What we need, mostly is to assert ourselves as belonging in the EU: #EuBelong , #WeAreEU; rather than the transactional/economic mindset that lost us the referendum in 2016. Because, if it’s all conditional on how much we get out in £bn, then whenever the economy struggles in the U.K.. 1/

you look at his posts from that viewpoint, they make sense. But also, FWIW, this is the core position of @mikegalsworthy.bsky.social too. EU membership shouldn't be transactional, but cultural: #WeAreEU and #EUbelong.

(its, possessive pronoun). But yes. This is why if ever we #RejoinEU, we need to see ourselves as Europeans first and foremost: #WeAreEU and #euBelong rather than from a transactional viewpoint.

Wikipedia affirms the UK is part of Europe. So does Google. #WeAreEU , #euBelong, #RejoinEU ( @mikegalsworthy.bsky.social ).

But here I agree with @mikegalsworthy.bsky.social . Brexit happened, partly, because millions of Brits didn't see us as part of Europe. To #RejoinEU means *we* need to see it as our continent, culture & heritage. It doesn't mean we ought to have EU rights until we're part of the EU: #euBelong.

Two things (1) You're still helping Reform Ltd by 100% failing to add the "Ltd" (2) You're still following the technocratic arguments as though we're weighing up the perks of a gym membership we might quit if the deal changes. It can't beat a Sovereignty argument. We should say: #WeAreEU & #EuBelong

Because that's the same technocratic argument that lost in 2016 & as proof, the pro-EU share remains at 52% with 19% more receptive to Leave 2.0 lies. We need a #EuBelong and #WeAreEu argument that reaches people's hearts.

Yet the number of Remainers doesn't seem to shift up. It's still sitting at 52% with 19% susceptible to Leave 2.0 lies. Perhaps this is because pro-EUers are still banging on with the same technocratic arguments that lost us the Ref in 2016 instead of a #EuBelong or #WeAreEu sense of identity.

We can't really use that argument, because we don't know how those who didn't vote, would have. Yet it wasn't democratic, because both Leave campaigns broke electoral law & should have been cancelled anyway after the murder of Jo Cox MP by a Brexiter. #RejoinEU #EuBelong.

In 1975, Pro-Europe votes were 67% to 33%, a supermajority. Euroskeptics did not "Get Over It" and shut up. It took them 41 years to overturn it = 0.8% per year. The 2016 EU Referendum lost 48% to 52%. At 0.8% per year means we should have had another in 2021. #RejoinEU #EuBelong

One of the #RejoinEU ‘s biggest problems is that we’re still repeating the same technocratic economic message that lost us the referendum, while Führage repeats the same far-right Nationalism that won. For us, a #EUbelong message is the equivalent, we should try it.

So, if we assume the 12% are open to more Brexit lies, then it’s about 53%:47%. Dreadfully close to polling just before the referendum. At peak pro-EU: 45% pro-EU , 18% undecided, 37% against. Technocratic messages didn’t & aren’t working, #EUbelong might.

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It's two totally different ways of looking at it. I would dump the technocratic stuff (it's very Centrist) and push the idea of #EUbelong: that inherently the UK belongs in the EU, it's our family too & EU membership gives us the maximum say. I'm happy with having the Euro & no opt-outs.

The most important argument we can use is simply that #EuBelong. We're part of Europe and our culture, history, fortunes and future are wrapped up with Europe's. We belong.

@mikegalsworthy.bsky.social, @nialloconghaile.bsky.social : this is why Remainers keep failing too. We're technocrats arguing over economic details; they're selling 🇬🇧. We need to switching to belonging ( #EuBelong ). Let's first practice winning by picking a fight we can #MoreMetric.

I see your point, EU institutions effectively define Europe. But there's a strong rationale for Remainers/Rejoiners to treat the UK as part of Europe, because we can only overcome the critical Sovereignty argument if we culturally see ourselves as #EUbelong. [ @mikegalsworthy.bsky.social ].. 1/

IMHO, we failed mostly because neither fear, nor hopeful technocratic arguments work against a backdrop of austerity versus emotive arguments (i.e. "Sovereignty"). The equivalent Remain argument would have been #EUbelong, a multi-millennia sense of shared European identity & destiny. #RejoinEU.

Which is why, when the UK gets back into the EU, the campaign has to be centred not on technocratic details, but on the theme of belonging with the EU: #EUBelong.

The UK needs to change its perspective, to one where we see ourselves as belonging intrinsically to Europe: shared history, shared principles & mutual interdependence #EuBelong. That is we need to rally behind the pro-EU equivalent of Brexit's "Sovereignty" not technocratic bean-counting. #RejoinEU.