Former PM believes rejoining EU is vital for UK’s prosperity, while commending Sir Keir Starmer’s balanced stance on Brexit complexities.
Gordon Brown, the former Labour Prime Minister, has emphatically reiterated his support for Britain’s re-entry into the European Union, all the while applauding Sir Keir Starmer’s diplomatic approach towards the contentious issue of Brexit.
Addressing a London audience during a Guardian Live event, Brown highlighted the palpable economic repercussions of Brexit, citing a report from the London School of Economics attributing a third of the recent rise in food prices to the UK’s departure from the EU.
The former leader’s remarks came amidst discussions on his upcoming book, Permacrisis: A Plan To Fix A Fractured World. Brown emphasised the significance of international collaboration platforms like Horizon Europe and the merits of programmes such as the student exchange scheme, Erasmus. He also mooted the potential for collaborative efforts with establishments like the European Investment Bank to tackle the UK’s substantial infrastructure challenges.
While speaking on the topic of the EU’s single currency, Brown debunked the notion of Britain needing to adopt it if it were to rejoin the bloc. He underscored the idea of a different form of European integration, one where mutual cooperation remains the cornerstone. Reflecting on Sir Keir Starmer’s position, Brown humorously suggested that the current Labour leader might fare better by not taking his advice, yet urged the public to give Starmer a fair chance, describing him as the “future”. Read more
