Sadiq Khan has made clear his desire for the UK to rejoin the European Union, saying that reversing Brexit is his “ultimate goal.”
Speaking to the Observer, the mayor of London urged Keir Starmer to show more ambition on rebuilding links with the EU, almost a decade after the UK voted to leave the trading bloc.
Khan told the publication: “My ultimate goal is for us to rejoin [the EU] and I think it will happen in my lifetime.”
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He added: “I want us to be part of a customs union. I’m an advocate for us being part of a single market. I think we can negotiate more now, because of how geopolitics has changed, than we could in 2016 or 2019. Europe needs us, and we need Europe.”
Khan’s comments come just days after high-level talks between the European Commissioner for finance Valdis Dombrovskis and ministers including chancellor Rachel Reeves.
In recent months, Keir Starmer and his government have been more vocal and open about their desire for closer ties with Europe, and have been critical of the impact Brexit has had on the UK’s economy.
Speaking after the talks, Dombrovskis said the EU was “ready to engage” with the UK on the potentially closer trade ties. This included the possibility of working together on a customs union, a topic on which Dombrovskis said he was “open-minded.”
Khan has been one of the biggest pro-EU voices in the Labour party. Whilst Starmer and his government have only started openly criticising Brexit over the last few months, Khan has been banging the EU drum for years.
In 2018, he called for a second referendum because of the “bad deal” that was negotiated with the EU, whilst two years ago the former Tooting MP said it was “obvious Brexit isn’t working.”