Just awful. Fire teams continue to battle historic wildfires across Spain and France This sadly will be the new norm, yet govts worldwide are still being held back by greedy corporations and politicians that continue to deny the severity of the climate crisis for their own selfish interests

RTÉ News@news.rte.ie · last mo.

Fire crews in France and Spain battling unchecked wildfires that have forced more than 300,000 people to flee were overwhelmed as the unpredictable blazes advanced

Wildfires, like in 🇫🇷🇪🇸, are getting more frequent, and more destructive. We are helping finance and coordinate the deployment of a record number of firefighters, aircraft and emergency experts. This is European solidarity in action.

This week's wildfires have been an even clearer example of why UK should rejoin the EU's Civil Protection Mechanism, which pools resources to help members in emergency need. Because we can help. And we might need help.

Mark English@markemuk.bsky.social · 4mo ago

The EU's Civil Protection Mechanism is sending firefighters + equipment to help Netherlands tackle this week's wildfires. It has members' backs when they face fires, storm damage, floods, etc. UK should be back in EU CPM. We can help. And might need help. www.dutchnews.nl/2026/05/germ...

At excellent @UKandEU conference in Brussels. Debate about future EU-UK relationship very much includes possibility of UK joining EU again. What we at @euromove have said for years about how only joining - however difficult - can put things right is now mainstream...

Millions of words on EU referendum 10th anniversary. But nothing new. I'll sum up where we are in 30 words: 🤬Brexit disastrous, status quo untenable 🕕reset better than nothing..just 🏚️no workable halfway house on offer 🗳️majority backs joining again 😫won't be easy or quick But UK will join EU..

Great by @tommctague.bsky.social I would add supranational authority in EU is based on 'shared sovereignty', not imposition. And 'shared sovereignty' is inevitable in modern Europe, as EU founders realised + most of its people + leaders accept now. UK needs to accept that - *then* (re)join.

UK will return to EU on terms that may appear worse than last time..but will turn out better all round. Properly committed, paying bit more in but getting even more out, no opt-outs. But UK won't actually join euro or Schengen unless both it & EU want that, neither of which sure.

The Rejoin Ramble #RejoinRamble #RejoinEU www.eureporter.co/world/uk/bre...

Stepping out...to get the UK back in European Union

Three Britons are walking an estimated 350km from London to Brussels as part of ongoing efforts for the UK to rejoin the European Union. They are carrying a public petition, which has signed by thousa...

eureporter.co

Three Britons are walking an estimated 350km from London to Brussels as part of ongoing efforts for the UK to rejoin the European Union #RejoinRamble www.eureporter.co/world/uk/bre...

Stepping out...to get the UK back in European Union

Three Britons are walking an estimated 350km from London to Brussels as part of ongoing efforts for the UK to rejoin the European Union. They are carrying a public petition, which has signed by thousa...

eureporter.co

Reminder that almost every country in Europe - except Russia, Belarus and UK - is either in the EU, trying to join it and/or in substantial parts of it (Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein in single market, Switz in much of it, Turkey in a customs union) t.co/KE4aqIEsSo

Once, there were 000s of trade barriers within Europe. Single market removed most, but it required a vast web of compromises, trade-offs, give & take. If countries just take the bits they like most, single market collapses. *That's* why EU rejects UK cherry picking.

It will be a huge political win for EU when UK finally applies to rejoin. So EU will surely agree to open negotiations. But from a position of strength. UK government of time will need humility, good negotiators, honesty with electorate and courage to resist Brexit throwback media.

It's really interesting how there is now a widespread debate in UK about returning to the EU. Even those opposed are having to engage with the idea. Not long ago, we at @europeanmovement.co.uk and others promoting joining the EU were seen as eccentric outliers. Not any more.

What we've learned from Brexit is that we need to get back in the EU. We at @europeanmovement.co.uk have been saying that for years...others starting to catch up now...

The government is negotiating a threatening and uncertain world. It is making (too) slow but real progress on rebuilding our links with EU neighbours. It will take any untested successor to Starmer months or years to build up the relationships and respect that have allowed that.

UK getting into EU with big mandate from voters will bring economic benefits and geopolitical influence. Equally importantly, it can end polarising Brexit-itis and musical chairs Prime Ministers. That will create scope for the long-term policies needed to tackle domestic issues.

Those saying Europe's economy should be like US misunderstand Europe, its values and what works to make lives better. Good explanation below of Europe's strengths and some policies to build on them. UK should be in EU arguing for those things, not outside squabbling with itself.

Today, European Movement UK launched our report making the case for single market membership, entitled ‘Freedom to prosper: British business and the case for the single market’. The single market has raised EU GDP by 3-4% and created 3.6 million jobs. The case is clear. Read it at the link below.

Nigel Farage wants you to forget about the £5m. Nigel Farage wants you to forget about his support for the Iran War. Nigel Farage wants you to forget about Nathan Gill. Nigel Farage wants you to forget his support for Trump, Orban, Le Pen and Milei.

"UK and EU need shared plan to ensure patients can access essential treatments.. Without it, next geopolitical shock will ....be a public health one." True but rejoining the single market is the best/only way to solve this. EU has huge market power, UK does not.. ukandeu.ac.uk/global-turmo...

Global turmoil increases case for EU-UK alignment on medicines security - UK in a changing Europe

Mark Samuels outlines his argument for greater UK-EU cooperation to ensure that access to medicines across Europe are as shielded as possible...

ukandeu.ac.uk

Mme. Le Pen: "We don't intend to leave the EU....We criticise policies implemented in France, but that doesn't mean we want to leave France". Whether she means it, no idea. But even far right knows it can't win in France on policy of leaving EU - voters have seen Brexit disaster.

The EU's Civil Protection Mechanism is sending firefighters + equipment to help Netherlands tackle this week's wildfires. It has members' backs when they face fires, storm damage, floods, etc. UK should be back in EU CPM. We can help. And might need help. www.dutchnews.nl/2026/05/germ...

Germany, France and Belgium send help to put out wildfires in NL - DutchNews.nl

Germany is sending 21 fire trucks and 67 fire officers to the Netherlands to help put out wildfires following an appeal by the Dutch for help via the European emergency response centre, news agency AN...

dutchnews.nl

Mandelson rightly resigned in 1998 over a £370k - bit under a million in today's money - undeclared loan from a UK based business person. It should have ended his career. Farage has accepted a £5 million gift in crypto from a Thai-based billionaire..it should end his career.

Some of this is sensible but it's a trade peashooter, not a bazooka. Even EU's genuine trade bazooka might not be enough to deal with US and China trade artillery - UK rejoining would actually improve its chances. Idea UK can do this alone is fantasy... www.theguardian.com/business/202...

A long, hard road yet to travel. But those who always argued that Brexit was unsustainable, public opinion would turn against it + UK would U-turn towards rejoining EU are a bit closer to being proved right. Despite years of being dismissed by politicians, academics + most media.

Genuine question: could/should Olly Robbins not have told the PM the vetters had advised against clearing Mandelson, without giving further details? Would that not have protected him without breaking confidentiality? Why did he not do it?

This would be an absolutely vile thing to do. We are so much better than this. Please don’t ever vote for Reform!

Sunder Katwala (sundersays)@sundersays.bsky.social · 5mo ago

Reform pledges to review the previous 5 years of asylum grants if got into power - deporting those granted refugee status if came without permission. Reform claim 400,000 people granted asylum would be "in scope" - and they would deport most of them www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

Idea UK shd not align with EU 'cos most firms don't export = fallacy: -EU=half UK trade -3.3m jobs depend on exports to EU (TUC) -Cut trade barriers=cut prices -Economies tend to follow big neighbours' rules -EU rules don't affect most small shops, sole traders=min. 50% of firms

1/ UK has stayed aligned with EU law, to limit barriers for business 2/ More structured alignment, agreed with EU and implemented via a clear UK parliamentary system -more democratic -cuts more red tape -gives UK a (limited) voice in EU lawmaking 3/ Better still to be in EU with voting rights, obvs.

Might be worth Starmer calling early elections in the hope Vance will come to UK and call manically on people to vote for Farage because he stands 'for the God of our fathers'. It would ensure Reform's emphatic defeat.....

Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com · 5mo ago

JD Vance: "Will you stand against the bureaucrats in Brussels? Will you stand for western civilization? Will you stand for freedom, truth, and the God of our fathers? Then, my friends, go to the polls and stand for Viktor Orban!"