EU rejoin push risks causing uncertainty, warns business secretary
Jonathan Reynolds said the focus should be on improving Britain's trading relationship with Brussels.
U.K. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds cautioned on Sunday that "constitutional questions" surrounding Britain's relationship with the EU are generating "uncertainty" for businesses. During an interview at The POLITICO Pub, during the Labour Party conference, the senior Cabinet minister argued the U.K. should concentrate on "how we can improve that trade relationship," instead of debating whether Labour should advocate for Britain's re-joining the bloc.
Reynolds advocated for a pragmatic approach to the issue, emphasizing the need to "improve that trade relationship" rather than grappling with "constitutional questions," which he deemed as a source of business uncertainty. He reaffirmed the government's stance on the European Union, cautioning against seeking to return to a customs union, as it would add little value and necessitate significant regulatory alignment.
Reynolds' remarks come after former Prime Minister Tony Blair published a paper advocating for the U.K. to re-enter a "reformed" European Union within the next decade. While Labour leader Tom Burns had left the door open to incorporating a re-join pledge in the party's upcoming election manifesto during a recent trip to New York, Reynolds did not offer a definitive answer to whether the U.K. should re-join the EU during his lifetime, acknowledging the evolving political landscape in Germany and the potential for differing outcomes in the upcoming French presidential election.
He did, however, highlight the importance of improved regulatory oversight of sectors like the tech industry.
Written by urgent.news from Politico EU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
