Extraordinary words by Sir John Major on #Brexit at LSE last night: 🧵 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 1. “In an act of collective folly,…

Extraordinary words by Sir John Major on #Brexit at LSE last night: 🧵 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 1. “In an act of collective folly, the United Kingdom voted to lead to European Union across the world, our enemies celebrated and our friends despair.” “We left Europe on a minority vote of 37% of the election after a referendum campaign that was packed with misinformation and misjudgment, it left our country poorer, weaker and divorced from the richest free trade market that history has ever seen. National interest was brushed aside by false hopes and promises”. “False hopes and promises that even a cabinet dominated by front line Brexit enthusiasts was unable to deliver the promises they made, […] while the forecast damage of leaving the European Union has become only too apparent. The nation saw Project Fear become Project Reality very easily. It's no consolation that the majority of the public now overwhelmingly recognizes that it was mislead in their moments of triumph.” “Brexiteers predicted other countries would follow their lead and leave the European Union. None have. All saw only too clearly that Brexit was packed with disadvantages, as we meet far from others leaving the European Union, as we meet nine further nations now wish to join the European Union, which is an apt comment on how the world saw Britain's decision.” “United Kingdom once reveled, not long ago, within the memory of everyone present in this room, once reveled in being a leading member of the European Union with half a billion citizens and the undoubted first ally of the United States, the world's most eminent superpower. Today, we know we are neither, and so does the world”.

2. Sir John Major urged the UK to rejoin at least the EU Single Market and Customs Union: "We have much to offer any partners. Our national assets would make the European Union stronger and better equipped to face the uncertain future than our leaders in conscience. Our collective future demands a Europe that conducts itself as an economic superpower alongside America and China. The alternative is to be ever subordinate to the political and economic winds of America and China." "As I look to the future, the long term future, I have no appetite for that. I know the shortcomings of the European Union. I lived with them for many painful years, but in a dangerous and uncertain world with two unpredictable superpowers, I believe the UK's future is safer and more economically secure inside a powerful block of European nations and us." "But we cannot suddenly knock on the door and say to the European Union, we'd like to rejoin you. Too much diplomatic and political blood was spilled for that to be an easy option for us. There are many barriers to return to full membership in Europe that will be difficult to overcome, perhaps for many years. That said, there are areas where we can make a start and look forward." "The plain truth is that the European Union is too important for the United Kingdom not to be part of its decision-making process. Needed ambitions in this sphere are limited, but a necessary beginning, the changing public mood in this country will help." "Over half of the British electorate now believe it was a mistake to leave the European Union, and less than 1/3 now supports having done so. Among the young, support for Brexit falls as low as 13%. The trend is inexorable. Notice why it is so disappointing, so disappointing that both government and opposition are so wretchedly timid in their policy ambitions, those labor and the Tories are terrified that a residual Brexit vote, they don't seek to change the minds of those. I'm talking of the advantages being a loss, and might be able to read any they simply hide it in a hole and do nothing for our economic and political interests." "That's not an abstract matter. That's your living standards. It's the way we live. Our economic and political interests could not be clearer, but short term party political calculation is given priority over the national interests." "Brexit is a flop. It will not leap up from its deathbed. It is losing our country 100 billion pounds of trade every year. [...] The loss is made far greater by some decisions the present government has taken, and that is one reason why we are facing a painful and difficult budget later this month. Serious economists forecast that there will be a cumulative loss to the economy of 311 billion by 2035 together with 3 million fewer jobs and a fall in trade levels with the European Union as of now. This is a matter of fact not conjecture." "Many small and medium sized firms have simply been defeated by prospects in bureaucracy and simply find it no longer profitable to trade with Europe. It is baffling [...] New trade deals, supposedly to cover lost European Trade, have not done so. Most are simply rollovers of past trade deals." "Much though I wish otherwise, I do not foresee an early return to full membership of the European Union. We have lost, probably forever, the unique and advantageous deals that were regained in the negotiations in the 1980s and 1990s. A full return to Europe is almost certainly unobtainable in any likely Parliament until a younger generation of pro-European politicians comes to power, and the Brexiteer voice again retreats to the fringes". "In the post-Brexit years, it has become glaringly obvious that it is in our self-interest to build a better relationship with the European Union as an institution and bilaterally, a better relationship with individual member states of Europe. The government have made some modest steps that are welcome, that is dramatic but welcome, but all of them will play a small part in rebuilding trust, more collaboration is under discussion, such as youth mobility schemes and integration into the electricity market. Hopefully they can be agreed." "I hope ambitions can be relevant to examine rejoining the Customs Union and, thereafter, the Single Market. Neither will be easy or painless. [...] But if a fair deal can be struck, it will be welcomed by trade, by commerce, by a majority in parliament, and by pragmatists everywhere, and it can be achieved. We may even be helped to achieve an improved relationship by the evident wish of our European neighbours to build an expanded military presence across Europe, but within NATO, British military capability is important to Europe if we try again on behalf of Europe. The prize is worth the effort, and for those within the European Union who are tough negotiators, they must know, they must know that their long-term interests and ours are coming into alignment as the world reshapes." "A deal can be done and it must be done in our interests."