Keir Starmer Announces Support for Brexit Resolution

JUL 4 2022·Updated SEP 20 2022

Story

Image credit: Getty Images [via The Telegraph]

The Facts

Leader of the opposition, Sir Keir Starmer, has stated that the UK "will not go back into the EU" under a Labour government, vowing to "move on arguments of the past" and "make Brexit work."
BBC News
While ruling out any return to the single market or customs union during a speech at the Centre for European Reform on Mon., Starmer claimed that he could remove trade and travel barriers and foster a better and more trusting relationship with the EU than Boris Johnson.
guardian
Starmer insisted that he was "not advocating the status quo" on Brexit, and set out a five-point plan to fix the "red tape and bureaucracy" resulting from the deal agreed with the EU by the Conservative leader.
Independent
He also stated that he didn't regret campaigning for a second Brexit referendum during the last General Election campaign, claiming that Labour made their policies based on the circumstances of the time but that he now wants to find practical solutions to resolve Britain's exit from the EU.
Sky News
The declaration contradicts the stance of London's Labour Party Mayor Sadiq Khan, who has stated that the UK should rejoin the EU single market. Khan's view is shared by other senior Labour Party members including the chair for the Labour Movement for Europe, Stella Creasy, and shadow justice minister Anna McMorrin.
The Telegraph

Sources Split

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The Spin

Right narrative

Starmer's announcement reveals clear tension within the Labour party and could even spark a potential revolt. Despite the strongest signal yet that he desires to steer the party away from the Remain camp, a plethora of high-ranking Labour members have come out in direct opposition to Starmer, highlighting the reality of his weak and tenuous leadership mandate.

The Telegraph

Left narrative

Many, including former Labour leader Tony Blair, have criticized Starmer and questioned what the Labour Party stands for under his guidance. He's now showing strength and direction, not only in providing a clear five-point plan for Labour's stance on the EU, but also in scrutinizing the weakness of Boris Johnson's premiership and his incompetence over the complexities raised by Brexit, especially the Northern Ireland protocol.