A government minister has failed to rule out putting a promise to rejoin the EU in Labour’s next manifesto, suggesting that Andy Burnham could attempt to unpick Brexit in the next parliament.
Minister for European relations Hamish Falconer insisted that the government is “not talking about rejoining today”, but added: “What we do in our next manifesto will be a question for the Labour Party”.
Mr Burnham has previously said he is in favour of the UK rejoining the EU, but later clarified that he will not try to rejoin, arguing that the country would be stuck in a “permanent rut if we’re just constantly arguing”.
Asked on Monday how the new prime minister’s will approach Britain’s relationship with the EU, following a “reset” of relations undertaken by Sir Keir Starmer, Mr Falconer told Sky News: ” The previous prime minister did really important work to help reset relations, and I want to consolidate some of that work. But we also need to see how we can go further.
“Even since when we started those talks, the world has changed quite dramatically. The threats have changed quite dramatically – both, talking about some of the threats in Eastern Europe, but clearly there are economic security threats, disinformation threats too.”
Asked whether he agrees with calls from former Labour leader Neil Kinnock, who called for Britain to rejoin the EU in a recent interview with The Independent, Mr Falconer said: “Look, the questions for the next manifesto are not yet sorted, but I think it’s been absolutely clear from what the prime minister has said, and I share his views on this – we had this vote 10 years ago. It was the will of the country. It was the will of my own constituency as well. We’re not backsliding from that.
“The world has changed since 2016. We need to make sure that our relationship with Europe changes too. Europe and the UK both face real challenges.”
Asked whether he could rule out reopening the issue of Brexit, he said: “We’re not talking about rejoining today. What we do in our next manifesto will also be a question for the Labour Party.”
Earlier this month, Lord Kinnock told The Independent that rejoining the EU was the “only patriotic thing to do” for Britain.
He argued that anyone who truly loves Britain should back rejoining the bloc – and they should do it for the “kids” at the very least.
In a stark message to the Mr Burham, Lord Kinnock also urged him not to be as constrained as Sir Keir by Labour’s so-called “red lines” on Europe, which rule out rejoining the customs union and single market or allowing free movement of labour.
Mike Galsworthy, chair of pro-EU campaign group the European Movement, said Mr Falconer’s remarks demonstrate “exactly the right approach”.
“A Labour government looking for a new parliament absolutely has to offer something in its manifesto – and a commitment to open accession talks for full EU membership is a no brainer”, he told The Independent.
“Furthermore, if other parties like Lib Dems, Greens, Plaid, etc do the same – then you could see at the next general election a majority of voters voting for parties that pledge to open accession talks, thus giving the government a very strong mandate and also a clear signal to the EU that this country is serious about getting back in the team.
“This is what we, at European Movement UK, are pushing for.”
Meanwhile, Naomi Smith, chief executive of Best for Britain, which campaigns to reintegrate the UK with the EU, said:”The world has changed rapidly and significantly in the past decade, and as the minister highlights, voters have responded – our polling consistently finds a majority of people now support the UK rejoining the EU, especially those prepared to vote for Labour at the next election.
“Shared challenges from defence and security to climate change and AI can only be tackled jointly with our closest allies and friends – and with a new prime minister pledging to secure growth in every postcode, the redistributive benefits of a £92bn GDP boost spread across the country simply cannot be overlooked – economically or politically.”
But Liberal Democrat Europe spokesperson Al Pinkerton accused the government of “still chasing its own tail on Europe”, adding: “While Ministers tiptoe around manifesto promises and jostle for influence in Number 10, British businesses, farmers, and young people are paying the price for the Conservatives’ broken Brexit deal every single day.
“The public is sick of fence-sitting and vague hints about what might happen. We need bold action now.”
Sign up for our free Europe: The Way Back newsletter here or by using the form below:
What you will get by joining:
- A dedicated community: We are fully committed to the long haul, consistently campaigning to secure the absolute best deal for Britain within Europe.
- Free weekly newsletter: Every Wednesday, political editor David Maddox and political correspondent Millie Cooke will be in your inbox with exclusive reporting, analysis and insight on the biggest developments shaping relations between Britain and Europe. Each week, they will explain what’s happened, what it means, and what the key political figures, experts and decision-makers are saying about it.
- Essential continental updates: Stay informed with regular briefings on the biggest developments in European politics and the specific policies that could pave the way for closer EU relations.
There are even more benefits if you subscribe for just £1 for seven months:
- Exclusive content: Get the highest quality analysis, opinion and debate from political experts across the UK and Europe by subscribing to our premium service.
- The Brexit Effect: You’ll get exclusive access to extracts from Anthony Seldon’s major new book, The Brexit Effect, offering an unparalleled analysis of the 10 years since the referendum.
- Inform the debate: Receive exclusive invitations to live events, webinars, expert Q&As and podcast recordings.
