Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy has advised it might be helpful for the UK to contemplate re-entering a customs union with the EU.
He stated that though doing so was not the federal government’s present coverage, he may see how different international locations exterior the EU had benefited from such preparations.
“And it’s why every single day that I was foreign secretary, I returned to the subject of our relationship with the European Union.”
Requested repeatedly if he wish to see the UK in a customs union, he stated: “That isn’t presently our coverage. That is not presently the place we’re.
“But you can see countries like Turkey with a customs union seemingly benefiting and seeing growth in their economy, and again, that’s self-evident.”
Picture:
David Lammy meets with Turkish International Minister Hakan Fidan in Ankara earlier this yr, when he was overseas secretary. Pic: Turkish International Ministry/Reuters
The Prime Minister’s financial adviser Minouche Shafik has additionally reportedly advocated behind the scenes for becoming a member of a customs union.
Mr Lammy’s feedback had been being taken because the clearest indication but that the federal government is contemplating bringing the UK additional again according to the European Union.
However when Sir Keir Starmer was requested to reply and say why he was not advocating for membership on condition that progress is an ongoing precedence for his authorities, he was fast to dampen down the hypothesis.
The prime minister stated Labour can be sticking to its manifesto, which pledged to deepen ties with the EU with out returning to the customs union, single market or freedom of motion.
“Well, the position that we are taking has been clearly set out in the manifesto, and then we’ve been following it,” Sir Keir stated. “And earlier this year, we had the first UK-EU summit ever, and we had 10 strands for a closer relationship.
“So we have completely reset relations with the EU.
“That’s good for our economy, good for defence and security, good for the work that we need to do on energy.
Earlier a spokesperson for Number 10 said: “We’re strengthening relations with the EU while sticking to our pink traces.”
“The prime minister reiterated that on Monday night on the Girl Mayor’s Banquet.”
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2:17
Starmer condemns ‘completely reckless’ Brexit template
Sir Keir set out his overseas coverage imaginative and prescient on the banquet, as is custom.
He stated the Brexit vote was a “fair, democratic expression” however the best way it was “sold and delivered was wrong”.
“There’s no credible economic vision for Britain not positioning us as an open trading economy,” the Quantity 10 spokesman stated.
“We have to be grown up about trade-offs. We have redefined bonds with EU and stuck to our red lines.”
On Mr Lammy’s feedback, the spokesman added: “That is not our current policy or where we are.”
