Lib Dems to urge Labour to drop ‘torpor and timidity’ on EU and rejoin single market

Exclusive: Ed Davey to make call ahead of 10th anniversary of Brexit vote, in strengthening of party’s position on EU

The Lib Dems will urge Andy Burnham to end Labour’s “torpor and timidity” towards the EU as they call for the UK to rejoin the single market, in a notable strengthening of their own position.

Ahead of the 10th anniversary of the Brexit vote next week, Ed Davey will challenge Burnham to scrap Labour’s red lines on the customs union and single market if he becomes prime minister and immediately begin talks on a more ambitious deal with the EU.

He will argue on Wednesday for closer economic ties with the EU, even though that would include free movement, as well as a new European security council to counter mounting threats from Russia and the unreliability of the US president, Donald Trump.

It marks a significant step towards calling to rejoin the bloc. The Lib Dems took a more gradual approach at the last election, in contrast with 2019, when the words “stop Brexit” appeared in bold on the front of their manifesto.

Keir Starmer confirmed on Tuesday that the second EU reset summit would take place on 22 July, despite fears it could be postponed to the autumn with talks over youth mobility in deadlock. In 2024, Labour promised not to rejoin the EU, the single market or the customs union.

But in a major speech, Davey will say: “Labour’s red lines are holding Britain back. They are hurting the British people and they are playing into the hands of Farage and Reform.

“So my message to Andy Burnham, to Wes Streeting – to whoever the next prime minister may be – is this: drop those red lines. Drop them now, so we can move on from the torpor and timidity that marks out Labour’s approach to Europe so far.