The two dramatically separated from a brutally abusive relationship.

by Kolby LaMarche

If you are new to British politics or if you need a brief refresher please click here.

Also, please see the definitions list at the bottom for reference. 

Across the pond, the United Kingdom’s Sir Keir Starmer, leader of His Majesty’s Loyal Opposition and of the Labour Party, has pledged that if he wins a majority in parliament he will seek to re-negotiate key aspects of Brexit. 

In recent weeks, Starmer has taken numerous foreign excursions. 

In the Netherlands, he met with EU law enforcement officials. Then he pranced off to Montreal to attend the Global Progress Action Summit of centre-left politicians. And finally, a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, coupled with an extended photo-op.

With each visit, Starmer was greeted as the prime minister-in-waiting. Touring the globe to jumpstart the relationships he will soon approach in an official capacity. 

His stints in both the Netherlands and France displayed his eager desire to rip open the healing wound of Brexit. This drew criticisms from some Labour Party members who view reactivating Brexit as an electoral slippery slope. 

Starmer was once a hardened anti-Brexitier. Serving in the Shadow Cabinet as Secretary for Exiting the European Union. Starmer fought tooth and nail to butcher the conservative’s handling of Brexit. 

Under pressure from his fellow Labour Party members, Starmer caved and made a declaration to the British public that he respects laws as passed by parliament, including Brexit. 

But, at the same time, Starmer claims that Britain has been damaged by its want for self-determination, saying “[Britain] wants to diverge and do different things to the rest of our EU partners”. In fact, Starmer wants a closer relationship with the E.U.

As the Telegraph’s Camilla Tominey wrote:

Starmer is also being dishonest with voters about the implications of cosying back up to a system that is currently in chaos. Post-Brexit Britain may well be broken but the EU is a complete basket case.  

The Conservative Party, to this day, has wielded power for 13 long years, beginning with David Cameron’s defeat of New Labour in 2010 and presently arriving to Prime Minister (PM) Rishi Sunak. 

By all accounts, Starmer is looking to win big. As of today, Starmer and the Labour Party hold a 20-point lead over the Conservatives. His actions, when he inevitably becomes PM, will leave the first Labour imprint on the electorate of Britain. Understandably, there is extraordinary pressure not to fumble it. 

So is Starmer’s vision for Brexit a threat to achieving real progress under a Labour government? Absolutely.  

If you have ever broken up with someone, then you – maybe – had aspirations of friendship with them at some point. If you haven’t realised it already, it isn’t typically a good idea. 

You may believe that trying to build a friendship from the ashes of what you once had will make the life of both you and your ex better, to let each other down softer. This, obviously, can cause problems. 

If you truly loved that person, and that love still haunts you, you should best cease any frequent contact or relationship with your ex. It isn’t healthy, it isn’t fair. EHarmony, the online romantic networking platform, has helpfully pointed out the risks of attempting friendship, saying “If you can’t stop thinking about someone who has clearly moved on, then it’s high time you prioritize your life.”

The EU has moved on from Brexit, but Britain and Starmer can’t help themselves. 

Brexit was a volatile mix of the wealthy elite, a frustrated working class, cabals of pig-headed neo-liberals, and careerist swindlers. In the heat of all this, a member of parliament and numerous other Britons died. And the negative political and economic consequences of a terrible exit deal continue to grip the UK.   

The relationship between the UK and the EU today is awkward at best. And, in my opinion, the EU and Britain cannot just simply agree to disagree and get on with Starmer cherry-picking which item of Brexit to renegotiate. 

The two dramatically separated from a brutally abusive relationship and by vowing to work closely with the EU to match their governance Starmer runs the risk of further ruining the Labour Party and further fracturing a tired and frustrated populous. 

Britain’s fragile economy is in the midst of turmoil. Instead of cuddling with the E.U., soon-to-be PM Starmer ought to prioritize the UK. 

Definitions: 

PM: Prime Minister (Head of Government) 

Brexit: In 2016, the UK voted to end their membership within the European Union. On January 31, 2020, at 6:00 PM the UK left the EU.

EU: The European Union is a supernational political institution comprising of 27 nations. 

Shadow Secretary: A shadow secretary is a member of the opposition’s shadow cabinet which is tasked with scrutinizing the policies and actions of the government, as well as offering alternative policies. 

Brexit Negotiations: Negotiations for the UK’s exit from the EU spanned from March 29, 2017, to January 31, 2020. These negotiations were in an aim to create a smooth and fair exit from the EU. 

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