Reeves says UK’s future should be inside EU as Brexit debate returns

Reeves sets out her view

Former Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the UK’s future should be inside the EU. She described Brexit as having made the country “poorer, weaker and less secure”. Reeves said supporters of rejoining needed to make their case, show tangible benefits and get the next steps right. She also said she hoped for progress towards UK entry into the EU’s Security Action for Europe scheme, known as SAFE.

Labour’s position and mandate

Labour’s manifesto at the last election said a Labour government would remain outside the EU and make Brexit work. Burnham has said changes would require a mandate at a general election, which is next due by 2029.

The Conservatives have said there is no desire to reopen the Brexit debate. Reform UK’s Nigel Farage has said there is no mandate for closer ties with the EU.

Defence and wider policy

A defence pact agreed with the EU last May opened the way for UK-based defence companies to take part in SAFE-funded projects. Reeves said she hoped for progress towards joining the scheme. She also argued governments should be braver about building major infrastructure projects and clear-eyed about the risks and benefits AI could bring to advanced economies.

Dispute over referendum debate

Kemi Badenoch rejected what she called Andy Burnham’s “fantasies” about holding another referendum, saying he had no plan for what to do today. The article also includes a separate quotation about welfare and defence spending, but does not identify its speaker. The reporting is inconsistent about who is discussing a possible referendum: it attributes the call for a general-election mandate to Burnham, while Badenoch criticises him for seeking to redo the referendum.