Britain would be welcomed back to the EU – but there would be strings attached, says bloc’s ‘Mr Brexit’
‘Brexit was a lose-lose game, and I would like us to somehow build a win-win game,’ said Michel Barnier
Britain would be welcomed back into the European Union, but there would be strings attached, the group’s former chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has said.
The former French prime minister, once dubbed the bloc's “Mr Brexit”, pointed out that when the UK left the EU, “they left 600 international agreements.”
Were the UK to rejoin, it would be a case of “welcome back, but there are conditions attached,” he added.
Andy Burnham recently said it was “possible” Labour’s next election manifesto could include an in-out referendum on EU membership, in his strongest signal yet of his intentions to repair the damage caused by the UK’s departure.
Former Labour leader Neil Kinnock has also said the PM would be the man to lead the UK back into the EU.
Support for rejoining the EU is at its highest level since the Brexit vote, at 61 per cent according to leading pollster Professor Sir John Curtice says, while Nick Bloom, a professor at Stanford University, has estimated that up to 8 per cent of GDP has been wiped off the UK economy through lost trade, increased red tape and delays in pushing the Brexit deal through.
But Mr Barnier also said that Parliament would have to have a say before Mr Burnham presses for a closer relationship with the EU.
“Andy Burnham and his government need to clarify their intentions and debate them in the House of Commons and the House of Lords,” he added.
And he warned the UK must be clear-eyed about the long and “very complicated” path to accession.
There would be “no single market à la carte,” he said. Customs union and single market members who are not in the EU cannot vote on European legislation that sets the rules.
He added, however, that he always “regretted” Britain’s decision to leave the EU.
“Brexit was a lose-lose game, and I would like us to somehow build a win-win game,” he said.
An upcoming EU-UK summit set for November 20 “illustrates the new dynamic encouraged by prime minister Andy Burnham's openness,” Mr Barnier said.
“Before talking about rejoining the bloc, there are lots of things we can do with the United Kingdom,” he added. “We can cooperate on foreign policy, on defense ... it’s even possible that the UK will be included in our big investments on artificial intelligence.”
However, he added: “It’ll be more complicated if the British diverge from European regulation. Currently it’s their right to do so… We need to tread carefully.”
As prime minister Andy Burnham looks at the way ahead for Britain's relationship with Europe, The Independent has been leading the charge, campaigning to secure the absolute best deal for Britain. Become an Independent member for just £1 for six months and join a like-minded community of thousands signed up to our Europe: The Way Back campaign.
