The return of Donald Trump to the White House presents a severe economic, political and security challenge to the UK and to our allies in Europe. It’s a final wake-up call for European democracy.
In an uncertain and divided world we must defend our free and democratic Europe and the shared values that underpin it. The UK can, and should, play a key role in building a Trump-proof Europe.
Stand with Ukraine
We can no longer assume that the US will come to our aid if Europe is attacked, so the UK government must work closely with its European allies to urgently invest more in our collective defence and security. This starts in Ukraine, where we must ensure that there is a just peace, and not a false peace that rewards Russia for its aggression. Such a false peace and continued brutal Russian occupation of Ukraine would only encourage renewed Russian aggression against other European democracies.
A just peace is one that protects Ukraine’s territorial integrity and guarantees military support in the event of future Russian aggression. The people of Ukraine must be free to choose the future of their country, and we must defend their right to seek EU and NATO membership. We must do what we can as individuals, and through our political representatives, ensure that the people of Ukraine get all the support they need to win this just peace.
Tear down the Brexit barriers
As Trump threatens the world with tariffs and trade wars, the UK must negotiate a stronger trade and cooperation agreement with the EU, and start to tear down the Brexit barriers to trade that have cost UK businesses tens of billions, and made it difficult for UK citizens to work in Europe.
Restore lost opportunities for young people
The UK Government should restore lost opportunities for young UK citizens to study, live and work across Europe, by rejoining the Erasmus+ educational travel scheme and agreeing an EU-UK Youth Mobility Scheme. A clear majority of UK voters back a Youth Mobility Scheme, and it is a key part of any reset in UK-EU relations. Let’s make it happen in 2025.
Stand for democracy and our shared European values
Today it the values that underpin our shared vision for Europe – freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law, human rights, human dignity and solidarity – are under greater threat than they have been in decades, but across Europe there are people who are willing to stand up for them, even at the price of their own freedom, and in Ukraine at the cost of their own lives.
We must continue to stand with them, join together to make our voices heard, to tell our political representatives what they must do to secure a better future for us all. If we can do this we can weather this storm and create a stronger and better Europe.
