Far-right AfD Leader Vows to Campaign for Brexit-style EU Exit Vote in Germany

THE GUARDIAN: Alice Weidel says UK departure is model for her country as party struggles with reaction to exposé about deportation ‘masterplan’

Alice Weidel sacked a senior aide over his attendance at the covert meeting that triggered nationwide protests. Photograph: Sean Gallup/Getty Images
The leader of Germany’s far-right Alternative für Deutschland has said her party will campaign for a Brexit-style vote on EU membership if it comes to power, calling the UK’s departure from the bloc a model for its largest member.

Alice Weidel told the Financial Times in an exclusive interview that the UK decision would be “dead right” for Germany, and that a “Dexit” would boost the country’s self-determination.

“It’s a model for Germany, that one can make a sovereign decision like that,” she said.

It was one of the party’s first public pronouncements since the beginning of a wave of nationwide protests against the AfD, triggered by revelations that leading members had attended a covert meeting at which a “masterplan” for mass deportations of foreigners and German passport holders was discussed, with a view to the party implementing the plans if it came to power. » | Kate Connolly in Berlin | Monday, January 22, 2024

The Tories

MARK ALEXANDER: The Tories, otherwise known as the Conservatives, have been in power since 2010. And what a dog’s dinner they have made of their governance! They have wrecked this county; they have wrecked its economy.

I write not as “a leftie”. Far from it, actually! I was raised as a Conservative voter; and I voted Conservative all my adult life. Until Cameron became the party’s leader. I took one look at him, and decided he couldn’t be trusted. So I voted for the LibDems instead. We ended up with a coalition government. But to put things simply, Brexit has put paid to my ever voting Tory again, put paid to my adherence to this party of clowns.

The Conservatives used to be the party we Brits could rely on to manage the economy well and efficiently. You don’t need me to tell you that this is no longer the case. The Conservatives have been in power since 2010 and our economy has never, in my lifetime, been in worse shape. Had the Tories a clue, they’d have fixed the economy by now. They haven’t! The economy is is dire shape. Especially because of Brexit, an ideology to which the clowns in the party are wedded.

The European issue was, and remains, a very complicated issue; it should never have been thrown to the people in the form of a referendum to decide. Why? Because even many a politician or economist cannot fully grasp the EU’s importance to our economy. However, to cut to the chase, what one MUST understand is this: The European Union is a market of 450 million consumers; so, on economic grounds alone, it should NEVER have been walked away from. No one in his right mind would walk away from the largest single tariff-free market in the world!

But more than this, far more than this, the European Union is a political union which has prevented European wars and has promoted peace. Countries which are integrated and whose economies are well and truly integrated are highly unlikely ever to go to war with each other. So many a Brit has always been wrong to look upon our membership of the EU simply as being of economic advantage. Our membership was far, far more than that. It was a vehicle of peace and stability in Europe.

It is my hope and dream that we Brits, sooner rather than later, will rejoin the European Union. Not with all those silly ‘opt-outs’ we once had; but as full, functioning members – as committed Europeans. European we are; and Europeans we will always be. No Tory will ever be able to change that!

© Mark Alexander
All Rights Reserved

Britain Forgot How the EU Improved British Food!

Dec 26, 2023 | brexit is terrible for our food in Britain and is taking us back to the days when we were Bhe poor man of Europe.

Now, after Brexit, we British can look forward to the working-class feast of greasy bacon and eggs in a working man’s ‘caff’! Forget about the sophisticated, Continental foods like Brie, Camembert, Italian delicacies, etc. All because of SOBs like Nigel Farage, Richard Tice and tw*ts (supply your own vowel) like Jacob Rees-Mogg and Rishi Sunak. [This is proof here.] People who live in bubbles and who have little or no understanding of how much the European Union improved the lives of ordinary Brits since our membership of that wonderful organisation.

It is to be hoped that the influence of these ne’er-do-well politicians will perish. They deserve nothing but our collective scorn. – © Mark Alexander

UK Voters Want Closer Relationship with EU in ‘Significant’ Shift since Brexit

THE OBSERVER: Major study finds public see ties with Europe as more important than links with US and many ‘exhausted’ by ‘toxic’ debate

Protesters gather in front of the Foreign Office and Downing Street, demanding a new election and the UK's rejoining of the EU on 25 March 2023. Photograph: Sinai Noor/REX/Shutterstock
Almost twice as many UK voters now believe a close relationship with the EU is more important for peace, prosperity and security than ties with the US, according to a major new study of post-Brexit attitudes.

The report, based on extensive polling and discussion groups with people of all Brexit persuasions, finds that attitudes towards the EU are becoming more favourable across a range of policy areas, and that the entire Brexit debate is now far less toxic and more pragmatic.

This, its authors say, will give a potential Labour government “space and permission” to work towards closer links, particularly on issues of trade, security and defence, where a clear majority of the public is now in favour. The report by the independent thinktank British Future found that 52% of the public would now like the UK to have a closer relationship with the EU, with only 12% saying it should have a more distant one, and 27% in favour of maintaining the status quo. » | Toby Helm, Political editor | Saturday, December 9, 2023

European Leaders Seethe over Putin-Orbán Meeting

GUARDIAN EUROPE: Czech president calls on western capitals not to fall for Russian leader’s tactic to break European unity

Viktor Orbán (left) and Vladimir Putin shake hands on Tuesday before their meeting as part of the Chinese belt and road forum in Beijing. Photograph: Grigory Sysoev/Sputnik/Kremlin/EPA
European leaders must not “fall” for the tactics of Vladimir Putin, the Czech president, Petr Pavel, has said, two days after Hungary’s prime minister shook hands with Russia’s leader.

Viktor Orbán, in a rare move for the leader of a country that belongs to the EU and Nato, met Putin in Beijing on Tuesday for what the Hungarian leader’s office described as a discussion on energy cooperation and peace.

Hungary has long been criticised for democratic backsliding at home and its Russia- and China-friendly policies abroad.

Its foreign minister, Péter Szijjártó, routinely visits Moscow. And in a move that has frustrated its allies, Hungary – along with Turkey – has yet to ratify Sweden’s application for Nato membership. » | Lili Bayer in Brussels | Friday, Octoner 20, 2023

Ukraine War: EU Ministers Meet in Kyiv Following US Funding Concerns - BBC News

Oct 2, 2023 | European Union foreign ministers are meeting in Kyiv in a show of support following signs Western resolve may be wavering.

The European Union’s most senior diplomat, Josep Borrell, has told the BBC that he is worried by the US’ decision not to include new support for Ukraine in a short-term funding deal.

The temporary measure, pushed through to avert a government shutdown, did not include $6bn (£4.92bn) in military aid for Kyiv - a top White House priority.

President Joe Biden has said the US will continue to support Ukraine.

Pope Slams ‘Indifference’ towards Migrants Arriving in Europe by Sea

Sep 23, 2023 | The head of the Catholic Church has urged nations to overcome what he calls a "paralysis of fear" about refugees and migrants. Pope Francis is on a tour in Marseille, in southern France.

There has been a surge in the number of refugees and migrants arriving on Europe's shores in recent weeks.

Al Jazeera's Natasha Butler has this report from Paris, France.

UK Will Return to EU in Future, Says Tony Blair

THE TELEGRAPH: Former Labour prime minister describes Brexit as ‘a constant sadness to me’

Sir Tony Blair is a prominent Remain campaigner | CREDIT: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images Europe
Sir Tony Blair said he believed that the United Kingdom will go back into the European Union in the future as a new poll showed support for rejoining the bloc was at a five-year high.

The former Labour prime minister told the New Statesman magazine that “a future generation” would take Britain “back into Europe”.

The comments came as Deltapoll published a survey that showed an uptick in support for rejoining the EU.

The company’s latest tracker poll, conducted between July 21-24, found that 56 per cent of people would vote to rejoin the EU if a second referendum on membership was held.

That number was up by four points when compared to the previous poll conducted between July 14-17. » | Jack Maidment | Thursday, July 27, 2023

Islas Malvinas: EU Signs Deal Using Falklands’ Argentine Name

THE GUARDIAN: UK asks bloc to clarify position after Buenos Aires declare ‘triumph’ over use of term in declaration

The Falkland Islands. An EU official reportedly told the FT: ‘[The UK is] upset by the word Malvinas. If they were in the EU perhaps they would have pushed back against it.’ Photograph: Cathal McNaughton/PA
Forty-one years after the Falklands war, the UK has suffered a diplomatic defeat over the archipelago as the EU appeared to endorse the Argentine name for the disputed territory, Islas Malvinas.

Brussels supported an Argentina-backed declaration referring to Islas Malvinas at a summit of EU leaders with Latin America and the Caribbean (Celac) leaders on Tuesday, which Buenos Aires called a “diplomatic triumph”.

On Wednesday, British diplomats requested that the European Council president, Charles Michel, “clarify” the bloc’s position. » | Nadeem Badshah | Thursday, July 20, 2023

Brexit, the gift that keeps on giving. – Mark

Erdogan Says E.U. Must ‘Clear the Way’ for Turkey Before It Will Support Sweden’s NATO Bid

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The Turkish president’s surprising new demand was bound to frustrate other leaders in the military alliance one day before a high-profile summit.

“Nobody should expect compromise nor understanding from me,” said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey. | Umit Bektas/Reuters
ISTANBUL — President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey said on Monday that the European Union should open the way for Turkey to join the bloc before Turkey allows Sweden to join NATO, adding a surprising new condition that could further stall the military alliance’s efforts to expand.

Mr. Erdogan’s latest demand came a day before the opening of NATO’s two-day annual summit, where leaders, including President Biden, had hoped to secure unanimous approval from member states to allow Sweden to become the 32nd member.

That outcome now appears increasingly unlikely, with Mr. Erdogan posing the main obstacle to Sweden’s membership.

“First, clear the way for Turkey in the European Union, then we will clear the way for Sweden as we did for Finland,” Mr. Erdogan told reporters before traveling to the NATO summit. » | Ben Hubbard | Monday, July 10, 2023

‘You Are the Future of Europe,’ Erdogan Tells Turks: Calling Turks the “future of Europe,” Turkey’s president on Friday implored his compatriots living on the Continent to have multiple children as an act of revenge against the West’s “injustices.” »

Erdoğan Builds Another Mega-Mosque, This Time in Germany: The City Council of Wuppertal, a municipality in western Germany with a substantial Muslim population, has voted to approve the construction of a controversial new mega-mosque that will be controlled by the government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, a tireless propagator of political Islam in Europe. »

Erdogan is like Janus: His face looks in two directions! One minute he looks West; the next, East.

If Europe wants to be Islamized, its leaders need to pave the way for Turkey’s accession to the European Union. If, however, they want Europe to remain largely Judæo Christian, …

Tough choices lie ahead. – © Mark Alexander

Ursula von der Leyen Says ‘Direction of Travel’ Is EU Membership for Ukraine

THE GUARDIAN: European Commission head is seeking to curb Russian influence in central and eastern Europe

The EU has said it will be impossible to envisage a future for the bloc without Ukraine and Moldova as members, in part to reduce Russian influence in east and central Europe.

While other countries such as Romania and Bulgaria took 11 years to become members of the EU, joining in 2007, the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, hinted the future of the new accession candidates will be swiftly decided.

“Can you imagine the European Union will be without Ukraine, without Moldova without the western Balkans? And those parts of Europe are under the influence of Russia or China?

Impossible. So the direction of travel is clear,” she said at the launch of the Spanish presidency of the Council of the EU in Madrid. » | Lisa O’Carroll in Madrid | Monday, July 3, 2023

With Even Leavers Regretting Brexit, There’s One Path Back to Rejoining the EU

THE GUARDIAN – OPINION: It seems only a matter of time before we reverse this national act of self-harm. Especially if we learn from Nigel Farage

The Rejoin the EU rally, London, 25 March 2023. Photograph: Sinai Noor/REX/Shutterstock
Let Nigel Farage be our inspiration, let John Redwood be our role model. Not the way they would want, revered as the founding fathers of Brexit, toasted on this day every year as the men who led us to glorious independence from the hated empire of Brussels. Of course not that. On the contrary, 23 June 2016 is a milestone in our national story that evokes sadness and regret rather than celebration.

We don’t need to rehearse on this seventh anniversary all the ways in which Brexit has disappointed even those who voted for it. Farage and Redwood, along with Boris Johnson, Michael Gove, Jacob Rees-Mogg and the rest, promised increased prosperity, cheaper food, flourishing trade and a flush NHS. They said we’d be free of all that tedious European red tape and would take back control of our borders, encouraging anyone agitated by immigration to believe that fewer people would come in. There would be no downside, only upsides. As David Davis pledged soon after the vote, our exit deal would “deliver the exact same benefits” as EU membership. » | Jonathan Freedland | Friday, June 23, 2023

The Guardian View on Sunak’s Foreign Policy: A Europe-shaped Hole

THE GUARDIAN – EDITORIAL: Britain’s alliance with Washington would be stronger if the PM cultivated better relations with continental neighbours

The alliance between Britain and the US, resting on deep foundations of shared history and strategic interest, is not overly affected by the personal relationship between a prime minister and a president.

Sometimes individual affinity is consequential, as when Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan were aligned over cold war doctrine, or when Tony Blair put Britain in lockstep with George W Bush for the march to war in Iraq. But there is no prospect of Rishi Sunak forming such a partnership – for good or ill – with Joe Biden at this week’s Washington summit.

Viewed from the White House, the prime minister cuts an insubstantial figure – the caretaker leader of a country that has lost its way. That doesn’t jeopardise the underlying relationship. Britain is a highly valued US ally, most notably in the fields of defence, security and intelligence. On trade and economics, Mr Sunak’s position is less comfortable. The prime minister is a poor match with a president who thinks Brexit was an epic blunder and whose flagship policy is a rebuttal of the sacred doctrines of the Conservative party. » | Editorial | Wednesday, June 7, 2023

Eva Kaili Removed from Office after Corruption Allegations | DW News

Dec 13, 2022 | An overwhelming majority of European Parliament members voted to strip Eva Kaili of her position as the body's vice president on Tuesday. The motion to end her term early was backed by 625 MEPs, while one voted against and two abstained. A two-thirds majority was required for her to cease being one of the body's 14 vice presidents. The 44-year-old Greek Social Democrat was arrested in Belgium on Friday over allegations she was part of a group accepting bribes from Qatar in exchange for promoting policies friendly to the Gulf state.

Related links here, here and here.

Greek MEP Stripped of EU Vice-President Role amid Qatar Scandal

THE GUARDIAN: Parliament’s senior leaders agree to remove Eva Kaili, a decision that will later be voted on by all 705 MEPs

Eva Kaili is one of four people charged but has not been officially named. Photograph: Eric Vidal/European parliament/AFP/Getty Images
The European parliament has voted to strip a Greek MEP implicated in a bribery and corruption scandal of her role as one of the body’s vice-presidents.

MEPs voted by 625 votes to one against, with two abstentions, to remove Eva Kaili as one of the parliament’s 14 vice-presidents, following a decision in favour of the move by the assembly’s senior leaders.

“The group chairs in the European parliament unanimously voted for the removal of vice-president Kaili” tweeted the German MEP Terry Reintke, co-president of the Green group, ahead of the vote. “We also agreed to a full inquiry into the matter and taking further preventative measures.” » | Jennifer Rankin in Brussels and Helena Smith in Athens | Tuesday, December 13, 2022

Reversing Brexit Now Would Not Help UK Economy, Says Keir Starmer

THE GUARDIAN: Rejoining single market would create even more uncertainty, says Labour leader, who instead wants a ‘better Brexit’

Rejoining the EU’s single market would not boost UK economic growth, Keir Starmer has argued, saying it would create “years of uncertainty” for UK businesses, which would be worse than the closer trade links that would come.

In another sign of Labour’s extreme reluctance to be portrayed as seeking to dismantle or reverse Brexit, Starmer said that as prime minister he would instead seek to improve the post-departure deal agreed by Boris Johnson.

Asked if he thought single market membership would benefit UK growth, the Labour leader told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Monday: “No, at this stage I don’t think it would, and there’s no case for going back to the EU or going back into the single market. I do think there’s a case for a better Brexit. I do think there’s a very good case for making Brexit work.”

Pressed on why he believed this when so many UK firms have said they are suffering because of the significant extra difficulties of exporting to and importing from the EU, Starmer said the single market was not the solution. » | Peter Walker, Political correspondent | Monday, December 5, 2022

This is poppycock! When it comes to economics, Starmer doesn’t know his a*** from his elbow! To help our ailing economy, the single most important things we could do is to rejoin ‘The Single Market’. Starmer is either telling fibs or he has zero understanding of macroeconomics. God Almighty! We really are screwed in this country with the politicians in office. They tell me that the circus will soon be coming back into town; I think these politicians would be better suited to performing in the circus than they are, or could ever be, in Parliament! – © Mark Alexander

UK Isolated as EU Agrees Windfall Tax on Energy Firms

THE GUARDIAN: Levy could raise €140bn, and energy ministers also set targets to cut electricity use

EU energy ministers have agreed to levy windfall taxes on energy companies’ profits, and to cut electricity use, but remain at loggerheads over proposals to cap the price of gas.

Meeting in Brussels on Friday, the bloc’s 27 energy ministers signed off on proposals to levy a “solidarity contribution” on fossil fuel producers that have benefited from soaring energy prices. » | Jennifer Rankin in Brussels | Friday, September 30, 2022

"Putin Will Fail": EU Chief von der Leyen Holds Annual State of the European Union Address | DW News

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen laid out plans to combat the energy crisis and the ongoing response to Russia in her annual State of the European Union speech on Wednesday. …

What Will Boris Johnson's Economic Legacy Be? | DW Business

Jul 9, 2022 Uncertain times lie ahead for the UK. Now that Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced his resignation, the race is on to find the next PM. Johnson is preparing to leave just as the UK is staring down a plethora of economic woes. Inflation is set to hit 10 percent and there are dire growth forecasts for next year. Several Conservative Party members of parliament already have their eyes on 10 Downing Street, including former Finance Minister Rishi Sunak, and his replacement, Nadim Zahawi. To break down Johnson's economic legacy and look to the future in the UK, DW spoke to someone who intimately knows the challenges at the heart of government.

End Station: EU! Großbritannien: Der Europäischen Union angehöhrend. Großbritannien gehört der Europäischen Union. Wir Briten sind doch Europäer. Deshalb müssen wir der Europäischen Union noch einmal wieder gehören.

Großbritannien hat eine wunderbare königliche Familie, in deren Venen deutsches Blut rinnt. Wir lieben die königliche Familie, und wir müssen auch lernen die Europäische Union zu lieben. Europäer sind unsere natürliche Familie. Wir gehören dieser Familie.

Um es noch einmal klar zu sagen, um es zu betonen, ich weiß ganz genau, wo wir Briten hingehören: Wir gehören ohne weiteres der Europäischen Union. Zweifellos! – © Mark Alexander

Sir Ed! With the Conservatives in Total Disarray and Labour Having Ruled Out a Return to the EU, This Is Your Big Chance. Carpe Diem!

At the risk of stating the obvious, the Conservative Party is clearly in total and utter disarray. Further, it is a divided party – divided between the pro-European wing and the anti-European wing, the so-called Remainers and Brexiteers.

David Cameron exacerbated the problem, of course, by calling the Brexit referendum. In so doing, he projected the longstanding rift in his party onto the nation. And what a rift it has caused! It has divided the regions and even divided families. Many of the divisions are based particularly on age, but also to a great extent on class as well.

Older folk are often more inclined to be Brexiteers, many of whom lived through the Second World War or were told many stories by their parents of life at that time. There is no doubt many have been unable to put the war behind them. They live in the past. In addition, many of them are resentful of Germany's clear and enormous economic success. How many times in my life have I heard old folk say "we won the war, but Germany won the peace"!

In my humble opinion, many of the people who fought hard for Brexit, people like Nigel Farage and his trouble-making partners surreptitiously played on past prejudices to bring people to the point of voting for the suicide of our nation. This, of course, was just what the fossilized Tories needed to pull the wool over people’s eyes.

Coming out of the European Union was the greatest mistake this country has made since World War II. It was an act of self-harm. One could call it national suicide. To walk away from the greatest and best single market in the world—The Single Market—made absolutely no sense at all. It is a market of approximately 500 million consumers. A market with free movement of goods and people, and no impediments to the sale of services either. Moreover, despite Margaret Thatcher’s hostility to a federal Europe, she was for the Single Market. Very much so. Indeed, she was one of its architects! Would the Single Market exist today had it not been in part due to her tireless efforts? And we have walked away from it! Go figure! Further, to add insult to injury, we have walked away from it when ruled by a Conservative administration, the Party which prides itself on being pro-business. My word! What a topsy-turvy world we now inhabit!

By coming out of the European Union, we Brits have relinquished all the privileges that came with our membership: We lost our rights as European citizens. Rights such as the right to live, work and retire to any member country. The right to free healthcare, which is based on reciprocity. Free education for our children, too. In fact, I believe that Germany offers free university education to many, as well. In addition, we have also relinquished the right to fall in love and marry across borders. And so much else besides. Our leaving of the European Union was nothing short of insanity.

A small number of people at the top have been able to gain from our leaving. For most, however, it has been, and will remain, a great loss. For the billionaire class, free European healthcare is not an issue. For most people, it is. A big issue.

As a result of Brexit, many businesses have ceased trading. So how many small businesspeople have seen all their hard work to build up their businesses supplying goods and services to Europe going down the tubes? How much hardship has this act of insanity really, truly caused? Clearly, the MSM is reluctant to inform us.

But even apart from all the economic losses that we have suffered, and all the inconveniences, there was another very important goal of the European Union: the goal of maintaining and cultivating peace and good relations between our European nations. There was cross-cultural exchange between us, the importance of which should never be underestimated.

Despite being raised as a Conservative, and despite having been a lifelong Conservative voter, when Brexit came along, I was disenfranchised. I simply could not vote for a party—any party— which is anti-Europe. Europe is my home. Even outside of the EU, I still consider Europe my home. Wales is a European country/principality. Yes, it is part of Greta Britain, but it is also part of Europe. Certainly, geographically speaking. But also, politically. We have so much in common with our European sistren and brethren.

Keir Starmer of the Labour Party has ruled out trying to re-join the European Union. This, in my opinion, gives the Liberal Democrats a huge opportunity. At the next election, whenever that will be, it can put clear blue water between it and the Conservative Party and the Labour Party. It can offer the electorate a clear choice; it can offer the Remainers, of whom there are so many, and with the increasing disillusionment of voters by the obvious false promises offered by Brexit—remember those sunny uplands we were promised, ‘dem da’ hills of gold yonder? Eldorado?—well it didn’t happen, did it? It came to nothing. And it will come to nothing in the future, too.

The Liberal Democrat Party is a good, solid party with a great liberal history—liberal in the British sense, not the American sense—and it has a great leader: Sir Edward Jonathan Davey , usually known as Ed Davey, who is, I feel sure, a thoroughly decent man. Decency is not a quality readily found in politicians. But from what I have read about this man, he is decent. Decent and solid.

I therefore have a suggestion for him. It is as follows: Be brave and give the electorate a real choice. That way, the LibDems will be able to capitalize on great recent successes in by-elections. I am as certain as anyone could be that if the British electorate were offered the chance to return to the European Union, they would vote for you in droves.

Go for it, Sir Ed! As you well know, fortune favours the brave.

© Mark Alexander
Thursday, July 7, 2022

Ed Davey: Leader of the Liberal Democrats. MP for Kingston & Surbiton. »