Sadiq Khan calls for Labour to campaign for UK to rejoin EU
The London Mayor has argued that a UK return to the EU is "inevitable"
Sadiq Khan has called on Labour to campaign at the next general election on a clear promise to take the UK back into the EU, arguing that the consequences of Brexit are now “irrefutable” and that rejoining is ultimately “inevitable”.
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Speaking to La Repubblica Magazine, the London Mayor set out what he described as a five-stage roadmap back towards EU membership, which included rejoining the customs union and single market.
He said: “I’m quite clear. I see on a daily basis the damage Brexit has done — not just to London, but to Londoners.”
“Economically, socially and culturally the damage is humongous. We should fight the next general election with a clear manifesto commitment: a vote for Labour means we would rejoin the European Union.”
His comments go significantly further than Labour’s current official position, which is focused on "resetting" relations with the EU by improving post-Brexit trade arrangements.
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But the Mayor argued that incremental steps are not enough, insisting that any trade deal outside the EU would always be inferior to full membership.
He added: “We should rejoin the customs union this parliament. We should try to rejoin the single market as well. And then we should be honest with voters."
“We’ve now seen the alternative — less investment, less exports, families and businesses suffering.”
Sir Sadiq said rejoining the EU would be the single biggest measure to ease the cost-of-living crisis facing UK households.
He cited research which suggested the UK economy could have been significantly larger without Brexit.
He also highlighted the departure of EU nationals from the capital since the UK left the EU, particularly in construction and hospitality, saying the loss had weakened both the economy and the city’s cultural fabric.
He said: "It breaks my heart. We had more than 840,000 EU Londoners working here in 2019. That’s now around 700,000. These are people who were our neighbours, our friends."
Sir Sadiq also suggested global political shifts had strengthened the case for rejoining, citing trade tensions and fragile relations with the US.
“In a world of big blocs — the US, China, the EU — we’re in danger of falling in between,” he said.
“Rejoining doesn’t just give us economic security, it gives us national security.”
Sir Sadiq added: “The direction of travel is inevitable. The question is why delay it — why have additional years of pain outside the European Union?”
“It’s like being outside a tennis club but wanting to use the courts whenever you like. Why not just be a member again?”