UK in a Changing Europe kindly published my latest blog. In it, I explore whether a British version of the Switzerland-EU deal could provide a pragmatic road forward that keeps within the government’s mountainous red lines.
The government says it wants an ‘ambitious closer relationship’ with the EU. However, with no mandate to rejoin, it needs to table an alternative proposal at the next UK-EU summit. Interestingly, Switzerland recently reached new agreements with the EU, which went largely unreported in the UK.
Also in April, Best for Britain published its excellent report: Is it time to talk about EU membership? It comes out strongly in support of rejoining the EU. The report includes new polling of attitudes to Freedom of Movement. Contrary to the prevailing narrative, the results showed two-thirds of voters support Freedom of Movement. However, it depends on how the question is framed.
In addition, YouGov published an April poll of views on UK-EU relations. Please see the updated section on attitudes to rejoining the EU for details.