Walter Finch
AN exciting plan to reform the EU by France and Germany could see the UK rejoin as an ‘EU lite’ member.
The move would see the removal of onerous restrictions on the movement of Brits in Europe.
Under the change, Britain would get ‘associate membership’ of the bloc and regain frictionless access to the single market.
In exchange, the UK would need to accept certain obligations, including paying into the EU budget and returning to freedom of movement.
Such a development could spell the end of the loathed visa restrictions imposed on Brits and second-home owners in Spain.
Under current post-Brexit rules, UK residents are limited to spending no more than three months out of every six in Spain and the rest of the Schengen zone.
The rule has been exceptionally unpopular both with Brits forced to stay at home and Spaniards who have lost out on their business.
The news emerged as Labour leader Keir Starmer expressed the need to strengthen the relationship between the UK and France during a meeting with President Macron this week.
Starmer’s vision of closer ties with Europe is likely to be a potential vote winner in next year’s general election.
The British public have firmly turned their backs on Brexit, according to polls, with a clear majority (56%) insisting it was a mistake against just 32% still in favour.
The report, commissioned by Germany and France, will be top of the agenda at the upcoming summit of the European Political Community – including the UK – in Granada next month.
Up until now both the Tories and Labour had trod extremely carefully over their Brexit positions ahead of the general election.
Despite the Liberal Democrat Party strongly supporting a reverse, they have so far ruled out any form of associate membership of the EU.
Brexiteers have reacted with predictable fury to the possibility of the UK returning to a form of EU membership, claiming it would be undemocratic without a popular vote to legitimise it.
READ MORE:
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