Keir Starmer loves the European Union. It is not controversial to point this out.
Few, if any, MPs did more to overturn the result of the 2016 Brexit referendum than the member for Holborn and St. Pancras.
As Labour’s shadow Brexit secretary, Starmer led the charge – often against intense resistance from his own party colleagues – for a second referendum, and made no secret of the fact he would campaign to stay in the EU if it ever happened.
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In the end, Jeremy Corbyn’s decision to support Boris Johnson’s call for a snap election in 2019 put paid to Starmer’s dream.
Johnson won a landslide victory and took the UK out of the bloc on January 31, 2020.
This neatly coincided with the Labour leadership contest, which Starmer won with a promise to “defend free movement as we leave the EU”.
That pledge, alongside the other nine he made during that campaign, were all quickly ditched once he was in post.
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Indeed, the return of free movement remains a “red line” the government says it will not cross, alongside a return to the EU’s single market and customs union.
These positions were seen as a tactical necessity ahead of the 2024 election, for fear of angering the millions of previously-Labour voters who backed Brexit in 2016 and then Johnson’s Tories three years later.
Nevertheless, the prime minister and other senior government figures now feel emboldened enough to criticise Brexit and openly talk about seeking closer ties with the EU.
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On Wednesday, Starmer was unequivocal.
Brexit “did deep damage to our economy”, the PM said, adding that the economic turmoil caused by the Iran war meant “the opportunities to strengthen our security and cut the cost of living…. are simply too big to ignore”.
Donald Trump’s relentless attacks on the UK, and Starmer, have weakened the trans-Atlantic alliance, giving Starmer more political cover to pursue a deeper relationship with Brussels.
“It is increasingly clear that as the world continues down this volatile path, our long-term national interest requires closer partnership with our allies in Europe and with the European Union,” he said.
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His comments echo those of Rachel Reeves, who set out her aim of “breaking down trade barriers and deepening alliances with our European partners” as she delivered the Spring Statement a month ago.
Negotiations between the UK and EU are already taking place on youth mobility, food and drink, and the emissions trading scheme, with agreement set to be reached in time for a summit to be held in the summer.
A government source said: “The lightbulb moment happened for Europe with Trump’s Greenland stuff. He wound up the Danes and all of us with that stuff. Iran has made it all the more prescient.
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“It gives us an opportunity to step up a programme that will help resilience across the EU, but which will also be in the UK national interest and benefit Britain.”
Nicola Tree via Getty Images
However, some in Labour believe the race to improve relations with the EU could come at a political cost, with the elections on May barely a month away.
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One senior party figure told HuffPost UK: “I can see this appearing on every Reform leaflet in the country.
“Why do it about a week or two before the postal votes go out? Election day is not on May 7, it’s in a couple of weeks time when the postal votes go out, and all the Reform Facebook groups will be featuring this strongly.”
But a government insider rejected the suggestion that voters will seek to punish Labour for trying to cosy up to the EU.
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“What we’ve tried to do since the general election is take voters on a bit of a journey and show that we are making deals that help our economy while still being true to spirit of Brexit.
“We’re sticking to our red lines on the single market and customs union, and getting a bespoke relationship with the EU while making use of our Brexit freedoms as well.
“People are not happy with the deal Johnson agreed, and can can make that link between issues at the border and prices on the shelves.
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“People want to see the UK to go out and make deals with the EU while sticking to our red lines. Voters have moved on from 2016, they don’t want to relitigate the Brexit debate all over again.”
This view was supported by one Labour MP, who said: “Brexit was ten years ago. The government’s been firm in its EU red lines and is doing nothing which would undermine them.
“It’s the cost of living, precipitated by Trump’s war on Iran, which is fore of people’s minds. Set against the backdrop of increasing global uncertainty, striking a closer relationship with the EU is all the more important if it can bring down the cost of the weekly shop and reduce barriers for British businesses.”
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Unsurprisingly, Reform UK have sought to capitalise, accusing the PM of betraying the 2016 result.
Deputy leader Richard Tice said it was “ludicrous” to suggest Britain should have closer ties to “a failing economic bloc that also has a long track record of failing to invest in defence”.
But Nick Thomas-Symonds, the Cabinet Office minister leading the EU negotiations told HuffPost UK: “Reform is betraying the future of young Brits.
Between Robert Jenrick axing EU travel for young people and Farage shredding trade deals, they’d rather pick a fight with Europe than protect people’s household finances.
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“They’re obsessed with a harder Brexit that hits every household with a massive paperwork tax.”
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