Remarriage to the EU? Macron plan is more of a Euro-cuddle

Sean O’Grady asks if the ‘onion’ model for European expansion will end in tears

Keir Starmer with Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Tuesday (Laurent Blevennec/Présidence de la République)

After Keir Starmer’s mini-world tour and summit with Emmanuel Macron, there is much talk about the UK resetting its relationship with the EU. Labour has a pro-EU stance and the public mood is increasingly disillusioned about Brexit. Both Leavers and Remainers have reasons to be disappointed with the deal Boris Johnson negotiated to “get Brexit done”. On the other hand, no party – not even the Liberal Democrats – wants to turn the next election into another argument about Europe. Still, options for a closer relationship are floating around and a formal review of the Brexit deal is due to begin in 2025.

What does Starmer want?

It’s hard to be precise about that. He wants to protect his negotiating position, weak as it is, so we may never actually know until any deals are done (at which point he’ll declare them a triumph no matter how much he’s given away). He certainly doesn’t want to rejoin the EU or its single market or customs union, because it would reopen old wounds about Brexit. He is also reportedly hostile to EU “associate member” status, for similar reasons. The usual examples quoted are Norway and Switzerland, but those nations accept the customs union (Norway) or parts of the single market (Switzerland) or the visa-free Schengen area (both).