Without Brexit, UK would have golden opportunity to shape EU

There’s an almighty tussle raging across the EU for the bloc’s top jobs and policy agenda over the next five years. In normal circumstances this would be a golden opportunity for the UK to shape European politics. But Brexit means we will be sidelined at Thursday’s summit – and instead our politicians are obsessing about which Tory Brexiter gets to challenge Boris Johnson to be our next prime minister.

The results of last month’s European elections left the race for influential posts wide open. How the dust settles will determine the EU’s future policies on everything from climate change and migration to foreign affairs and the digital revolution.

There is currently a stand-off between France’s Emmanuel Macron and his centrist “Renew Europe” bloc and German chancellor Angela Merkel and the EU’s centre-right conservatives. This would, in normal times, be the perfect opportunity for the UK to intervene and push its own interests. But, half out the door, there’s no hope of lame-duck prime minister Theresa May doing anything of the sort.

At Thursday’s summit, the EU’s leaders hope to adopt a “strategic agenda” for the next five years. Tackling the climate crisis has become an important topic, and a good example of where the UK might otherwise have wanted to use its leverage to push for more ambitious targets.

Specifically, the EU leaders will discuss a target to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2050 – something May has already called for. But draft conclusions for the summit, seen by Politico, suggest the EU wording is still quite cautious. The UK should be at the heart of efforts to get 27 other European countries to be bold on climate change. Instead, Brexit has rendered us mute.

Many of the UK’s other policy priorities will be on the table on Thursday: making migration fairer; preparing people for the digital revolution; helping towns and regions feel more involved in European politics. Again, our prime minister won’t be in a position to say much.

She won’t have much to say about who gets the EU’s top jobs either. Last time round, in 2014, David Cameron lost a battle over who should appoint the Commission president – MEPs or the heads of government. Unexpectedly, thanks to the fragmented election results, that issue is now back on the table. But thanks to Brexit, our prime minister will have nothing to say – and even if she speaks, the others won’t pay much attention.

If it weren’t for Brexit, we would be increasing our influence in Brussels. Instead Germany, France and smaller nations like Denmark are poised to nab the top jobs and set the agenda. And let’s not forget, as a European country the UK will inevitably have to follow much of that agenda – in or out of the EU.

The UK is one of the EU’s big three powers – alongside Germany and France. We are able to wield huge cultural and diplomatic power worldwide. Brits should be out in front, leading Europe. To do that we must call an end to Brexit and stay in the EU. That’s why we must March for Change on July 20.