Neil Kinnock tells Andy Burnham: Reverse Brexit and get Britain back into the EU

Former Labor leader Neil Kinnock said Britain should rejoin the EU and insisted it was “the only patriotic act” for Britain.

In an exclusive interview with IndependentLord Kinnock argued that anyone who truly loved Britain should rejoin the bloc, and that they should at least do so for “the children”.

In a scathing message to the incoming prime minister, Lord Kinnock also urged Andy Burnham to ensure Labor is not as constrained as Keir Starmer by so-called “red lines” that do not allow rejoining the European customs union and single market or the free movement of labour.

He said: “The only patriotic thing to do is to get us back into the European Union – something as crude and simple as that.

“If you love your country and the people who live under the flag and are not content with just saluting the flag, then you will want to take us back into the European Union.

“None of the other options are patriotic. They do not serve the national interest.”

Speaking Lord Kinnock Independent as part of it Europe: The Way Back Calling on Britain to rebuild its relations with Europe, the campaign questioned whether the Brexit vote accurately reflected Britain’s views today.

“Do this for the kids. They haven’t had a chance to have a say,” he said.

“A one-off referendum with a yes/no question could legitimately represent the opinion of a generation or a particular population on a particular day. Opinion could change two weeks later, certainly 10 years later.”

‘Preventable disaster’

Lord Kinnock, leader of the Labor Party between 1983 and 1992, said he was not surprised by the impact of leaving the EU. “I was very upset. To tell you the truth, I was angry about it because it was a preventable disaster,” he said.

He described Brexit as “suffering from a terrible, long-term disease that debilitates and does not kill… We are weakened by being outside the European Union.”

Addressing the economic, political, social and cultural damage caused by Britain’s departure from the bloc, the Welsh group said it was “wide and deep and, worst of all, it has continued and will continue”.

The economic damage was “truly beyond belief” on the scale alone, he said, pointing to analysis that estimated it had cost the UK economy at least six per cent in lost growth – a loss of tens of billions of pounds “essential to vital services”.

“All this amounts to a loss of around £3,200 per person per year in Britain,” he said.

“For a traditional family that is over £6,000 and the damage…will not stop until we have a completely different, new relationship, which I think should include re-applying to join the European Union.”

In a wide-ranging interview, Lord Kinnock, now 84, accused Nigel Farage, one of Brexit’s main proponents, of remaining silent on Brexit’s alleged “benefits”, predicting that in a future referendum Britain could vote to re-enter the EU by a huge margin of two to one.

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Earlier this week, one of Mr Farage’s top allies warned he “cannot escape” mounting questions about the £5 million gift he received from a crypto billionaire, which he claimed was his reward for “27 years of campaigning for Brexit”.

Lord Kinnock said: “When Farage… makes a speech outlining the financial advantages of Brexit, perhaps the sun will not rise that day.” Asked if he too would eat his hat that day, he added: “No, I have a very conservative appetite.”

Lord Kinnock was candid about the shortcomings of the Remain campaign, which sought to keep Britain in the EU before the 2016 referendum 10 years ago last month, saying he had “never scored a goal”.

But he argued there was a way for the UK to return to the EU, but conceded it would be a “challenge” that would involve “having discussions that are relevant to people’s everyday lives”.

The election would need to be agreed either through a “very simple commitment” at the general election or potentially through another referendum.

The referendum on EU membership in 1975 saw the Yes campaign gain the support of the overwhelming majority of the public, winning by a margin of 67 per cent to 33 per cent. When asked whether such a victory was possible again, he answered: “I think so.”

But he said any return agreement would have to be based on the “mutual advantages” the two could bring to each other.

He also expressed optimism that the UK was “now moving towards a different phase in relations with the European Union and perhaps Andy will have a different perspective and not feel so constrained by the so-called ‘red lines’ which invite difficulties”.

These rule out rejoining the customs union and single market or allowing the free movement of labour.

Lord Kinnock said: “I must say that I do not think we will achieve significant and sustainable rates of economic growth while access to our home market is blocked and imports from our home market carry extra costs.”

But he said the red lines could not be brushed aside: “As that is the basis on which Labor was elected into government, and even under the new leadership I don’t think a tear is an option. If it were possible and practical I would do it.” [scrap them].”

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