Starmer signals new plan to unpick Brexit harm a decade on from EU referendum
Independent2 days
UK: Starmer Open to Closer EU Single Market Alignment
Is EU alignment a betrayal of the Brexit referendum, or the economic growth solution Britain desperately needs?
Above: U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Reading on Jan. 5, 2026. Image credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Images/Getty Images
The Spin
Left narrative
Brexit has caused a minimum 4% economic contraction and costs every British citizen over £1,300 annually in lost prosperity. Rejoining the EU Customs Union would generate £25 billion in additional tax revenue from increased business activity while creating no immigration concerns. The EU remains Britain's most important trading partner, and closer alignment offers the economic growth desperately needed.
Right narrative
Starmer's embrace of EU alignment is the ultimate betrayal of Brexit voters and Labour's election promises. Rejoining the single market means surrendering sovereignty, paying Brussels millions and accepting regulations with no say in their creation. British voters across the spectrum want national control over energy, employment law, agriculture, and borders — not a return to the bureaucratic politics the EU represents.
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Political split
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RIGHT
© 2026 Improve the News Foundation. All rights reserved.Version 6.18.0
© 2026 Improve the News Foundation.
All rights reserved.
Version 6.18.0