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Tony Blair Institute urges UK to rejoin EU within a decade
The Tony Blair Institute has released a report titled ‘Beyond Leave and Remain: A Path to Rejoining a Reformed Europe’, urging the UK government to set a formal objective to rejoin the European Union within a decade. The proposal suggests that rejoining should be contingent upon significant internal reforms within the EU to ensure it can act as a global superpower capable of competing with the US and China.
Sir Tony Blair argued that the UK should move away from a piecemeal approach to post-Brexit relations and instead seek a ‘structured formal relationship’ where all issues are on the table. The report specifically advises against an immediate return to the single market and customs union in their previous forms, advocating instead for staged cooperation in sectors such as defense, energy, and artificial intelligence.
In response to the proposal, Prime Minister Andy Burnham declined to rule out including a commitment to rejoin the EU in the next Labour manifesto, though he noted the issue remains for a later date. The call for re-engagement comes amid economic data suggesting that the lack of a mutual recognition agreement for goods costs the UK up to £6.5 billion annually in exports to the EU.
Entities
Andy Burnham · David Miliband · European Union · Tony Blair · Tony Blair Institute · Tony Blair Institute for Global Change
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] The absence of a mutual recognition agreement for goods costs the UK up to £6.5 billion annually in exports to the EU. www.upday.com · www.independent.co.uk
- [● 3 SOURCES] Prime Minister Andy Burnham declined to rule out committing to rejoin the EU in the next Labour manifesto. www.gbnews.com · www.independent.co.uk · www.upday.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] David Miliband described leaving the EU as a 'unilateral declaration of political impotence'. www.upday.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] The proposal advises against returning directly to the single market and customs union in their previous form. www.gbnews.com · www.upday.com · www.independent.co.uk · www.rotherradio.co.uk
- [● 2 SOURCES] Polling indicated a manifesto commitment to EU membership could deliver Labour 321 seats in the next general election. www.upday.com · www.independent.co.uk
- [● 7 SOURCES] The Tony Blair Institute proposed that the UK should commit to rejoining a reformed European Union within a decade. www.gbnews.com · www.upday.com · www.independent.co.uk · www.rotherradio.co.uk · conservativepost.co.uk · +2 more