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European Movement UK, the UK’s leading pro-European organisation, has hit one of the biggest milestones in its 75-year history by surpassing 24,000 members. 

Membership of our grassroots movement has been climbing up for some time, gathering pace in the post-Brexit years. 

And this consistent growth should come as no surprise given the signs that the UK public want a closer relationship with Europe are clear (YouGov). 

Put simply, this growth reflects the increasing public support for the UK to return to the EU.  

So, what does a growing membership mean in practice?  

Our increased membership gives the campaign more resources, more campaigning power, and a wider range of voices and perspectives as we work together to undo the damage of Brexit.   

The growth of this cross-party movement also reflects a rising awareness about the importance of the UK’s active participation in shaping Europe's future. 

And now that our movement holds the secretariat of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Europe, we have a new platform for driving discussions, recommendations and opportunities for improving the evolving UK-EU relationship. 

“We’re at a point where we are gaining more critical mass and more exposure. We’re now on 24,000 and have the 25,000 mark in our sights,” said Chair of European Movement UK, Dr Mike Galsworthy. 

"The fact that we are over 24,000 members and we are not a political party speaks volumes. 

"There is much discussion at the moment around party membership in the UK, particularly of Reform UK. They were at similar levels to us this time last year. 

"Carrying on like this, we will get to our own tipping point because we recognise that every new member counts and we will keep plugging away with our well-disciplined build.” 

We have a vital opportunity to rewrite our relationship with Europe over the next year. 

As the European Union faces complex challenges, from geopolitical tensions to economic uncertainties, the continued growth of our movement becomes ever more vital. 

Together, we can push for bolder action from the government, make sure the voices of people affected by Brexit are heard, and start reclaiming rights and freedoms we lost when we left the EU. 

Join the movement for a European future in 2025. 

[Image: Shutterstock]

In the 75th year of the movement, here is a selection of highlights from what our movement has achieved in 2024. 

1 - Our movement now has 24,000 members – and is growing every day. 

This growth reflects the increasing public support for returning to the EU. And our increased membership gives the campaign more resources, more campaigning power, and a wider range of voices and perspectives as we work together to undo the damage of Brexit. 

2 - Our movement now holds the secretariat for the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Europe.

A move welcomed by the government and which has huge potential to drive political change and decision-making on European affairs from the heart of Westminster. 

3 - Our movement welcomed Caroline Lucas and Dominic Grieve KC as our new Co-Presidents. 

The duo are backed up by a stellar new line-up of Vice-Presidents and patrons. Together, they will give our campaign greater reach than we’ve ever had.

Watch Caroline and Dominic explain why they each took on the role of Co-President here:

4 - Our movement ran events throughout the year.

This included both a programme of online events with some of the most prominent voices on the UK-EU relationship, and our first Europe Day in collaboration with the National Liberal Club, bringing Guy Verhofstadt from Brussels to join us. 

5 - Our movement has launched nationwide campaigns to win back freedoms that Brexit snatched away.  

These campaigns, Face The Music, This is Erasmus, and a call for an inquiry into the future UK-EU relationship, highlight just how deeply leaving the EU is impacting every sector of life in the UK and are calling for practical solutions to solve these problems, while also re-opening ways to collaborate with our neighbours in the rest of Europe. 

Our network of local groups have played a huge role in pushing these campaigns forward, from running street stalls, raising awareness, and holding events – such as Stratford for Europe and Swindon for Europe’s brilliant events for Face the Music. Many more helped us celebrate 75 years of European Movement UK and gathered positive messages for Europe Day.

A huge well done to every single person who has been involved in our grassroots activism in 2024. 

6 - Our movement launched The Manifesto on Europe.

During the general election this was sent to thousands of political candidates, ensuring that UK-EU relations were a key topic in the 2024 General Election. 

Thanks to our movement’s campaigning efforts, candidates in every constituency received a copy of our asks for the new parliament and their replies were made available via our online tool. 

7 - Our movement is now getting into national press more frequently than ever before.

And we're building media capacity fast - a sign that we’re influencing the national conversation, and making sure pro-European messages are heard far and wide. 

8 – Our movement is investing in our network of campaigners.

For example, the Grassroots Hub, our online resources centre, is now a key place for our community of campaigners to share their knowledge. We are building capacity and effectiveness 

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Over the last 12 months, we have laid powerful foundations to create more change in 2025 - to influence political leaders, open up national debate on our relationship with Europe, and start reclaiming the rights and freedoms that Brexit took from us.  

Thank you to everyone who has been part of this movement in 2024.   

2025, here we come! 

For more on what our partner organisations have achieved this year, head over to European Movement in Scotland, Wales for Europe and Young European Movement UK’s respective websites. 

On Monday night, we officially launched the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Europe to a packed room in the House of Commons.

APPGs are a valuable platform for well-informed discussion, analysis and, crucially, they can drive policy change.

The APPG on Europe, of which European Movement UK holds the secretariat, will be a space for constructive, cross-party dialogue, bringing together the most influential voices on the future of the UK-EU relationship.

We were joined at the opening reception in Westminster by Minister for Europe, Stephen Doughty MP; a host of Lords and MPs; the EU Ambassador to the UK, Pedro Serrano; ambassadors from across Europe and some of the most influential voices in the pro-European ecosystem here in the UK.

Stephen Doughty told the room: "This APPG is very important. We are ready to listen. We are keen to hear your perspectives.”

[Minister for Europe, Stephen Doughty MP, speaks at the launch of the APPG on Europe.]

“The APPG on Europe is the cross-party platform which the UK-EU relationship desperately needs.

“This APPG is now the go-to place for MPs and Peers to have informed debate and foster dialogue on UK-EU relations and in areas of mutual interest, such as trade, security, and all areas of future cooperation.”

Off the back of the opening reception, we are asking the public to urge their MPs to join the APPG on Europe for the first session in early 2025.

Stay up-to-date with the activities of the APPG on Europe here: https://www.appgeurope.uk/ 

You can also contact the APPG at: [email protected] 

Co-Chairs of the APPG on Europe are Dr. Rosena Allin-Khan MP and Lord Kirkhope, and the two Co-Vice Chairs are Wera Hobhouse MP and Ellie Chowns MP.

We are stepping-up our campaign for the UK to join Erasmus+ because we firmly believe that 2025 can be the year the UK rejoins Erasmus+.

The EU are asking for the UK to loosen on a new youth mobility scheme, and we believe that the UK rejoining Erasmus+ is the answer. 

This is why we are doubling our efforts to make rejoining Erasmus+ a reality. Together, our movement can add to the 50,000 people who already publicly support our campaign and ensure that our voices, and the voices of future generations, are heard by this government. 

Find out more about This is Erasmus here.

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This week, over 120 million people will engage with their end-of-year music roundups. It is amongst the biggest social media sharing moments of the year. 

So we wanted to seize this moment. 

This is why, on Wednesday, we launched UK Music Unwrapped to tell the story of what leaving the EU has done to the UK music industry. 

Our movement’s Face The Music campaign has been telling the stories of thousands of musicians affected by red tape, spiralling costs, and loss of opportunities after the UK left the EU.  

If you haven’t had a look at the hard data on the impact of Brexit on UK music, have a look now and share it on your social media.  

Together, we can remind every music fan that Brexit is bad for UK music, and that we will not let this issue fall to the wayside. 

The Independent ran another piece on our Face The Music campaign.

The Independent quoted our Chair, Dr Mike Galsworthy:

“We’ve long been saying that it isn’t the established artists who are suffering. It’s the ‘jobbing musicians’ – the backstage staff, the small bands who used to jump in a van and play a few European pubs every summer.

“The classical singers who would take last minute jobs in Berlin or Vienna. It’s the Ed Sheeran’s and the Coldplays of the future who are suffering now. Chris Bryant has simply said what our Face The Music campaign has been highlighting – the government needs to help our creative touring artists before it’s too late, and we permanently damage one of the UK’s best global exports – its culture.

“Brexit has made working in the EU so much harder for those working in the industry. We need the government to move forward as soon as possible with its pledge to cut the red tape around touring visas. It needs to be done now.”

Read the piece in full, here.

[Image: Shutterstock]

It may sound like any other dry bit of legislation, the kind that makes its way through Parliament on a regular basis without many people really noticing. But despite its slightly unenticing name, the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill represents a welcome step towards closer relations with the EU and, critically, serves to negate some of challenges Brexit has thrown in the way of UK and EU businesses.

So, what is the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill?

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Caroline Lucas and Rt Hon Dominic Grieve KC have been unveiled as the new Co-Presidents of European Movement UK, the country’s fastest-growing pro-European organisation. The announcement, made at the organisation’s AGM on Saturday, 16th November, at Birkbeck College, London, marks a significant step in the fight for a closer UK-EU relationship.

The joint leadership of Caroline Lucas and Dominic Grieve, representing two distinct ends of the political spectrum, embodies the spirit of cross-party collaboration essential to addressing the challenges facing the UK today.

At the meeting, the movement also thanked outgoing President, Michael Heseltine, who will continue as a patron of the organisation.

Here is a clip from Lord Heseltine’s valedictory speech, in which he restated the fundamental role of the European Movement in countering the politics of division and hatred, and advocating for a return to the heart of Europe: watch the video here

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