More than half of Britons support rejoining EU 10 years on from Brexit vote
Support for rejoining the EU rather than simply rejoining the single market is growing among British voters, with more than 80% of Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green party supporters favouring this option, according to research mapping voter attitudes 10 years after the Brexit referendum.Labour’s “muted” approach to the issue means it risks losing support among progressive voters and in “red wall” constituencies, experts have said as part of research by Best for Britain.While 61% of all voters supported the government’s current approach to EU relations, only 19% did so “strongly”, the research showed.A full return to the EU was supported by 53% of all voters with support at 83% among Labour voters, 84% Liberal Democrat and 82% Green, the polling found.Of Conservative and Reform voters, 39% and 18% backed the policy respectively, Best for Britain found.
“We think that there is inherent risk with halfway houses,” said Tom Brufatto, the director of policy and research at Best for Britain, a civil society group that says its aim is to “fix the problems Britain faces after Brexit”.Researchers tested six scenarios, including continuing with Labour’s low-ambition policy, keeping Boris Johnson’s deal, diverging further, joining the customs union and single market, and rejoining the EU.Rejoining the customs union and single market, which Labour strongly opposes, would be a challenge politically as it would reopen the divisions of the past.“It requires a deep conversation about sovereignty, because [rejoining the customs union and single market] requires outsourcing large parts of all of our regulation” and no party would “be able to carry the public with us as part of that protracted negotiation”, said Brufatto.It would also mean the burden of rule-taking would increase daily.
Labour’s policy is to align with, but not join, the single market, which means it has no say in the shaping of regulations and directives.Labour’s attempt to reduce trading barriers for farm exports through a sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement provides a glimpse of the rule-taking to come.Since Brexit in 2020, the UK has diverged on 76 rules and regulations in relation to the negotiations over the SPS agreement, which is designed to reduce paperwork for farm food exporters.At an event unveiling the research in Westminster, the polling expert John Curtice criticised the effectiveness of what he described as Labour’s “strategy of silence” around Brexit.Political calculations may have to shift, he said, because the loss of the liberal voter base on issues such as Brexit could be more damaging than the loss to pro-Brexit parties.
Labour had lost about one in 10 voters to Reform but was losing one in four to the Lib Dems and Greens, he said,Neil Kinnock, the former Labour leader, said Brexit had inflicted enormous damage on the UK and he believed Labour would one day campaign for rejoining, without putting a timeline on it,“I’m 84 now and probably won’t see it, but the realisation [that it was best] and [in] the self-interest of the people, people will see it,” he said,Anand Menon, the director of UK in a Changing Europe, which has tracked Brexit for almost 10 years, said Labour’s position betrayed inherent contradictions in its vision,“Economically, I don’t think it’s sustainable for a government whose chancellor now goes around saying Brexit has cost the economy 8% of GDP, which is the highest side, to set against a reset that is worth just 1% growth.
”He said the Labour party was facing pressure from rivals to go further and faster but its current strategy to align on trade standards sector by sector meant the UK would become an ever-bigger rule-taker, with all the political attention and administrative work that needed in Westminster.Aligning with EU regulation would mean constant monitoring to ensure “divergence doesn’t happen accidentally”.“In a purely administrative sense, where we are now is very uncomfortable,” Menon said.
Rachel Reeves to raise windfall tax on low-carbon electricity generators
Rachel Reeves is poised to raise the government’s windfall tax on low-carbon electricity generators to help limit UK household energy bills, the Guardian understands.The chancellor is ready to hike the levy introduced in 2022 to target the excess profits made by the owners of older renewable energy and nuclear plants as electricity market prices soared after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.She could announce the plans to raise the so-called electricity generator levy as early as Tuesday, alongside a consultation on “radical” proposals to permanently weaken the link between soaring gas market prices and the cost of Britain’s electricity for the long term.Executives across the industry have been told to expect contact from officials on Monday to set out the government’s determination that electricity costs should be protected from the surge in gas markets and be set more often by cheaper renewable sources.Currently, the overall price is set by the most expensive source of power, which is usually gas power plants
Oil price drops below $90 a barrel after Iran says strait of Hormuz is open
Oil and gas prices fell sharply on Friday after Iran said the strait of Hormuz was open to commercial shipping, potentially clearing the way for tankers holding millions of barrels of oil and gas to reach the global market.Iran’s foreign minister said vessels would be free to transit the strait of Hormuz for the duration of the 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, which was struck on Thursday.Brent crude, the international benchmark, fell more than 10% to $88.8 a barrel. That is well below a peak of $119 last month, but still much higher than the $72 before the war
Kenyan firm sacks more than 1,000 workers after losing Meta contract
More than 1,000 low-paid workers in Kenya have been abruptly sacked by an outsourcing company contracted by Meta, in what activists said was a shocking move exposing the precariousness of tech jobs in the global south.Sama, a company based in Nairobi to which Meta outsourced content moderation and AI training work, announced on Thursday that the workers were being laid off after Meta terminated a contract.Last month reports said some Kenyan workers involved in data annotation were asked to view content filmed using Meta’s AI smart glasses showing wearers using the toilet or having sex.The sacked workers, many involved in AI training, have been given six days’ notice, according to the Oversight Lab, an organisation that advocates for fair regulation and deployment of technology across Africa. It said it was advising the workers on legal options
UK’s OnlyFans tops $3bn valuation amid talks to sell stake to US investor
OnlyFans, the UK adult video platform, is in talks to sell a minority stake to a US investor that will value the business at more than $3bn (£2.2bn).The London-based company is in advanced talks to sell a stake of less than 20% to the San Francisco-based investment firm Architect Capital, according to the Financial Times. Sources familiar with the process confirmed the talks to the Guardian.OnlyFans has decided that offloading a minority stake is the best guarantee of stability for a business dealing with the death of its owner, Leonid Radvinsky
O’Sullivan and Trump no-shows spoil mood before World Snooker Championship
Neither former world champion was at obligatory event as two British prospects look forward to moment in spotlightIf there were any doubt remaining that Ronnie O’Sullivan retains a gravitational pull on the world of snooker, few moments hammered home the point better than Friday’s launch of this year’s World Snooker Championship when the seven-time champion became the story without even being there.The first ball will not be potted in Sheffield until Saturday morning and the first headline has been generated by a player not in action until Tuesday. When the traditional photo of the world’s top 16 took place as usual outside the Crucible on Friday afternoon it did so without two of the sport’s biggest names in O’Sullivan and Judd Trump.Both were a no-show at the press event that the seeded players are contractually obliged to attend, with the reasons for their absence unclear. It could yet lead to disciplinary action from the authorities: not that either will be hit too hard financially
Lancashire to put matches behind paywall; Rew sparkles for Somerset on rain-hit day – as it happened
James Rew was the bright spark in a rain-ruined day. Thanks for your company, back tomorrow – bye!DIVISION ONESouthampton: Hampshire 238 v Somerset 154-3Edgbaston: Warwickshire 113-7 v Essex rainDIVISION TWOBristol: Gloucestershire 124-6 v Lancashire rainNorthampton: Northants v Middlesex 284-6 bad lightTime for me to write up again, sorry about the truncated coverage today – back tomorrow!Tom Abell wakes up the Friday evening crowd with six off a sun-glassed Liam Dawson’s second ball. And now Rew gently, so gently, drives him for four. And another. Fifteen from the over, Somerset 92 for three
How to turn old bread into a brilliant Italian cake – recipe | Waste not
Roast chicken, cheesy scones and a genius cocktail: Ravinder Bhogal’s recipes for cooking with lime pickle
Vegemite is recognised globally – but how many people know Milo was invented in Australia?
What can I do with leftover rice? | Kitchen aide
José Pizarro’s recipe for nettle (or wild garlic) and goat’s cheese tortilla
Gone from shop shelves, but not forgotten | Letters