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Pressure Mounts on Prime Minister Ahead of Liverpool Conference
Prime Minister Andy Burnham faces urgent calls from senior Labour figures to begin the process of rejoining the European Union immediately, rather than waiting for the next general election. Stella Creasy, chair of the influential Labour Movement for Europe, stated that Mr. Burnham has only six months to start taking action ahead of a pro-EU rally scheduled at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool.
The warning comes as debate intensifies within the party regarding the timeline for reversing Brexit. While Prime Minister Burnham has so far refused to rule out pledging to rejoin the EU in the next Labour manifesto, critics argue that delaying the initiative is no longer a viable political or economic strategy. The Independent reports that Mr. Burnham has been warned he does not have enough time to wait until the next general election to start the process of rejoining the EU.
Economic Costs and Supply Chain Risks
Supporters of immediate action point to specific financial data regarding the UK's current trade relationship with the bloc. The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) published a paper revealing that the UK is losing £6.5bn a year in exports alone due to the lack of mutual recognition with the EU.
Ms. Creasy warned that the UK can no longer stand alone in a world dominated by the power blocs of China, the US, and the EU. She highlighted specific regulatory threats, stating that the EU’s “Made in Europe” provisions could cost Britain “hundreds of thousands of jobs.”
Furthermore, Ms. Creasy stated that if Europe proceeds with its industrial accelerator act and the UK is not part of it, hundreds of thousands of jobs in Britain will be lost because the country will be ripped out of supply chains.
Political Strategy and Red Lines
The pressure on the Prime Minister extends to the specific terms under which rejoining would occur. Ms. Creasy agreed with former prime minister Sir Tony Blair that the “red lines” set by Sir Keir Starmer at the last election need to go immediately.
Sir Tony Blair said Mr. Burnham needs to have a plan in place for the UK to rejoin the EU in a decade, according to The Independent. However, Ms. Creasy cautioned against rigid preconditions in negotiations. She stated that delaying the issue for 10 years and going into talks saying the UK would not consider free movement or joining the customs union or single market would not work.
The pro-EU rally at the upcoming Labour Party conference in Liverpool is expected to serve as a focal point for these demands, with Ms. Creasy emphasizing that the window for effective action is closing rapidly.
