PM says UK must “confront the reality” that the Brexit deal “significantly hurt our economy”
Sir Keir Starmer speaks at the Lady Mayor’s Banquet (Image: Getty)
Sir Keir Starmer has launched a fresh attack on Brexit as Labour attempts to tackle the threat of Reform UK. The Prime Minister used a speech in the City of London to take aim at Britain’s departure from the EU.
Speaking at the annual Lady Mayor’s Banquet, Sir Keir said that the UK must “confront the reality” that the Brexit deal “significantly hurt our economy”. He said: “Let me be crystal clear, there is no credible economic vision for Britain that does not position us as an open, trading economy.
“So we must all now confront the reality that the Brexit deal we have significantly hurt our economy and so for economic renewal, we have to keep reducing frictions.
“We have to keep moving towards a closer relationship with the EU, and we have to be grown up about that, to accept that this will require trade-offs.
“That applies to our trading relations right across the world, and as you’ve seen already with this Government, there are deals to be done if you’re committed to building relationships.
“That’s what we’ve done with the US, it’s what we’ve done with India, and it’s what we’ve done with the EU and we will keep going.
“We will continue to reject drift, to confront reality and take control of our future.”
It is Sir Keir’s latest attack on Brexit after Rachel Reeves sought to partly blame the EU departure on her tax-hiking Budget.
But Mr Farage has warned Labour not to point the finger at Brexit for Britain’s economic woes.
Writing in the Daily Express, the Clacton MP said: “According to Labour Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer the real blame for our economic disaster lies with the 17.4million British people who dared to vote for Brexit in the 2016 EU referendum.
“Few will be fooled by Starmer’s transparent attempt to shift the spotlight away from his Chancellor and her disastrous Budget.”
Mr Farage added that only his party “can be trusted to fix broken Britain.”
“We will cut public spending, slash red tape, remove EU rules and be on the side of the small businesses and working people who make up alarm clock Britain.
“We will also finally make good on the promise on Brexit, by taking back control of Britain’s borders, laws and money.
“And we will never try to blame British voters for the problems created by the establishment’s own failures.”
