Why Does Keir Starmer Think It's Time For Closer Ties With The EU? |
Why Does Keir Starmer Think It's Time For Closer Ties With The EU?
This week's Commons People episode explores how the prime minister risks reviving the Brexit debate.
Political Correspondent
HuffPost UK's politics podcast
Keir Starmer reopened a dangerous can of worms this week.
No, not the Peter Mandelson saga, but the UK’s ties with the EU.
While the government says it does not want to undo Brexit – as Labour’s political opponents claim – the prime minister made it clear he “strongly believes the UK’s best interests are in a stronger, closer relationship with Europe” on Monday.
His remarks came after chancellor Rachel Reeves revealed she would be open to working with the EU if it boosts economic growth or helps the UK’s “security and resilience”.
These comments raised eyebrows among critics, especially as MPs will soon vote on the government’s UK-EU reset bill after it’s unveiled in the King’s Speech on May 13.
Acting on the prime minister’s orders, the monarch will set out the government’s plans for the coming parliamentary session.
Labour has long pledged to “reset” Britain’s relationship with the EU after Boris Johnson’s trade deal made it harder to import and export to and from the UK’s nearest........