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Brexit has damaged the UK economy, with London £30bn smaller and 2m fewer jobs. Labour must now argue for rejoining the EU to restore growth and security.
Brexit has damaged the UK economy, and Labour must now make the case for rejoining the European Union. That was the central message of a landmark speech by Andy Burnham, who declared that Brexit has done more harm than good. The speech, steeped in Labour values, was described as a conference address that would be remembered for years, marking a decisive break with a broken political model. It came as new research laid bare the sobering economic costs of leaving the EU.
Economic Costs of Brexit Revealed
Research showed that London's economy was £30bn smaller than it would have been without Brexit, and there were nearly 2m fewer jobs overall in the UK as a result of leaving the EU. Earlier this year, further data showed that the UK has grown more slowly than comparable European counterparts since 2016.
If that trend continues, the UK economy could be £250bn smaller than similar EU countries by 2030. Ten years after the referendum, the sunlit uplands promised by Brexiters have proven to be a total fiction. Instead, Britain finds itself battling an economic and geopolitical storm.
Burnham's words were simple but stark: Brexit has done more harm than good. He is right, and the reality of the vote's impact on the UK is sobering. The prime minister also promised to address these issues, though the article does not specify further details.
Geopolitical Storm and Trump's Actions
Donald Trump's bombing of Iran could have catastrophic consequences for Londoners, and it gives no pleasure to be proved right. The folly of this reckless war of choice is now clear for all to see. The conflict is sending shock waves through the global economy, hiking up mortgage costs and pushing up fuel prices. The price of diesel has risen sharply.
At the same time, Trump's fondness for unilateralism has shaken the foundations of the transatlantic alliance on which national security depends. As Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, persists with his illegal and unconscionable full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Trump's unpredictable actions and unsettling ambivalence towards European security can no longer be ignored.
In this geopolitical storm, Europe offers not just a safe harbour, but a huge opportunity for growth. The EU is the UK's biggest trading partner and most reliable ally.
Rejoining the Customs Union and Single Market
At the UK-EU summit in November, there will be a call on the government to lay the groundwork for Britain's swift return to both the customs union and the single market, a move that should happen within this parliament. Rejoining the customs union and the single market would deliver an immediate boost to economic growth, improving living standards for communities across the country and helping to grant Londoners some respite from the most acute cost of living pressures.
In the long term, however, ambitions must be raised higher still. The party must immediately start making the case for rejoining the EU, so it can fight and win a general election with EU membership effectively on the ballot paper in 2029. The brutal truth is that leaving the EU was the biggest act of economic and geopolitical self-harm in the country's history. Rejoining is the only viable path to long-term prosperity and security. Anything less will fail to undo the severe damage that has been done.
The party's debate about Europe has been constrained by red lines that make rebuilding the relationship with the EU impossible. But Burnham has now recognised that these lines were drawn up for a different world.
Hope Comes from Honesty
There is a need to partner much more closely with the EU on defence, critical minerals and energy security, with the country now on the path to becoming the bloc's first associate member. In this multipolar world, middle powers such as Canada, the UK and European neighbours must come together, both to safeguard their own security and economies and to stand up for free trade and liberal democratic values.
Deeper integration can and will unlock a new age of growth and productivity, but it will also provide a louder voice on the world stage. From bolstering military defences to safely developing AI and combating the climate crisis, if we are to make ourselves heard, we must speak as one. And in a world whose superpowers appear ever more comfortable with throwing their weight around, the EU is the only organisation with the economic and geopolitical heft to hold its own.
A couple of minutes into the speech came the key phrase: hope comes from honesty. They were the words of a leader unafraid to change the terms of Britain's dysfunctional political debate by taking on the seemingly intractable problems that too many would be inclined to avoid. Today, Brexit is foremost among those problems. If we are to bring back hope, we must be honest about the disastrous costs of our decision to leave the EU.
Brexit EU Rejoin Andy Burnham UK Economy Customs Union Single Market Donald Trump
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