LIB DEMS URGE LABOUR TO DROP EU RED LINES AND REJOIN SINGLE MARKET

The Liberal Democrats will call on Labour to abandon restrictions on rejoining the European Union's single market and customs union, according to a statement from Ed Davey ahead of the tenth anniversary of the Brexit vote. Davey will challenge the Labour leadership to begin negotiations on a more comprehensive agreement with the EU if Labour enters government. He will argue that closer economic ties with the EU, including free movement of people, should be pursued alongside a new European security council to address security threats.

The Liberal Democrats adopted a more cautious stance during the recent general election compared to their 2019 position, when their manifesto prominently featured the phrase "stop Brexit". Labour confirmed that a second EU reset summit will take place on 22 July, despite earlier concerns the meeting could be delayed until autumn over disagreements regarding youth mobility provisions. Labour made a commitment in 2024 not to pursue rejoining the EU, the single market, or the customs union.

Davey will state that Labour's restrictions on EU relations are damaging Britain and benefit political opponents. He will direct his message to the Labour leadership, urging them to remove the constraints that define Labour's current European policy. The statement represents a significant shift towards outright calls for EU membership, moving beyond the gradual approach the Liberal Democrats pursued at the most recent election.