The Round Table was created by an ad hoc group of activists in early 2020 as a safe space for pro-European organisations in the UK to meet, exchange views and facilitate collaboration. It works to promote mutually supportive initiatives to expose the causes and effects of Brexit, work for closer UK-EU relations, support EU citizens living in the UK and UK citizens living in EU countries, and campaign for the UK to rejoin the EU.
The Round Table is hosted by Grassroots for Europe, an umbrella organisation supporting around 80 local pro-EU campaigns, with a strong commitment to diverse, inclusive and collaborative campaigning.
As of December 2023, the Round Table has met 41 times at 4-weekly intervals with a rotating chair and many high-profile invited contributors, bringing together over 20 leading pro-EU and allied organisations with overlapping and complementary agendas. Meeting reports are shared on the GfE website and elsewhere. GfE also organises a series of open-access webinar and training events to share content from the Round Table with a wider community of campaigners.GfE is currently conducting a series of sessions with citizens of EU member states and UK residents in those states to discuss shared issues and the UK’s road to rejoin.
Speakers at the Round Table have included:
Lord Andrew Adonis Chair, European Movement UK [2021-2022]
Dr Arantza Gomez Arana, Northumbria Univerity
Rachele Arciulo, Volt Spain
Lionel Barber, former Editor Financial Times
Adam Barnett, UK lead reporter, DESMOG
Professor Steven Barnett, University of Westminster, Politics
Ella Barrett, New Conversations
Francis Beckett, Author & Playwright
Professor Richard Bentall, University of Sheffield, Psychology
Anna Bird, CEO European Movement
Tom Brake, Director, Unlock Democracy
Mike Buckley, Labour for a European Future
Turlough Conway, reporter, Byline Times
Richard Corbett CBE, former MEP
Annette Dittert, ARD TV German public broadcasting
Mark English, Communications Adviser, European Movement UK
Jon Featonby, Chief Policy Analyst, Refugee Council
Peter Foster, Financial Times
Carlos Fresneda, El Mundo
Mike Galsworthy, Scientists for Europe
Zoe Gardner, Policy and Research Manager – Another Europe Is Possible
David Gauke, Lawyer and Former MP
Fiona Godfrey, British in Europe
Alex Hall Hall, Diplomat and commentator
Professor Jonathan Hopkin, Comparative Politics, LSE
Dr Monica Horten, Independent policy advisor
Louise Houghton, Editor in Chief, Bylines Network
Will Hutton, Journalist and writer
Ella Jakubowska, European Digital Rights [EDRi]
Jackie Jones, Wales for Europe
Peter Jukes, Director, Byline Times
Dr András Kádár, Co-chair of the Hungarian Helsinki Committee
Jim Killock, Open Rights Group
Richard Kilpatrick, Policy and Media Advisor, European Movement UK
Nathalie Loiseau MEP, Co-Chair EU-UK Parliamentary Partnership Assembly
Hardeep Matharu, Editor Byline Times
Jessica Metheringham, Unlock Democracy
Gina Miller, Businesswoman and activist
Dr Martin Moore, Political Economy, KCL
Peter Oborne, Journalist and author
Femi Oluwole, Political Activist
Jun Pang, Policy and Campaigns Officer, Liberty
Laura Parker, Labour for a New Democracy
Professor Laurent Pech, UCD, co-founder & Co-Director, The Good Lobby Profs
Jen Persson, Defend Digital Me
Luke Piper, the3million
Shaun Roberts, Unlock Democracy
Jessica Simor KC Human rights lawyer
Naomi Smith, CEO Best for Britain
Enver Solomon, CEO The Refugee Council
Christopher Steele, Intelligence officer and investigator
Alice Stollmeyer, Founder and Executive Director, Defend Democracy
Willie Sullivan, Electoral Reform Society
Alex Toal, Make Votes Matter
Kyle Taylor, Fair Vote
Jake Verity, Senior Political Officer, Best for Britain
Liz Webster, Founder, Save British Farming
Prof Paul Willner, Psychology, Swansea University
Roger Wilson, Local Groups Organiser Compass and Director, Unite To Reform
Robin Wilton, Internet Society
Owen Winter, Make Votes Matter
Anthony Zacharzewski, founder and President of the Democratic Society
Dr Ruvi Ziegler, International Refugee Law, Reading University
Recent Round Table Topics
- Poland and Hungary: Democracy vs. Autocracy in Central Europe and beyond – January 2023
- Views from Spain: democracy, the EU, and lessons for Rejoiners – December 2023
- Covering the Island / Turn again, Starmer – October 2023
- The Online Safety Bill and why you need to know about it – September 2023
- Labour and Brexit – time for change? – July 2023
Summary
In conclusion, we appreciate that Round Table members all have different niches and, perhaps, different short-term focuses for action. We share a commitment to help support collaborative action and welcomes all campaigns that aspire to the same values and, by doing this, as equals, we can all achieve our aims and provide that missing overall impact.