Labour voters want Starmer to ditch Brexit red lines and rejoin EU customs union instead of raising taxes

Two-thirds of 2024 Labor voters would prefer Sir Keir Starmer to abandon Brexit red lines and join a customs union with the European Union rather than increase taxes on working people, new poll shows.

It follows reports that the Prime Minister has rejected calls from his chief economic adviser for Britain to rejoin the EU customs union to boost growth ahead of the budget, with the chancellor instead opting to impose a £26bn tax increase after asking “ordinary people to pay a little more”.

The Savanta poll showed less than a fifth (18%) of Labor voters would prefer the government raise taxes and stay out of the EU customs union.

According to the poll commissioned by the Liberal Democrats, 67 percent of people support rejoining the customs union rather than increasing taxes.

Overall, just over half (52 per cent) of UK adults said they would prefer the government join a customs union with the EU rather than raise taxes. Only a fifth (21 percent) said the opposite.

The statement comes after deputy prime minister David Lammy suggested rejoining the customs union could boost economic growth as ministers increasingly react to the financial damage caused by Brexit.

Mr Lammy refused to rule out a Brexit reversal seven times in an interview; He argued that leaving the EU would seriously damage the UK economy and said Labor should consider closer integration with Brussels.

While he said rejoining the customs union was not currently government policy, he said it was obvious that other countries were seeing growth after doing so.

Sources told The Times that Sir Keir’s chief economic adviser, Baroness Shafik, had privately recommended rejoining the customs union ahead of last month’s Budget, arguing it would cut costs for businesses and boost exports.

The prime minister is currently seeking to “reset” relations with the bloc as part of a drive to boost growth, but insisted the government’s “clear red lines on the single market and customs union” remain in place.

In a speech last week, Sir Keir said it would be “completely reckless” to use Brexit as a template for future foreign policy.

Speaking at the Lady Mayor’s Banquet in central London on Monday night, he said: “The Brexit vote was a fair, democratic statement and I will always respect that. But the way it was sold and delivered was wrong.”

“Mad promises were made to the British people and left unfulfilled. We are still dealing with the consequences on our economy today.”

He added: “It is completely reckless to see Brexit as a template for our future foreign policy.”

Asked about Mr Lammy’s comments, a Donwing Street spokesman said: “We are strengthening our relationship with the EU by sticking to our red lines. The Prime Minister reiterated this at the Lady Mayor’s Banquet on Monday evening.”

The spokesman added: “There is no credible economic vision for the UK to position us as an open trading economy.

“We need to grow on trade-offs. We have redefined our ties with the EU and stuck to our red lines.”

Comes after analysis seen by Independent It has been revealed that Brexit is causing the UK to lose tax revenue of up to £90 billion a year.

Ahead of the tax-hike budget, Ms Reeves and other cabinet ministers stepped up their attacks on Brexit, saying leaving the EU had a bigger impact on the British economy than critics had anticipated.

The Liberal Democrats put to a vote by MPs on Tuesday a bill requiring the government to open negotiations on a customs union with the EU, and the party has written to Labor MPs urging them to support the bill.

The bill, tabled by Liberal Democrat Europe spokesman Al Pinkerton, will be voted on by MPs just two weeks after the budget. However, due to a lack of government support, the legislation is unlikely to pass and is largely symbolic.

Mr Pinkerton said Independent: “A closer trade deal with the EU would be a no-brainer. It’s the biggest thing we can do to stimulate the economy, generate billions of dollars for our public services and put money back into people’s pockets.”

“I urge Labor MPs to support our bill this week so we can start to undo the damage from the disaster of the Conservative Brexit deal.

“Labor supporters will overwhelmingly support a customs union with the EU. It is time for the government to listen to them and change course.”

Savanta interviewed 2,024 UK adults online between 7 November and 10 November 2025.