Sir Keir Starmer has vowed to use a summit with the EU this summer to further unwind Brexit, arguing that Britain must move closer to the single market, even at the expense of accepting Brussels’ rules.
The prime minister said Britain would use the summit, expected in May, to explore new ways to tear down more Brexit trade barriers to boost growth and cut prices in shops.
But speaking during a visit to China, he again rejected calls by senior Labour figures to form a new customs union with the EU, arguing it would mean reversing trade deals he had signed with the US, India and South Korea.
Wes Streeting, health secretary and a potential Labour leadership rival, is among those to have talked about the benefits of a customs union, as has David Lammy, deputy prime minister, and Paul Nowak, head of the Trades Union Congress.
Is now the right time for the UK to seek to join some form of customs union?
Could the current global geopolitical turmoil be the best opportunity Westminster has - and will have - to undo the damage of Brexit?
Will this bring about an end to the “lost decade” since the referendum?
I would have thought the two are not mutually exclusive. The UK has a very impressive arms industry / war machine which I would have thought Europe would be only too happy to benefit from.
My gut feeling is that Labour won’t do anything really meaningful on the EU until and unless they win the next election, which is looking problematical at the moment.
They are too fearful of haemorraging yet more support to Reform, and would be justifiably accused of gonig back on an election promise not to reverse Brexit.
A pity, but I think that’s the judgement they have made. Uncontroversial baby steps yes, going back into a Customs Union no.
Yes, that’s a good point. Starmer can’t exactly say Labour didn’t say anything either way in their manifesto.
Perhaps that’s what they should run on in the next General Election. A vote for Reform is a vote for Russia, but vote for Labour if you want the UK to have closer ties to Europe and the EU.
Edit: I guess it’s just nice to see the elephant in the room finally being discussed publicly by Labour.