A British Retreat: Tracing the UK’s Slow Surrender to European Union Demands

credit: crisisgroup.org

UK (Parliament Politic Magazine) –  During the UK’s membership in the EU, Brussels consistently introduced new regulations that had a detrimental impact on the City of London. Rather than recognizing London as an asset, Brussels viewed it as a threat and actively worked to undermine it, favoring Frankfurt and Paris instead.

Interestingly, financial services managed to avoid being entangled in Johnson’s unfavorable treaties. This was primarily because Brussels believed it could exclude the UK from Europe’s financial services markets and eventually deliver a significant blow to its economy.

Tracing the UK’s Slow Surrender to European Union Demands

Last year, there was a glimmer of hope when Jeremy Hunt introduced the Edinburgh Reforms and proposed the removal of the EU’s Solvency 2 regime, which would have released billions of pounds for investment in the United Kingdom. The slow surrender of the UK towards the European Union’s demands indicates that there is likely a lot more left to be seen.

This investment was desperately needed to stimulate our economy, which is currently teetering on the brink of recession. However, both Sunak and Hunt have consistently demonstrated their fear of the EU, prioritizing it over the well-being of the people living in the United Kingdom.

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Hunt has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the EU, effectively putting an end to financial services reform in the UK. This MoU establishes a forum for collaboration with the EU, focusing on preventing regulatory arbitrage and ensuring the compatibility of standards.

In simpler terms, Hunt has committed to not taking any actions that would give the United Kingdom a competitive advantage. In just a few words, he has buried the potential for significant Brexit benefits.

UK To Rejoin European Union’s Horizon Europe Science Cooperation Programme

Under Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Windsor Framework Brexit deal, the United Kingdom was expected to rejoin the European Union’s Horizon Europe science cooperation program, which is worth £82 billion. However, the UK’s future in the program is now uncertain.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has stated that the UK’s participation in Horizon depends on the benefits it brings to taxpayers, and ongoing discussions are currently focusing on the finer details.

The UK’s involvement in the Horizon Europe science cooperation program, valued at £82 billion, was expected under Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Windsor Framework Brexit deal. However, uncertainties now surround the UK’s future in this program.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has emphasized that the UK’s participation in Horizon hinges on its advantages for taxpayers. Ongoing discussions are currently delving into the intricate details.

Britain’s Subtle Concessions: How the EU Takes Center Stage

In the days leading up to the referendum, the UK received warnings about the negative impact Brexit would have on its economy. Despite these warnings, the Leave campaign made empty promises about improving the National Health Service, creating a better labor market, and achieving economic prosperity by freeing itself from the common market controls and customs union red tape. They painted a picture of Singapore-on-Thames.

Experts and public entities who presented professional reports detailing how Brexit would make Britain poorer, less competitive, and more economically isolated in an interconnected world were discredited by the Brexiters’ misinformation campaigns. These campaigns labeled the reports as scaremongering tactics aimed at suppressing the nation and preventing it from reclaiming its sovereignty.

Read More: What Is The Most Corrupt Country In Eastern Europe?

UKs EU Predicament: A Closer Look at the Surrender

Above all, leaving the EU was seen as a way to control the influx of migrants. This issue resonated with older voters in Middle England, who believed that European freedom of movement threatened the composition and identity of the British nation.

Now, seven years later, the aftermath of the divorce is being examined repeatedly in the court of history as blame is assigned. Numerous attempts to establish a unified narrative that could help the nation recover have failed.

 It’s possible that the rampant inflation, which poses a greater risk of recession for the UK compared to other advanced nations in the G7 and G20 groups, cannot be solely attributed to the Brexit divorce. The Bank of England’s economic policies, disruptions caused by the pandemic, and Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine have all played a role in the UK’s current predicament and underperformance.

Beth Malcolm

Beth Malcolm is Scottish based Journalist at Heriot-Watt University studying French and British Sign Language. She is originally from the north west of England but is living in Edinburgh to complete her studies.