In a recent interview, Michel Barnier, former Brexit negotiator and French prime minister, has said that the UK is unlikely to join the common market without readopting certain conditions. In his opinion, one of the main criteria to join the common market would be the obligation to join the unions’ free movement of people, akin to the Norwegian or Icelandic arrangement in the common market. A condition that may become a very harsh political reality for the UK prime minister Andy Burnham, who in his recent speeches indicated openness to negotiating new arrangements with the bloc. However, as the conditions of such engagement are to be defined, how acceptable would such a reapprochement be for the general UK public?
The cost of the return
Since the UK had finally left the union in 2026, many members of the ruling Conservative Party had seen Brexit as an opportunity to establish a more flexible and less stringent relationship with the bloc. Paradoxically, by leaving the European Union after Brexit, the UK has relinquished many of its beneficial freedoms and exceptions. Such as no obligation to join the Eurozone and Schengen zone, as well as the Thatchers rebate on common budget contributions. All of which the UK would be unlikely to get in case of the rejoining to the Union. As Brussels would be demanding to show more commitment to its European future by adoption of the core principles of the Union as every newly joined member state in the last 20 years.
