Best for Britain have urged the government to agree an improved deal with the European Union, saying this will deliver more growth than any other policy.
On Wednesday afternoon, Reeves delivered her spring statement, in which she confirmed new welfare cuts, an extra £2.5bn in defence spending, an crackdown on tax evasion and cuts to the civil service.
At the same time, the Office for Budget Responsibility released its forecasts for the UK economy. The independent analysts revised its UK growth forecast for 2025 down to 1%, from 2%, but did upgrade its growth forecasts for next year and every year until 2029.
But pro-EU group Best for Britain have argued that no policy or measure announced by Reeves or the Labour government could have the same positive impact as an “alignment on goods and services” with Europe would.
Responding to the spring statement, the group hit out at Reeves for not mentioning the opportunities for growth from improving trade with the EU.
Naomi Smith, Chief Executive of Best for Britain, claimed nothing can “deliver the scale and speed of growth” that a new deal with the EU could.
She said: “In the coming months and years, this Government’s record will be judged at the ballot box on whether it achieves meaningful growth across the UK.
“Nothing, not a trade deal with Trump, nor the expansion of Heathrow, can deliver the scale and speed of growth that alignment on goods and services with our largest market in the EU achieves. That must be the next ambition for Starmer, Reeves, and the country.”
In a post on X responding to OBR figures which state Reeves’ reforms will increase GDP by 0.4 per cent within 10 years, Best for Britain said a new trade deal with the EU would lead to up to 2.2 per cent GDP growth.
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