Britain's future is in the European Union, former finance minister Rachel Reeves has said in her first major public intervention since leaving the finance ministry. She described the consequences of Brexit as making the country "poorer, weaker and more insecure".
“I believe Britain's future is in the European Union“, Reeves wrote. However, she stressed that supporters of re-joining must present a convincing argument, show concrete benefits and set out the right next steps.
Labour rules out EU return for now
Reeves' statement diverges from the official position set out in the Labour Party's 2024 election manifesto, which stated that a future Labour government would stay outside the EU and seek to make Brexit work.
The manifesto rules out a return to the free movement of people, membership of the European single market and participation in a customs union. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said an honest conversation was needed about the future relationship with the EU, but also indicated that any change would require a mandate from a general election. The next vote is due to take place by 2029 at the latest.
The Conservative Party has said it does not want to reopen the Brexit debate. The leader of the “Reform Party“ Nigel Farage said there was no mandate for closer ties with the European Union.
Reeves urges closer defence ties
The former finance minister said she expected a youth mobility scheme to be confirmed at the upcoming UK-EU summit. She has been pushing for such an agreement since her time at the finance ministry.
Reeves also hopes for progress on Britain's accession to SAFE, a European defence investment programme. The initiative was announced in March as part of the EU's rearmament efforts following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
A defence pact between the UK and the EU, agreed in May, has opened up the possibility for British defence companies to take part in projects funded under SAFE.
In her statement, Reeves also defended her job as chancellor. She said governments needed to be "bolder" when building large infrastructure projects and to weigh the risks and benefits of artificial intelligence for developed economies.
Sources: bbc.co.uk