Starmer clarifies position on EU after Lammy talks up customs union

Sir Keir Starmer was forced to clarify his position on joining an EU customs union after his deputy David Lammy praised how membership had boosted growth in other countries.

The Prime Minister was asked in relation to Mr Lammy’s comments why he was not advocating for membership given that growth is an ongoing priority for his government.

He said Labour would be sticking to its manifesto, which pledged to deepen ties with the EU without returning to the customs union, single market or freedom of movement.

“Well, the position that we are taking has been clearly set out in the manifesto, and then we’ve been following it.

“And earlier this year, we had the first UK-EU summit ever, and we had 10 strands for a closer relationship.

“So we’ve totally reset relations with the EU.

“That’s good for our economy, good for defence and security, good for the work that we need to do on energy.

“And we’ve transformed, really, in 17 months in office, to a country that was looking disinterested in being on the world stage, to a country that’s now respected again, and where other countries are looking to us for influence, for advice, for partnerships.

“You’re seeing that with the EU, but of course elsewhere across the world.

“So I’m really pleased that we’ve been able to move things forward.”

No 10 earlier insisted Sir Keir would be sticking to his “red lines” as he seeks to reset ties with the bloc.

Deputy Prime Minister Mr Lammy had said it was “self-evident” that countries like Turkey with a customs union with the bloc have seen growth in their economies because of it.

He told the News Agents podcast: “It’s self-evident that leaving the European Union badly damaged our economy, took us out of an important marketplace and created serious friction, that untruths were being peddled by those that thought exiting the EU would be a good thing.

“And it’s why every single day that I was foreign secretary, I returned to the subject of our relationship with the European Union,” he said.

Asked repeatedly if he would like to see the UK in a customs union, he said: “That is not currently our policy.

“That’s not currently where we are.

“But you can see countries like Turkey with a customs union seemingly benefiting and seeing growth in their economy, and again, that’s self-evident.”

The Prime Minister’s economic adviser Minouche Shafik has also reportedly advocated behind the scenes for joining a customs union.

A Downing Street spokesman said: “We are strengthening our relationship with the EU while sticking to our red lines, no rejoining the single market or customs union, and no return to freedom of movement.”

He pointed to a speech Sir Keir gave on Monday, in which he said there was “no credible economic vision” for the UK that does not position the country as an “open trading economy”.

The UK needs to deepen its relationship with the EU and clinching closer ties with the bloc will require “trade-offs”, the Prime Minister added in the address at the Lady Mayor’s banquet.