The question of the UK's relationship with the EU has resurfaced as Keir Starmer's premiership draws to a close and Andy Burnham, his likely successor, prepares to enter No 10.
Wes Streeting, a former contender for the top job and now a possible future chancellor, recently stated that Britain should rejoin the EU.
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The rejoin debate in the UK has focused narrowly on two issues: the economic cost of Brexit and the price of rejoining, including whether the UK could regain opt-outs from the Euro and Schengen.
However, this discussion fails to address larger international questions: what has the EU become, and would the UK want to rejoin it?
The EU's Transformation Since Brexit
The EU of 2026 is built on common borrowing, assertive joint industrial policy, and a growing role in security and defence that encroaches on national powers.
It is also moving toward a more assertive stance toward the US and China than that of the British government.
Since the UK left, the EU has changed significantly.
Confronted with crises, the remaining 27 governments have responded with substantial joint debt backed by the EU budget.
To deal with Covid, the EU borrowed €100bn from capital markets to lend to member states for furlough programmes, and later borrowed €750bn for green and digital investment grants.
The US's retreat from its security promise prompted the European Commission to borrow €150bn for defence-industrial collaboration through the Security Action for Europe (Safe) initiative.
