It comes ten years since the Brexit vote(Image: PA)
The Government has responded to calls for the UK to rejoin the EU ‘to increase growth in the UK’. A petition online, which has surpassed 19,000 signatures, says that Brexit has resulted in a smaller economy and weaker trade, and is calling on the Government for an application to re-join to boost growth and restore opportunities.
Rejoining the union would help the UK economy and ‘reverse the damage, boost growth, increase tax revenues and restore opportunities in the UK,’ according to the petition. It comes ten years after the Brexit vote in 2016, when 52% of the population voted to leave.
Because the petition has more than 10,000 signatures, the Government has been forced to respond. If more than 100,000 people sign it, it will be considered for debate in Parliament.
Creator of the petition Robert McMaster said: “We believe Brexit’s not working. The OBR judges that the UK economy is smaller and trade is weaker because of Brexit, and it will just get worse. 10 years after the Brexit vote, let’s apply to rejoin the EU, reverse the damage, boost growth, increase tax revenues and restore opportunities in the UK
“The OBR (Office for Budget Responsibility) March 2025 economic forecasts show the Brexit Trade and Cooperation Agreement will reduce long-run productivity by 4% due mainly to the increase in non-tariff barriers on trade with both imports and exports 15% lower, and that new trade deals will not have a material impact to offset this.
“Also that savings on payments to the EU have been absorbed by increased Government spending. It’s time to seek to rejoin the EU, remove those barriers and boost the economy.”
In a response given on January 7, 2026, the Cabinet Office stated that the UK will not be rejoining the European Union. Instead, it emphasised how the Government will be continuing with its ‘new strategic partnership’, working to ‘reset and strengthen’ relationships with the EU.
The Cabinet Office said: “The UK will not be rejoining the EU, but this Government has reset its relationship with the EU with a new strategic partnership: A deal that is good for UK bills, borders, jobs and growth. The Government was elected in July 2024 with a clear mandate to strengthen our relationship with the EU without rejoining the Single Market, Customs Union or returning to freedom of movement.
“Since taking office, we have reset our relations with European partners in order to improve our diplomatic, economic, and security cooperation. On 19 May 2025, at the first ever Summit between the UK and the EU, the Prime Minister announced a deal with the EU that will deliver on what the British public voted for last year. It’s good for bills, good for our borders, and good for jobs.
“The deal we have struck will reduce trade barriers through the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement, increase energy efficiency through cooperation on electricity trading, and allow a cheaper transition to net zero through linking our Emissions Trading Schemes (ETS). These measures reduce costs for businesses, meaning better prices and more choice to consumers, and they will support British jobs and livelihoods.
“Through this deal, the UK has unprecedented access to the EU market – the best of any country outside the EU or EFTA. The SPS and ETS linking measures alone are set to add nearly £9 billion a year to the UK economy by 2040, in a significant boost for growth.
“Our focus for 2026 is all about driving forward. Negotiations for the UK’s association to Erasmus+ in 2027 have concluded and we are now working to conclude negotiations on the Youth Experience Scheme, establishing a common Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Area and linking our Emissions Trading Systems (ETS) by the time of the next EU-UK Summit, so that businesses and consumers can benefit from the impacts of these agreements as soon as possible.
“This Government is seizing the flexibility of Brexit – making the best choices for business and citizens from its position outside the EU, through significant deals with the US and India, and now a new partnership with the EU – each decision taken to support UK growth. This is making a Brexit that works for Britain.”