Brexit has done ‘significantly hurt’ to the UK economy, Sir Keir Starmer warned today as he pushed a ‘closer relationship’ with Brussels under his premiership.
The Prime Minister again hit out at the way Britain quit the EU in 2019, blaming it alongside Tory austerity for the country’s terrible lack of productivity.
In a speech in London today he said the country had to ‘face the reality’ of how Britain was faring outside the bloc.
It came after it was reported that the PM’s chief economic adviser, Minouche Shafik, pitched rejoining the customs union to get the UK’s economy growing.
The Observer said that the suggestion, made at a meeting in September, was rejected, as it would cross one of the PM’s EU red lines.
But in his speech today, Sir Keir said: ‘Let me be crystal clear, there is no credible economic vision for Britain that does not position us as an open, trading economy.
‘So we must all now confront the reality that the Brexit deal we have significantly hurt our economy and so for economic renewal, we have to keep reducing frictions.
‘We have to keep moving towards a closer relationship with the EU, and we have to be grown up about that, to accept that this will require trade-offs.
The Prime Minister again hit out at the way Britain quit the EU in 2019, blaming it alongside Tory austerity for the country’s terrible lack of productivity.
Sir Keir and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen restated the need to swiftly implement the post-Brexit reset deal earlier his month. But the PM’s efforts were dashed last week when talks on the UK joining the European Union’s flagship £130 billion defence fund failed
‘That applies to our trading relations right across the world, and as you’ve seen already with this Government, there are deals to be done if you’re committed to building relationships.
‘That’s what we’ve done with the US, it’s what we’ve done with India, and it’s what we’ve done with the EU and we will keep going.
‘We will continue to reject drift, to confront reality and take control of our future.’
Sir Keir and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen restated the need to swiftly implement the post-Brexit reset deal earlier his month.
But the PM’s efforts were dashed last week when talks on the UK joining the European Union’s flagship £130 billion defence fund failed.
Negotiations foundered over how much the UK should pay to participate in the EU’s Security Action for Europe (Safe) rearmament fund.
Reports suggested the UK rejected French demands to pay up to £5 billion to participate in the scheme.
Minister for European Union relations Nick Thomas-Symonds said it was ‘disappointing’ but the UK was focused on obtaining ‘value for money’.
And the Cabinet Office said British firms would still be able to take part in the scheme ‘on third country terms’.
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Starmer hints at more moves to undo Brexit deal that ‘significantly hurt’ UK as he pledges ‘closer’ ties with the EU in latest sop to mutinous Labour MPs