‘Brexit is not done’: Civil servant who oversaw Britain’s exit from the EU calls for debate over rejoining the bloc

The public official who is carrying out preparations for Britain’s departure from the EU stated that “Brexit is not over yet” and called on political leaders to start a discussion about rejoining the bloc.

Sir Keir Starmer rules out Labor reversal manifesto promise To honor Brexit, however, Philip Rycroft, permanent secretary at the Department for Exiting the EU, said: Independent There was a case to be won on rejoining the EU, he said, adding that it was time for a reasoned national debate about Britain’s interests.

He argued that there had been dramatic changes in the world since the referendum 10 years ago and that assumptions made at the time had been “badly hit” by geopolitical events, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its threat to Western Europe.

He said the UK was poorer as a result of leaving the single market for trade, according to long-term forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility. (OBR) forecast A 4 per cent loss in UK Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth after 15 years.

Mr Rycroft, who also called for a debate on Britain’s future relationship with the EU, including rejoining the union Independent he said today: “Brexit hasn’t been done, Brexit will never be done.

“It is impossible for us to never have these discussions because they are so critical to our economic, defense and security future.

“I think, in the interests of the British public, our political class has a responsibility to look for opportunities, to put forward these questions in a way that gives the public a chance to consider where they believe our long-term interests lie.”

Mr Rycroft’s comments reflect a growing sentiment within the Labor Party. Sir Keir has faced pressure to forge a closer relationship with the EU, although he has resisted crossing red lines on joining the customs union or single market.

Last month he vowed to chart a “new direction for Britain” by establishing closer ties with the bloc ahead of next month’s EU summit.

Wes Streeting, Sir Keir’s former health secretary and one of the candidates to replace the prime minister if a leadership challenge is triggered, said Britain should rejoin the bloc. Another leadership candidate, Andy Burnham, held back from EU support while campaigning in a by-election in Makerfield, which voted strongly to leave the EU in 2016.

Mr Rycroft’s intervention sounds like this: Independent He launched a campaign to rebuild Britain’s relations with Europe.

However, there is also a strong sense of tightening the relationship, with Reform UK continuing to perform well in the polls as it opposes any backtracking.

Mr Rycroft said: “We are a European country; our future lies inevitably in Europe because that is where we are, and we have to find a way in which the vast majority of people in this country will accept that the relationship we are in, or are heading towards, is in the interests of the United Kingdom.

“I’d love to wave a magic wand to get us to this point, but I’m acutely aware that this is a deeply contested area. Many people think there’s a different path ahead of us, and it’s not about our Europeanness. Good luck to them, but let’s have this discussion.”

“Obviously we are still experiencing the afterburn of a very difficult and divisive referendum, but we need to start thinking about what the long-term future looks like and do so in an impartial, honest way, without slipping into some of those pretty old, boring remain-leave debates.”

Ahead of the UK-EU summit, UK officials have proposed establishing a single market for goods trade with the EU. However, the move was reportedly rejected GuardWe support the proposal for the UK to join the customs union.

Sir Keir faces challenges in striking a pick-and-choose deal without reconsidering his manifesto promises to rejoin the EU single market or customs union or end freedom of movement.

Mr Rycroft said rejoining the EU would be a “tough road with many compromises and many difficult decisions” but also warned of the risk of a “threat to the democratic way of life” from Russia and uncertain relations with the US. He said the UK cannot rely solely on the Commonwealth and the Anglosphere to deal with the problems it currently faces.

“The interests of the United Kingdom coincide with the interests of the EU. Therefore, the closer we get to the development of initiatives in the field of the European economy and European defense, the closer it is to our interest.”

“Some people may object to that. That’s absolutely fine, and I know this is contested territory, but the risk is that if we don’t pursue our calling in Europe, we find ourselves isolated in the world, less able to pursue our economic and defense interests, and therefore, relatively speaking, become poorer as a nation and less able to assert our influence and interests on a global basis.”

Polls by Best for Britain researchers found that 53 per cent of respondents supported a full return to the EU. Mr Rycroft added that the rate would need to reach 70 per cent for the idea to be taken seriously and “it could take a while”.