At the height of the Brexit saga, while Theresa May tirelessly pushed to pass her withdrawal agreement in Parliament and Speaker John Bercow became renowned for his calls to “order” in a frequently tumultuous chamber, another figure emerged as a significant presence.
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Clad in his blue and yellow top hat—an emblem of the European Union—Steve Bray, known for his fervent cries to “stop Brexit,” became a familiar sight on Westminster’s streets.
Years later, Bray continues to make his voice heard, joyously singing his pro-EU anthems while donning his signature colors. Hailing from South Wales, he remains a passionate “remainer,” firmly believing that the UK should never have severed ties with the EU. Yet, he harbors a sense of hope. “I’m looking forward to it,” Bray asserts. He perceives a return to closer relationships with the EU as an “inevitable” evolution.
“It’s not all going to happen at once,” he adds thoughtfully. “We’re already back in the space programme. For future generations, who knows? Perhaps programs like Erasmus and elements of the customs union and single market will return. We’ll be back in all but name.”
Known affectionately as ‘Stop Brexit Man’, Bray’s vision for further collaboration with the EU appears more promising with recent developments. After Nigel Farage’s Reform UK made strides in local elections, there are concerns that the government may be cautious about appearing too friendly with the EU, potentially downplaying the upcoming summit.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President António Costa, European Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič, and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas are slated to represent the EU at the summit, although leaders from member states will not be in attendance.
The expectation is that while some agreements may be unveiled—especially regarding a defense and security pact—both parties are likely to use this occasion to express a “statement of intent” on other pressing matters. Ultimately, the very existence of the summit is seen as significant, especially given how recently the UK-EU relationship was at a nadir, often with Ireland caught in the middle.
Reflecting on the past, former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, who collaborated with three British prime ministers, expressed relief that the summit is taking place after “ten years of drifting apart.” Nevertheless, he views it as a “lost opportunity.” In his words: “Due to the red lines the British government set for itself prior to the election—no single market and no customs union—and the EU’s stance against cherry-picking elements, the possibilities for achievement are limited.”
Varadkar believes that both the Labour Party and the Conservative Party exhibit caution around the political influence of Reform UK’s leader, Nigel Farage. He noted, “It’s curious that in the UK, opinion polls indicate a strong desire to rejoin the customs union and the single market, yet no political party is willing to offer that.” He suggested that this hesitation is deeply entwined with the ongoing strategy to contain Farage and his party.
As the Reform movement gains momentum, Varadkar highlights the uncertainty clouding UK-EU relations. This week, Farage remarked in the Daily Telegraph that he would dismantle any agreements forged by Mr. Starmer with the EU, branding them as “abject surrender.” Similarly, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch warned she would “reclaim every power handed back to Brussels.” This begs the question: can the EU truly trust the UK?
In contrast, the Liberal Democrats are pursuing a different strategy. Their foreign affairs spokesperson, Calum Miller, has advocated for establishing much closer ties with the EU. “There are a couple of immediate measures the UK government could undertake, such as a European Youth Mobility Scheme and moving forward on sanitary agreements, to demonstrate that the UK is serious about addressing the more damaging aspects of the Brexit deal,” he emphasized.
While this policy could draw criticism regarding the UK taking on a subordinate role, Miller believes there’s a path back to collaboration. “We understand that it would be a journey. We acknowledge that it was the UK that chose to leave the EU, and it would be presumptuous to just declare, ‘We’ve changed our minds, we want back in.’ What we need now is to restore confidence among our European partners, allowing for renewed negotiations.”
As negotiations ramp up ahead of the summit, key areas of potential agreement are already highlighted. These include the youth mobility scheme, accords on plant and animal products to lessen trade hurdles, and integration of emission trading frameworks. The Labour Party’s election manifesto also outlines goals such as mutual recognition of professional qualifications and facilitating the touring of UK artists in Europe. Yet, contentious issues remain, such as whether European students should pay full tuition fees and the duration of fishing rights deals.
Anand Menon, Director of UK in a Changing Europe, suggests that a security and defense agreement may take center stage during the summit. “The UK has numerous requests for the EU, but the primary goal will likely be to finalize a security and defense pact, particularly since one of the UK’s major asks is access to EU funding for defense industrial projects,” he said.
Nevertheless, Menon cautions against overly optimistic expectations regarding the outcome of the summit. “My intuition is that while we may see declarations of intent regarding economic interactions and potential agreements, concrete advancements on youth mobility or agricultural deals may still be elusive.”
Despite this, a senior diplomat reflects that the summit still holds considerable significance. “Even if few agreements are solidified, this event serves as an opportunity to convey a clear message to both the political system and the public—that the UK and the EU are partners once again,” he remarks. Chancellor Rachel Reeves also indicated to The Guardian that any agreements reached during the summit would not be “one-off” efforts. After years of “drifting apart,” the UK appears poised to move closer to Europe.
Edited by Ali Musa
Axadle Times International – Monitoring.
