A cabinet minister has shut down deputy prime minister David Lammy <\/a>after he suggested that rejoining the customs union could increase economic growth<\/a> and repeatedly refused to rule out reversing Brexit<\/a>. <\/p>\n Asked about his remarks, work and pensions secretary Pat McFadden <\/a>told Sky News the prime minister <\/a>has been \u201cpretty clear\u201d that the UK won\u2019t be rejoining the customs union. <\/a><\/p>\n Sir Keir Starmer<\/a> is currently attempting to ramp up his \u201creset\u201d of relations<\/a> with the bloc as part of an attempt to boost growth, but he has insisted that the government\u2019s \u201cclear red lines in relation to the single market and the customs union<\/a>\u201d remain in place.<\/p>\n But in an interview last week, Mr Lammy refused seven times to rule out reversing Brexit,<\/a> arguing that leaving the EU badly damaged the UK economy and saying Labour<\/a> should consider closer integration with Brussels.<\/p>\n While he said that rejoining the customs union was not currently government policy, he said it was self-evident that other countries had seen growth after doing so.<\/p>\n open image in gallery<\/p>\n Work and pensions secretary Pat McFadden (PA)<\/p>\n Asked about Mr Lammy\u2019s comments, Mr McFadden told Sky News: \u201cWell, we’ve just conducted three trade deals this year, and that’s a pretty big difficulty if you’re going to join a customs union.\u201d <\/p>\n Asked whether the deputy prime minister was wrong in his remarks, the work and pensions secretary said: \u201cI think the prime minister has made that pretty clear in terms of the grand architecture of EU. By grand architecture, I mean the single market and the customs union.\u201d <\/p>\n He added: \u201cBut what I do want to stress is we do have a different approach to the European Union from the last government. We’re not nationalists. <\/p>\n \u201cThis Ukraine issue\u2026has really bought brought European leaders together. We don’t seek to blame the EU for everything, and we do want a closer, more productive relationship where we can take away some of those costs and delays of the Tory Brexit.\u201d <\/p>\n Labour\u2019s manifesto pledged not to rejoin the single market or customs union, but pressure over the issue is mounting from MPs and advisers following poor growth forecasts.<\/p>\n open image in gallery<\/p>\n Deputy prime minister and justice secretary David Lammy (Aaron Chown\/PA) (PA Wire)<\/p>\n Mr Lammy, who is also justice secretary, was asked on The News Agents podcast about the idea of being part of the customs union again, said: \u201cThat is not currently our policy. That\u2019s not currently where we are.<\/p>\n \u201cBut you can see countries like Turkey with a customs union seemingly benefiting and seeing growth in their economy, and again, that\u2019s self-evident.\u201d<\/p>\n He added that his comments were \u201csubject to collective responsibility\u201d, implying that he should follow Sir Keir\u2019s position.<\/p>\n![\"Work](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1765135836_351_PA-82637410.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Deputy](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/63f01188629e5e05b1c5dbc5659a0552Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzY1MDM2Nzk5-2.82638061.jpg\")
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