Sadiq Khan has made clear his desire for the UK to rejoin the European Union, saying that reversing Brexit is his \u201cultimate goal.\u201d<\/p>\n
Speaking to the Observer<\/a>, the mayor of London urged Keir Starmer to show more ambition on rebuilding links with the EU, almost a decade after the UK voted to leave the trading bloc. <\/p>\n Khan told the publication: \u201cMy ultimate goal is for us to rejoin [the EU] and I think it will happen in my lifetime.\u201d<\/p>\n READ NEXT: The economic cost of Brexit has just been laid bare \u2013 and it\u2019s devastating<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n He added: \u201cI want us to be part of a customs union. I\u2019m 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.\u201d<\/p>\n Khan\u2019s comments come just days after\u00a0high-level talks<\/a>\u00a0between the European Commissioner for finance Valdis Dombrovskis and ministers including chancellor Rachel Reeves.<\/p>\n In recent months, Keir Starmer and his government have been more vocal and open about their desire for\u00a0closer ties with Europe<\/a>, and have been critical of the impact Brexit has had on the UK\u2019s economy.<\/p>\n Speaking after the talks, Dombrovskis said the EU was \u201cready to engage\u201d with the UK on the potentially closer trade ties. This included the possibility of working together on a customs union, a topic on which Dombrovskis said he was \u201copen-minded.\u201d<\/p>\n Khan has been one of the biggest pro-EU voices in the Labour party. Whilst Starmer and his government have only started openly criticising Brexit over the last few months, Khan has been banging the EU drum for years. <\/p>\n