like Germany alive). I think it's ultimately a good thing U.K. left that neoliberal union. Unfortunately, U.K. politics is broken and none of the parties, including Reform are willing to go beyond neoliberalism.
Now that Germany doesn't have many markets to export to, it is suffering too.
Ah, yes, continuing to prioritise economy over society, and even humanity, that's sure to start working out (for anyone other than the billionaires in power) any fucking day now... 🙄
If your economy is in chaos, you'll quickly find yourself unable to care for society.
Healthcare, pensions, other benefits, infrastructure, schooling, law enforcement, fire services... the list goes on.
And I'm not sure what you mean by continue to prioritise economy. The economy hasn't been prioritised in a long while. Brexit, covid handling, slashing infrastructure spending, etc have been awful for the economy.
The only way out of the mess we're in is to make meaningful steps in improving the economy.
No, we need to abolish capitalism so we can have free access to healthcare (and food, water, shelter), not to continue playing by the rules set out for us by those who profit from commodifying our basic needs and human rights.