Yorkshire Regional Conference 2026

The EU/Brexit question has reached a new phase after Andy Burnham’s proposal of an “honest debate” on the issue.

The underlying reasons for this are:

• The very different geopolitical situation in which we need to rediscover the common values of the EU and UK

• Economics: the cost of Brexit has been higher than feared with a loss to the UK government on £90 billion

• Public opinion: Many thought that Brexit would be unarguably bedded into the UK but now 61% voters wish to re-join, acknowledging that Brexit was a mistake. The trend for re-joining is going up slowly but steadily. Demographically, the younger generation is more positive about the EU.

This allows the government to be less cautious/more ambitious which has led Andy Burnham to propose a debate on the various options to Brexit – this is a clever tactic.

Options:

• An ever closer relationship with the EU “bit by bit” e.g. Horizon, Erasmus+, food standards. Not viable as would be seen as “cherry picking” and would take ages to re-join.

• Customs Union, as is the case with Turkey. This would help a little as there would be fewer border checks, but there would be no UK input into the politics of the EU on foreign affairs, environment, security etc.

• The single market, as for Switzerland, Iceland and Norway. This would bring an economic boost, but the UK would be a rule taker not a participant, and would have no input in the political issues as noted in the Customs Union.

• Rejoin, therefore, makes sense. Overall, Brexiters are no longer defending Brexit but giving excuses as to why re-joining is too difficult.

e.g. “The EU would not want us” – this is not what EU politicians are saying.

e.g. “It would take too long, 10 or 20 years” – however, as a former member, UK is still aligned with the EU in many areas. The UK would not be starting from scratch. For example, Finland moved from the European Economic Area to the EU in 2-3 years.

e.g. “The UK would have to join Schengen” – Cyprus and Ireland are not in Schengen, nor was the UK as EU member.

e.g. “The UK would have to change to Euros” – EU member countries can choose to join the Euro or not. Currently, 6 EU countries are not in the Euro.

e.g. “In the EU, we would not be able to nationalise companies/services” – rail and water companies are nationalised in EU countries.

e.g. “The UK would have to accept Freedom of Movement” – this is a tricky issue, but it is not an unconditional right; to move to another EU country, you have to prove that you are not a burden on that country. Fewer EU citizens come to the UK than immigrants from countries outside the EU – and this is national (and not EU question) to manage. With Brexit we have lost the Dublin Agreement (and migration has grown) along with shared criminal checks at the border.

e.g. “Re-joining the EU is undemocratic given the result of the referendum in 2016” – the referendum was 10 years ago, the situation has changed; a democracy must be able to change its mind.

Audience questions:

• What about the rise of the far right in some EU countries? The far right is popular in countries with poor economies e.g. France and Germany. Other EU countries are doing better. Poland and Hungary have chucked out the far right. The far right in Germany, AfD, is not so worrying as no other party wants to go into coalition with it. France is more problematic – if Le Pen takes power, the EU can constrain its far right policies as is the case with Georgia Meloni in Italy.

• What about another referendum? In addition to re-join being in the Labour manifesto, a referendum should take place on “Should the UK apply to join the EU?” This would reassure the EU of the UK’s firm purpose. The invidious use of social media will be the enemy as it was in the 2016 referendum, although we were not then aware of its power and extent. We need to underline the European Development Funds which supported the poorer regions of the UK and helped the mining communities to rebuild after Thatcher closed down the mines.

• What about propaganda from Putin? – we are not strong enough to block this altogether, though we are now much more aware of it. We also have to counteract MAGA financial interference from the USA.

• Can we get business leaders to support us? SME are now very supportive of the UK re-joining the EU (which was not the case during the 2016 referendum) – about 16,000 SMEs went bankrupt post Brexit. International companies are not so interested. We need to reinvigorate the National Union of Farmers who advised their members, in vain, against Brexit. The UK and EU need to work together on AI issues.

• What is the Parliamentary Labour Party’s view on re-joining the EU? The Labour movement to re-join, led by Stella Creasey, has more MP members than the Conservative Party. Some Labour MPs are more cautious but they are in the minority.

Youth engagement is a struggle but worthwhile.

Youth is having a hard time with student debt and a poor graduate job market. This is demoralising and time consuming.

Young professional face a cost of living crisis, the challenge to get on the housing ladder and afford childcare, so have less time for political issues. They feel the future is bleak with issues such as climate change and AI.

Overall, there is a lack of critical thinking in schools which does not encourage public activity and leads to apathy and depoliticization.

Current politics seem toxic, particularly during the Brexit years, and this discourages young people from voting.

In Europe, young people are more socially engaged and there is more funding to encourage them to engage.

What activities encourage UK young people to engage?

• On-line actions – but still a low take-up

• Some social media content can engage, especially if it is fun.

• TikTok – videos can engage especially if produced by influencers, celebrities or passionate members.

• Art exhibitions – reach different audiences and are generally well supported both in person and online

• YEM was involved recently with 10 Freshers Fairs. There was no increase in YWM membership and panel discussions were not popular.

• BUT at Glasgow University, the YEM event was well attended with prestigious speakers, in prestigious venues with art works and free food. A Manchester event with the Romanian embassy was equally well attended, as was an event in Belfast with the EU ambassador to the UK in a prestigious venue. Attendance gives students something for their social media and their CV.

• Travel is a motivating factor so Erasmus+ should be advertised as well as the European Youth Event in Brussels every two years. It is a creative as well as political event, it is fun and always oversubscribed.

• Fun events outside the university, such as Gay Prides and art exhibitions, will attract younger people and are ideal for a UK/EU presence.

Erasmus Plus

Reminder of chronology:

Campaigning for E+, database of funding, E+ report, awareness raising including the event for MPs

November 2025 – decision to rejoin

January 2026 – universities signed E+ charter

April 2026 – British Council appointed as UK National Agency

July 2026 – sector leads appointed – reminder: HE, VET, schools, youth, adult, sports teams

Meanwhile June – October presentations to schools, MATs, LAs (now with convening powers). Over 50% attending knew little or nothing about E+

This is the challenge but also a great opportunity for the EU to be visible in a positive light

For ALL sectors but in schools:

• High awareness and programme expertise elsewhere in the EU, but not here

• EU partnerships have not been maintained

• Teachers retired or left, OIDs lost

• Curriculum priorities have changed here, and in the EU

• Mobility restrictions – visa rules etc – is this even possible?

• eTwinning not available until Jan 2027

• The grant made available is very large – we need to make the most of it

• Pupil mobility what the govt wants to see (25K cf 2K)

What you can do:

Point schools, youth, adult ed, teams to support available – webinars, application support

The risk:

If we don’t rise to the challenge we may not continue into 2027 - 2034

Juliet spoke on person to person discussion.

We are encouraged to debate the EU with individuals on issues which matter to them. People aged 35+ are key. For example, the EU is due to produce a policies on housing, jobs and AI threats to security, issues which touch people as individuals.

We need to change the way we present ourselves and show the relevance of the EU to the UK. The average person will not hunt out EU information themselves; we must start the debate and counteract misinformation. E.g. On AI, talk about facial recognition and street surveillance – and loss of privacy. All AI work is done in English and is available on the Horizon website. E.g. On water, talk about how the EU aims to ensure cleaner water.

In this way, on specific issues, we drip feed the EU into society and through these discussions/debates we help people “practice democracy”.

The younger generation (28 and under) had no experience of voting on Europe.

For this reason, the 2027 National Re-join March in June 2027 will be for “The Silenced Generation”. It will probably be in Manchester and all the speakers will be people who could not vote in 2016. We need a really good turnout.

A recent stall at Glastonbury was successful. We should attend more festivals to reach a wider youth population, not just students.

The media are interested in young people and Brexit, for example ARD in Germany, France 24 and Japanese TV.

The EMUK AGM is in Leeds this year. Hilary Benn, Rachel Reeves and Alec Sobel will be there.

Future campaigning:

• Where are we now?

• What’s next?

• What are the plans?

• What does this ask of us?

Andy Burnham’s stance is very bold and it is paying off. In November there is a “Made in Europe” conference, which Andy Burnham will attended. European leaders have been impressed by his stance.

Nowadays, there is high energy as we come out of the Brexit slump. Horizon and Erasmus+ have returned and various other aspects of the EU/Europe/UK are picking up speed. There is a change of national atmosphere with the public being less aggressive at our events/stalls. SMEs are willing to speak out without fear of losing their customers. Larger businesses are less flexible.

Many European Movement groups wrote to their MPS before the parliamentary debate on the EU/Brexit. This was proof of a pro-EU presence all over the country.

The Future – to start a EU application, the UK must be able to show public and political support. This means that for the next election, all parties (bar possibly the Conservatives and definitely Reform) need a policy of EU application. This will show that the UK has a clear mandate for applying.

The UK will also need to have proportional representation. This change will show that the country is thinking differently and would mean that no party could yank the UK out of the EU on a 30% vote from the electorate. This would guarantee stability.

The UK must continue to align increasingly with the EU regulations as this would make application smoother.

After negotiation comes ratification. The UK should have another referendum to show that the UK is behind it. All 4 major parties need pass it by a majority.

Ideally, debate should be by community, not a pro and against TV debate – citizen assemblies such as farmers, tech, businesses, education; a grass roots debate, do not leave it to MPs and BBC.

We need to start community mobilisation. At the moment, we have the EM groups, YEAM, the March to Re-join and Black European has recently affiliated to EM. We need to include other faiths and ethnicities by asking them “What do you want from the EU?”

There should be pressure on the BBC to push up “localism” in its charter.

Questions to Mike Galsworthy:

How can we minimise foreign interference in any referendum? The first step is to be aware of it, then build up defences taking as example other countries which tackle the same problem.

What can we do in Barnsley? (70% voted Brexit, we have a Reform council, the MP is pro-EU but worried about his seat.)

Tackle the EU by raising local issues, such as cheaper food, easier and cheaper travel. Work with a network of regional support.

On the EU question, we have 2½ years of tenacious campaigning to the next election. It will be hard work as we face the challenges of AI and right wing media, such as GB News.

We need to involve/educate trades unions and schools in debate on the EU.

Key issues linked to the EU are the higher cost of living (caused in part by Brexit), managing our borders/migration and additional charges to trade/going on holiday etc.

As regards borders/migration, we need to have a clear policy before any discussion of re-joining the EU.

Mandani, the new mayor of New York, brought communities together before the election. We should mirror this. The debate needs to be community led, from grassroots up, not from to down as it was in the 2016 referendum.

PS Do not forget the popularity of leaflets through the door! Don’t put everything on-line.