When the facts change, the circumstances change, good leaders know you have to adapt and change with it." Those words were spoken by Keir Starmer last May, and they have never felt more pertinent than today. Starmer has ruled out a customs union with the EU and even declared it a “red line” but following the election of President Trump, it’s time for the prime minister to acknowledge that the circumstances have changed. The Labour government must drop that red line so we can get the economy growing again and strengthen the UK’s place in the world.
Five years on from the day the UK left the EU, no one wants to go back to the years of Brexit wrangling that paralysed our politics and divided our country. But most people do want to see the government being pragmatic, standing up for Britain’s national interest and fixing the unnecessary damage done by the Conservative government to our trading relationship with Europe.
There is so much we could do to support those worst hit by Boris Johnson’s botched deal, from the small businesses tangled up in endless paperwork to British farmers struggling to export their produce to the continent. The best way to do it is to start talks now on a bespoke UK-EU customs union – to cut red tape, boost exports and strengthen the UK's position in our dealings with Donald Trump.
So far, though, both the Conservatives and Labour have been engaged in a conspiracy of silence on the need to repair our broken relationship with Europe. Kemi Badenoch has finally admitted what has been obvious to us all for years: the Conservative government had no plan whatsoever for how to grow our economy after Brexit. She has had precious little to say about where the country should go next to fix the mess left by her party. Meanwhile, the Labour government has made positive noises about resetting the UK’s relationship with the EU but won’t even consider low-hanging fruit like a youth mobility scheme that would help young Brits live and work around the continent.
The return of President Trump must be the shockwave that shakes the Labour government out of its stupor over Europe. I’ve made no secret that the Liberal Democrats have deep concerns about Trump and the threat he poses to security and the economy – across the globe and here in the UK. In the face of the Trump threat, strengthening ties between the UK and Europe is no longer optional; it is essential. European capitals are looking aghast as Trump threatens and bullies Nato allies, while his sidekick Elon Musk uses his platform to boost the far right and meddle in our democracies. In the face of an unpredictable administration in the US, we must work closely with our neighbours to protect our shared security and prosperity.
Domestically, too, the need to rebuild our relationship with Europe could not be more urgent. The Labour government claims to be looking everywhere for economic growth but refuses to acknowledge the one thing that is staring them in the face. Weaker growth due to a sharp fall in trade with Europe has meant billions of pounds less going into the Treasury’s coffers. Ministers claim they have no choice but to hike taxes or slash funding for our already cash-strapped public services, but they continue to rule out negotiating a UK-EU customs union, the single biggest thing the government could do to boost British businesses, turbocharge our economy and fix the public finances.
On Ukraine, I am proud that the main political parties have been united in Westminster in condemning Vladimir Putin’s appalling and illegal invasion and standing with Kyiv. But we must recognise that we cannot rely on Trump, the man who described Putin’s invasion as “genius” and most recently said Volodymyr Zelensky was wrong to fight back against Russia. The UK must do everything it can to persuade Trump to continue backing Ukraine, including through the offer of a state visit. But we must recognise that we can’t rely on Trump to be a reliable partner – and we must, therefore, lead efforts in Europe to stand with Ukraine, including by using frozen Russian assets to pay for military support.
The Liberal Democrats are proud to be the UK’s most pro-European party. We are proud internationalists, who believe that our country and our people thrive when we are open and outward-looking. We will continue to speak out now in the national interest, putting pressure on the government to be bolder and more ambitious. This is not about reopening the wounds of the past; it is about recognising the reality of today. In a world where Donald Trump is tearing apart the rules from trade to security, Britain must urgently fix our broken relationship with Europe.
Ed Davey MP is leader of the Liberal Democrats
