EU UK will not rejoin in my lifetime, says Labour leader

The Labour leader told reporters yesterday he did not think Britain would go back into any of the three blocs while he was alive, all but ruling out rejoining even if he wins a second term in office.

- Kiran Stacey

In recent days, the Labour leader has begun talking more freely about what his party would do in power, as polls continue to suggest it is heading for a landslide victory.

He also said yesterday, for example, that he would seek to extend the parliamentary timetable immediately after the election to allow more time to legislate before the summer recess.

Starmer has largely avoided talking about relations with the EU during the campaign, as Labour seeks to avoid the mistakes it made in 2019 when it alienated leave voters by promising a second referendum.

Some have suggested this reluctance to talk about the issue masked a desire to pursue re-entry to the customs union or single market during a second Labour term, something other senior figures in the party have failed to rule out. Starmer insisted yesterday that this was not the case.