This week a YouGov poll surfaced claiming that majorities in France, Germany, Italy, and Spain would support the UK rejoining the European Union. Personally after the nightmare Brexit has caused me and many others over driving licences, TIE cards and a general sense of being an EU “reject” with a certain change in attitudes towards Britons in some sections, I would welcome such a move; no doubt many businesses would too.
However I don’t think the powers that be feel the same. To start with, if Spain really feels that way and wants to welcome the UK back, why not show some good faith - scrap the 90-day rule and it can be done without consulting Brussels. Then, make it easier for UK travellers to enter and exit the country while helping residents still hoping to obtain a TIE card to do so, while also deciding not to slap huge taxes on future UK property investors. Starmer is clearly wanting to repair damaged relations with the EU.
And considering most Britons say that Brexit has been more of a failure than a success (61%), with 20% saying it has neither been a success nor failure and 13% seeing it as more of a success, he has got a sound base to make a serious move. Farage and company may throw their toys out of the pram, but if the UK has changed its mind, then so be it.