In a dramatic intervention, Tony Blair has called for Andy Burnham to take Britain back into the European Union within a decade – so long as it reforms
Tony Blair has called on the UK to rejoin the European Union in a major intervention(Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)
Rejoining the EU is back on the agenda after a dramatic intervention by Tony Blair urging Andy Burnham to do so.
The former PM said the government must be clear he wants to get back into a formal relationship with the bloc – as long as it reforms. His comments came days after Mr Burnham refused to rule out rejoining being in Labour’s next election manifesto.
Sir Tony called on Mr Burnham to tell European leaders that it wants to do so within the next decade – but only if it gets its house in order and becomes faster at making decisions. He said: “We should be clear that we want back into a formal relationship with the EU.
“But it must be a Europe on a credible path to reform, a Europe of nation states, a Europe capable of being a genuine global power. Otherwise, though Britain should continue to cooperate with the EU where it is in our mutual interest to do so, and though we should always remain open to changing circumstances, Britain will show that it can and is prepared to remain independent.”
Today the Tony Blair Institute (TBI) launched a major report setting out a proposed pathway to rejoining. It says both sides should set aside red lines about the customs union, single market and freedom of movement and make each decision on whether it will pay off in the long run.
It also called for work to start now – while Britain is outside the EU – on building a new defence fund, energy strategy and joint work on AI. Creating a new European Energy Security Partnership – which would set up a North Sea shared energy hub, and reconnect the UK to EU electricity markets – would save billpayers up to £370million a year, the report claims.
The document also said Britain should help shake-up the European Political Community into a group that gets things done – arguing it is currently too slow. In June polling by YouGov found 55% of voters would support rejoining the EU, with 34% opposed.
Mr Burnham is set to meet EU leaders in a major summit later this year to set out the UK’s future relationship with the 27-member organisation.
Sir Tony wrote: “We need a new approach which makes sense of the world as it has changed in this decade and which treats the question of our future relationship in Europe not as a question about whether Britain ‘reverses’ Brexit but about whether we can secure a modern relationship with Europe which is in our national interest today.”
The report warns that Europe and the UK are lagging behind the US and China, with the superpowers locked in a great-power competition. The current arrangement with Europe will see long-term productivity drop by 4%, with trade both ways 15% lower.
TBI director Tone Langengen, said: “Europe reorganised itself around peace after the Second World War, and around integration after the Cold War. Now it must reorganise around the condition of today – power.
“Countries are competing to secure the capabilities that will underpin influence in the 21st century. Britain should help lead that shift, building up its power in defence, energy and technology, working with Europe as an equal partner, not refighting the arguments of 2016.”
Earlier this week Mr Burnham told reporters that discussions about rejoining the EU are “for another day”. He said: “Our focus at the moment is on a UK/EU summit which we hope will take place later this year.
“My immediate priority is to build on the good work that Keir did in rebuilding bridges. Because those bridges were broken in the early part of this decade. And Keir did a good job in re-establishing that relationship.
“What we have got to do now is go to the next level in terms of reaching practical agreement that will further boost the British economy. And those issues are the substance of the summit alongside EU requests around youth mobility.”
