Michael Heseltine says Brexiteers sold Britain a “pack of lies” and called for the UK to rejoin the European Union.
The former deputy prime minister said the UK should be “at the heart of Europe” and that returning to the bloc would be “in the best interests of a generation of young British people”.
Speaking ahead of Friday’s fifth anniversary of Britain’s official departure from the EU, Lord Heseltine told the BBC: “The creation of the single market was Margaret Thatcher’s greatest achievement. It was a culmination of the determination that war should be eliminated from the landmass of Europe.”
He added: “I was rather keen on these ideas. And I am appalled by Brexit, I don’t believe for an instant that we should accept the verdict of a pack of lies that was paraded by various people in order to persuade people we had to sever our relationship with Europe.”
His intervention came as Downing Street confirmed Sir Keir Starmer will snub the fifth anniversary of Brexit, with the prime minister instead focusing on his ongoing reset of relations with the EU.
The prime minister has no plans to celebrate or mark the key milestone, his official spokesman confirmed, adding that he was focused on “making Brexit work for the British people”.
“We are looking forward, not backwards… that is why we are resetting our relationship with Europe, to strengthen ties and deliver growth and security for the UK,” the spokesman added.
Downing Street said the reset includes taking advantage of the UK’s position on AI and financial services, as well as highlighting a new security pact with the EU.
Sir Keir has been pursuing a closer relationship with the EU, including considering joining a tariff-free trading scheme with Europe after the EU, since entering Downing Street in July.
On Monday, Lord Heseltine was pressed on how far he would advocate the prime minister going in rebuilding Britain’s ties with the bloc.
He said: “Straight down the line, I would go back into Europe, to the heart of Europe.
“And do you know why? Because I believe it is in the best interests of a generation of young British people.”
Lord Heseltine also dismissed critics of a second referendum on the EU, asking “What is democracy about?”.
“This question of, ‘we voted in 2016, the deal is done’, what is democracy about?” he said. He added: “I have lived through generation after generation where Conservatives have opposed Labour nationalisation programmes, we undid them. We said we would undo them, despite the fact they had a mandate.
“Why can’t you have another referendum, put it to the British people?”
On Sunday, Rachel Reeves said the UK was “absolutely happy” to look at joining a tariff-free trading scheme with Europe after the EU opened the door to British membership.
The chancellor indicated ministers will consider signing up to the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention (PEM), as it would with any “constructive ideas” consistent with its “red lines” about not returning to the EU.
Labour has ruled out rejoining the customs union and single market, or returning to freedom of movement, but committed to seeking closer ties with Brussels as part of a “reset” in UK-EU relations.
EU trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic last week suggested Britain could join the PEM, which allows for tariff-free trade of goods across Europe, as well as some North African and Levantine nations.
Speaking to broadcasters over the weekend, Ms Reeves said she was “happy to look” at the prospect of the UK joining the scheme with Europe.
The Chancellor told Sky News’ Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips: “It was really interesting to see Maros Sefcovic this week suggest the UK might be welcome in that pan-European and Mediterranean customs framework.
“We are absolutely happy to look at these different proposals because we know that the deal that the previous government secured is not working well enough.
“It’s not working well enough for small businesses trying to export, it’s not working well enough for larger businesses either.
“We’re grown-ups who admit that, whereas the previous government said there were no problems at all.
“And where there are constructive ideas we are happy to look at those, as long as they’re consistent with the red lines we set out in our manifesto.”
