Lib Dems to force vote on creating new customs union with EU

Liberal Democrats Push For Vote On Creating New Customs Union With EU, In Bid To Pressure Labour MPs Into Supporting Pro-EU Stance

The Liberal Democrats are set to force a vote in parliament on creating a new customs union with the European Union (EU), with the party's leader Ed Davey urging his fellow MPs to back the move. The bill, tabled by Al Pinkerton, is largely symbolic but is intended to demonstrate support among pro-EU MPs for a customs union and put pressure on Labour's Keir Starmer government to reconsider its stance.

According to recent analysis from the National Bureau of Economic Research, Brexit has reduced UK GDP by 6-8%, while a study by the House of Commons Library commissioned by the Liberal Democrats suggests that a more ambitious trade deal with the EU could generate at least £25bn a year for the public finances.

The Liberal Democrats are calling for the UK to negotiate a new customs union with the EU, covering most goods but not agriculture, and in which the UK would be consulted during negotiations on new EU trade deals with third countries. The party believes that this is the best way to boost growth and raise revenue, rather than relying on tax rises.

Davey has described a customs union as "the single biggest lever" the government could pull to turbocharge the UK economy, but Labour has repeatedly said it does not want to join a customs union with the EU. The party is instead negotiating closer ties with the bloc, but is currently deadlocked over an entry fee of up to €6bn (£5.3bn) that Brussels demands in return for participation in the European single market.

The Liberal Democrats are using the vote as an opportunity to pressure Labour into taking a more pro-EU stance, and to demonstrate their own commitment to a closer trading relationship with Europe. However, it remains to be seen whether the party's efforts will bear fruit, given that the bill is unlikely to pass without government support.

just thinkin about this customs union thingy... i mean, its not like we're gonna be stuck in a bad trade deal forever or anything. and if it could bring in like £25bn a year for us... thats defo somethin to consider! plus, Brexit has already had such a big impact on our economy, so maybe this is the way forward? dont get me wrong, id love to see some more pro-EU stuff happenin, but lets be real, its all about gettin things done, right?

omg u guys remember when ed davies was still young anyway back to this customs union thing, i think its a good idea tho. like we need some boost in economy and 25bn is not bad at all i mean brexit was a mess and it's been hard for us to compete with eu countries since then. plus who doesn't love free trade ️ the liberal democrats are just trying to put pressure on labour to be more pro-eu and that's fair play imo but at the end of the day its all about getting things done in parliament and i'm not sure if they'll get it through without some gov support

I'm not sure if I agree that we should create a new customs union with the EU . I mean, we've been hearing about Brexit and its economic impacts for years now . But at the same time... , isn't it worth exploring all options to boost growth and revenue? Maybe a customs union could be a step in the right direction?

But what if... we join a customs union with the EU and then Labour doesn't back it because they're too afraid of being seen as pro-EU? That would just create more uncertainty for businesses and investors. Or, on the other hand... maybe joining a customs union is exactly what we need to take our economy forward?

I'm all for giving Ed Davey's plan a shot , but I also think we should keep an open mind about how it could play out. It's not that simple, right?

[Image of Gru from Despicable Me 3 saying "I am Gru" while holding a clipboard with "Vote For Customs Union" written on it]

[ GIF of a cat wearing a "Brexit" t-shirt looking worried ]

[ Image of the UK GDP graph from the National Bureau of Economic Research, with a red arrow pointing upwards ]

[ Meme of David Cameron with a caption that says "I told you so...not" ]

[ GIF of a Brexit vote leaving marker on a whiteboard, then crossing it out ]

[ Image of Ed Davey with a speech bubble saying "It's time to turbocharge the UK economy!"]

I'm so down for this! A customs union would be a game-changer for our economy, mate. It'd create jobs, boost growth, and bring in more cash for public services. I mean, £25bn a year is no joke! The Liberal Democrats are on the right track, pushing Labour to reconsider their stance on this one. We need some pro-EU momentum around here, you know? And let's be real, it's not like we can just sit back and do nothing. I'm all for giving the UK a stronger voice in EU trade deals, as long as it benefits everyone, not just a select few.

omg can't believe labour MPs are holding onto this eurosceptic stance for dear life i mean what's £25bn a year in revenue not worth the economy boost? and btw the whole customs union thing seems like a no-brainer to me, we're already struggling to recover from brexit anyway let's just get on with it and stop making things harder for ourselves

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this whole Brexit thing ... I mean, 10 years in and I thought we'd got over the chaos by now. But seriously, a customs union with the EU? It's like they're saying "Hey, maybe we should've stuck with the old way?"

I remember when I was at uni, we used to study economics and trade, and it always seemed so simple: just open borders and let the market sort itself out. But I guess that's not how politics works, right? The Lib Dems are trying to prove a point, but at what cost? It's like they're trying to force Labour into a corner, but what if it backfires on them?

And £25bn a year for the public finances? That sounds too good to be true. I'd want to see some real figures and projections before I get excited about that kind of growth . But hey, maybe this is just the wake-up call the UK needs? We'll see how it plays out...

idk what's going on w/ these parties they're always negotiating and voting on stuff but nobody seems 2 care about the actual outcome . a customs union w/ the EU would be pretty great for the economy, i mean 25bn a year is no joke . but at the end of the day it's all just politics and people are too scared 2 take a stand or something . maybe the Lib Dems will actually make some progress this time out

I'm not sure if this is such a good idea... I mean, Labour already wants closer ties with the EU, so why make it all symbolic? They're basically trying to force an issue that's already being discussed. The £25bn figure sounds promising, but isn't that just a one-time gain? How would we sustain that in the long run? It feels like the Liberal Democrats are trying to one-up Labour on this EU thing, and I'm not convinced it'll lead anywhere. What do you guys think?

this whole thing is kinda fishy you think the Lib Dems are trying to make themselves look all pro-EU and get a pat on the back from their brexiteer friends while actually just doing some PR stunt meanwhile labour's like "nope we're good" and refusing to join a customs union but then they're asking for EU trade deals and entry fees sounds like a mixed bag to me

I'm all for this vote, tbh. A customs union would give the UK a stronger hand in trade negotiations and boost growth. It's also a chance for Labour to prove they're not as anti-EU as everyone thinks . The maths just makes sense - £25bn a year for the public finances? That's some serious cash . I'm not sure why it's being seen as symbolic, though - if the UK wants to stay in tune with Europe's trade policies, this is the way to do it .

Blimey, can't believe how far things have gone ! I mean, I'm all for the UK being friends with EU and all, but creating a new customs union? That's just crazy talk . I remember when we used to think Brexit was a good idea, but now it seems like we're backtracking even further.

I've got a mate who works in trade, and he says if we join this customs union, it'll be a game-changer for UK businesses . But what about the farmers? They'd just lose their shirts, eh? I mean, I love a good deal as much as the next person, but not at the expense of our agricultural industry .

And what's with all this EU drama? Can't we just have a nice cuppa and talk things through? It's like trying to solve a puzzle blindfolded while being attacked by a swarm of bees !

The Liberal Democrats are trying everything now, aren't they? Creating a new customs union with EU could bring in some serious cash , like £25bn a year, but it's all about negotiating the right terms . Labour's being pretty stubborn though, refusing to budge on that €6bn entry fee . Still, you can't blame them for wanting to support pro-EU MPs and show the public they're committed to this stuff . The question is, will it put enough pressure on Labour to change their minds? Only time (and a bit more negotiation) will tell! #EUcustomsunion #LabourandBrexit #LiberalsPushingHard

I'm thinking that this customs union idea might actually not be as far-fetched as people think . I mean, we all know how badly Brexit has hit our economy, and a custom union with EU could potentially turn things around . The £25bn annual boost to public finances is pretty compelling, especially when you consider that Labour's trying to negotiate a similar deal without the customs union aspect .

Plus, it's not like we're talking about joining some sort of superstate or anything . It's more like us just being part of a bigger trading bloc with EU. I get why Labour might be hesitant, but if they could find a way to make that work without giving up too much control, it could be a game-changer for our economy .

I'm not sure what the outcome of this vote will be, though . The Liberal Democrats are definitely trying to put pressure on Labour, and if they can get some momentum behind the idea, who knows? Maybe we'll see some unexpected movement .