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Sir Sadiq Khan has stepped up his calls to reverse Brexit, describing it as his “ultimate goal” for the UK to join the European Union.
In an interview with The Observer, the Labour Mayor said he wanted Sir Keir Starmer to show more ambition on rebuilding links with the EU, six years after the UK withdrew from the bloc.
And he said his aim of rejoining the EU will be achieved in his lifetime.
The comments come as Sir Keir attempts to ramp up his “reset” of EU relations, while insisting that the government’s “clear red lines in relation to the single market and the customs union” remain in place.
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Sadiq Khan says the UK rejoining the EU is his ‘ultimate goal’ (Getty)
Last week, he said Labour was working to negotiate new arrangements with the EU, including on food and agriculture, and also indicated a desire for closer defence ties.
Days later, the European Commissioner for finance, Valdis Dombrovskis, told the BBC that Brussels was “ready to engage” if Sir Keir wished to explore the possibility of working together on a customs union.
In the interview published on Sunday, Sir Sadiq said: “My ultimate goal is for us to rejoin [the EU] and I think it will happen in my lifetime.”
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Sir Keir said Labour was working to negotiate new arrangements with the EU, including on food and agriculture, and he also indicated a desire for closer defence ties (Getty Images)
He added: “I want us to be part of a customs union. I’m an advocate for us being part of a single market. I think we can negotiate more now, because of how geopolitics has changed, than we could in 2016 or 2019. Europe needs us and we need Europe.”
The former Tooting MP campaigned to remain in the EU during the 2016 referendum, and then called for a second referendum two years later on the basis of a “bad deal” being negotiated with the EU.
Two years ago, he declared it was “obvious that Brexit isn’t working”, while urgently calling for a closer relationship with the EU, after a Cambridge Econometrics study estimated Brexit had cost the UK £140bn.
Supporters of a custom union between the UK and the EU have said it would slash bureaucracy and costs related to trade with the EU.
However, critics have raised concerns that it would curtail the UK’s ability to strike bespoke global trade deals.
Labour’s election manifesto ruled out signing up to the existing EU customs union.
In December, cabinet minister Pat McFadden shut down deputy prime minister David Lammy after he suggested rejoining the customs union could increase growth and repeatedly refused to rule out reversing Brexit.
Mr McFadden said Sir Keirhas been “pretty clear” that the UK won’t be rejoining the customs union.
However, the issue if Brexit is set to become a key one in the next general election.
After Sir Keir outlined his plans to bring the UK into closer alignment with the EU, Labour believes it is the only political party with a position on Brexit that reflects the views of the general public.