News release
The Labour government needs to start membership talks with the EU immediately if it wants to capitalise on a potential polling boost from rejoining, the Rejoin EU Party says.
A pledge by Labour in its next manifesto to rejoin the EU is vital to the party’s chances of winning the next general election, polling by YouGov for Best for Britain has reportedly found.
Such a commitment could hike Labour’s poll ratings to 35% or more, secure it 321 parliamentary seats – only five less than the 326 needed for a majority government – and boost the economy by at least some £92bn, Best for Britain said.
However, in the meantime, Labour needs to show voters it’s serious about such a move by abandoning former Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s “red lines” on staying out of the single market and customs union, the Rejoin EU Party says.
Regardless of any possible polling gain for Labour, the potential economic boost from rejoining is far too important to the country to put off for nearly another three years in favour of current “reset” efforts, which amount to nothing more than fiddling around the edges, Rejoin EU says.
Rejoin EU Party leader Brendan Donnelly said: “Labour needs to get the ball rolling by starting immediate and substantive accession talks with the EU if it wants to maximise its chances of success at the next election.
“The party decided to get rid of one leader in favour of another because it was floundering in the polls – now it has the chance to make a totally fresh start by ditching Starmer’s ‘red lines’ on the EU too.
“Labour needs to lay the groundwork for rejoining now. There’s no time to waste.”
Rejoin EU believes the Holborn & St Pancras by-election offers local voters a chance to take a lead in telling Westminster that a firm commitment to rejoin as soon as possible is the only way to solve the country’s growing economic and political problems.
The party’s candidate in Holborn & St Pancras, Briony Kapoor, said: “I’m standing in this by-election on behalf of Rejoin EU to support the majority who clearly now favour our membership of the EU and to protest that the main parties aren’t giving the issue the importance it merits.
“We need to rejoin as soon as possible, not at some unspecified point in the distant future.”
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Notes to editors:
For further information, visit https://therejoineuparty.com and follow us on Twitter at @rejoinp and at https://www.facebook.com/RejoinEUParty
Promoted by Brendan Donnelly on behalf of Briony Kapoor for the Rejoin EU Party, 86-90 Paul Street, London, EC2A 4NE.