![\"Keir](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/berlin-germany-new-british-prime-minister-keir-starmer-stands-in-front-of-a-flag-of-the-6899925.jpg\" "\\"Keir")
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Labour insists it will not reverse the 2016 vote (Image: Getty)<\/p>\n
Brexit<\/a> continues to divide opinion across Britain nearly a decade after the referendum. Labour<\/a> insists it will not reverse the 2016 vote, but senior figures within the party have taken very different tones when discussing the UK\u2019s future relationship with the European Union<\/a>. Some argue Brexit<\/a> has caused economic damage and needs closer alignment with Brussels<\/a>.<\/p>\n Others go further and openly say they hope Britain will one day rejoin. With those differences now clearer than ever, many Express readers will have strong views about who they trust, or don\u2019t trust, to deliver what they see as a proper Brexit<\/a>. So what do you think? Vote in our poll below and join the debate in the comments section.<\/strong><\/p>\n READ MORE:<\/strong> Keir Starmer deepens EU defence ties with talks to join \u00a378bn fund <\/a><\/p>\n READ MORE:<\/strong> ‘Farage is about to pulverise stuttering Starmer thanks to 1 simple thing’ <\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n Prime Minister Keir Starmer<\/a> has recently moved away from the slogan \u201cMake Brexit Work\u201d and instead speaks about deeper cooperation with Europe.<\/p>\n Speaking at the Munich Security Conference in February, he said: \u201cWe are not the Britain of the Brexit<\/a> years anymore. Because we know that in a dangerous world, we would not take control by turning inward.<\/p>\n \u201cWe would surrender it. And I won\u2019t let that happen. That\u2019s why I devote time as Prime Minister to Britain\u2019s leadership on the world stage. And that\u2019s why I\u2019m here today. Because I am clear, there is no British security without Europe, and no European security without Britain. That is the lesson of history, and it is today\u2019s reality as well.\u201d<\/p>\n However, in recent days, reports have suggested that closer ties with Brussels could come at a cost<\/a>.<\/p>\n According to The Times, EU officials have demanded that Britain contribute around \u00a31billion a year into European budgets as part of any deal granting further access to the single market.<\/p>\n Writing in a Sunday newspaper, Sir Keir said: \u201cIt [Brexit] has damaged our economy and there\u2019s no doubt in my mind where the national interest lies. Britain must be at the heart of a stronger Europe on defence, on security, on energy, and on our economy.\u201d<\/p>\n Health Secretary Wes Streeting<\/a> has been blunt about Brexit\u2019s economic impact. Speaking at The Spectator Parliamentarian of the Year Awards festival panel in October 2025, he said: \u201cI\u2019m glad that Brexit is a problem whose name we now dare speak. There\u2019s no doubt that that\u2019s the other problem we\u2019re dealing with [alongside low productivity].<\/p>\n Health Secretary Wes Streeting has been blunt about Brexit\u2019s economic impact (Image: Getty)<\/p>\n Angela Rayner often speaks about broken promises (Image: Getty)<\/p>\n \u201cI have enormous respect for people who voted to ‘take back control,’ but we haven’t had a rigorous debate about the economic problems that have arisen. We\u2019ll be paying the price for decades, not just in terms of the lost \u00a3400bn but also the destruction of the working patterns of the population.\u201d<\/p>\n Angela Rayner<\/a> focused on what she described as broken promises during an interview with ITV\u2019s Lorraine in July 2025. She said: \u201cNigel Farage<\/a> was the key architect for Brexit<\/a>, and all these wonderful things we were going to get, and we haven\u2019t had those wonderful things.<\/p>\n \u201cNow we can argue this – we were promised a lot, and we haven\u2019t had that. So I think you have to be very sceptical about people who will promise the world the moon on a stick, and then there\u2019s no detail of how they can actually deliver it.\u201d<\/p>\n She also previously told the BBC<\/a>: \u201cThe country did vote to leave the European Union<\/a> and we said we respected that. We\u2019re not going to be like the Lib Dems and just ignore that. But some of the problems we have at the moment – the framing of this is everyone\u2019s Remain, and that\u2019s just not true.<\/p>\n Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said he want to rejoin the EU (Image: Getty)<\/p>\n \u201cWe will negotiate a deal that puts jobs first, but we have to be honest that the current situation isn’t working for working people.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Wes](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/runcorn-england-britains-health-secretary-wes-streeting-speaks-during-an-event-to-launch-nhs-6899935.jpeg\" "\\"Wes")
<\/p>\n![\"Labour](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/liverpool-england-deputy-prime-minister-angela-rayner-prepares-to-address-delegates-during-6899936.j.jpeg\" "\\"Labour")
<\/p>\n![\"Labour](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/prestwich-england-manchester-mayor-andy-burnham-speaks-with-bury-council-leader-eamonn-obrien-689993.jpeg\" "\\"Labour")
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