Khan's Case for Labour to Pursue EU Rejoining Following Burnham's Brexit Critique
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/profile/sadiqkhan. "Burnham is right that ‘hope comes from honesty’. That’s why Labour must make the case for rejoining the EU | Sadiq Khan | The Guardian." October 1, 2026. www.theguardian.com
The Gist
Sadiq Khan argues that Brexit has badly damaged Britain's economy and global standing, and that the only real solution is for Labour to commit to rejoining the EU, making it a central campaign issue by 2029. He points to lost jobs, slower growth, and a dangerous world where Britain needs strong allies, arguing the EU offers both prosperity and security that Britain can't achieve alone.
Conclusion
The Labour party must immediately begin making the case for rejoining the EU, with the goal of fighting the 2029 general election with EU membership on the ballot, as rejoining is the only viable path to long-term UK prosperity and security.
Premises
- Brexit has caused severe measurable economic harm: London's economy is £30bn smaller than it would have been, and nearly 2m fewer jobs exist UK-wide as a result of leaving the EU
- The UK has grown more slowly than comparable European countries since 2016, and could be £250bn smaller than similar EU economies by 2030 if this trend continues
- The current geopolitical environment is increasingly volatile, with Trump's unilateralism destabilizing the transatlantic alliance and Russia's invasion of Ukraine threatening European security
- The EU is the UK's biggest trading partner and most reliable ally, offering both economic opportunity and a 'safe harbour' in turbulent times
- Other middle powers like Canada (under Mark Carney) are moving toward closer EU integration, suggesting this is the correct strategic response to a multipolar world
- Deeper EU integration would provide the UK with a louder collective voice on defense, AI safety, climate change, and other global challenges
- Rejoining the customs union and single market would deliver immediate economic growth and relieve cost-of-living pressures on British households
Assumptions
- The economic models/research cited (City Hall 2024 analysis) accurately isolate Brexit's causal effect from other confounding economic factors
- Political conditions will allow for EU rejoining to be electorally viable by 2029, despite public opinion complexities
- The EU would be willing to readmit the UK on favorable terms without punitive conditions
- Honesty about Brexit's failures will translate into political 'hope' and support rather than backlash or fatigue
- Rejoining is actually achievable within a reasonable timeframe, not just desirable in principle
- The benefits of EU membership outweigh the sovereignty and policy flexibility costs that motivated some Leave voters originally