Would a Labour pledge to rejoin the EU win votes?

[CoraLdn]

I’m not a fan of his, but heard Sadiq Khan say today that Labour should commit to rejoining the EU in their manifesto before the next general election. I must say that given the decline of this country post Brexit, I would vote for them just for this one reason.

on the other hand, people still vote for Reform despite a huge part of the economic and cost of living crisis being due to Brexit which was missold to them by Farage.

can’t reconcile this!

My friend runs a restaurant he can’t staff properly since Brexit. No queue of Brits that want to work there now that all the Europeans have gone and he can’t afford to pay more 🤷‍♀️
it’s so crap in London since the Europeans have left and plenty of previously busy places are dying. They used to spend money and pay taxes here when they worked her

Blair and Brown recognised the impact of that, and rolled out Universal Credit to effectively subsidise low paid jobs and therefore, indirectly, employers
Actually it was an initiative called Family Credit that was started by John Majors government. Tax Credit was just a re- badge (although more generous until the austerity years).

I would love us to rejoin, but even single market membership would be great. I spent my 20s living and working in other European countries without having to get a visa. I then returned to the UK in the early 00s and loved the vibrancy that young people from countries in the EU brought to our communities. Unfortunately many of them left post Brexit, including people who had become good friends. Single market membership could help revitalize our economy and would give us all easy options if we wanted to live abroad again for any reason.

I believe it would

I'm not sure.
It depends how they present it. If it's just going back cap in hand to the same old, same old issues, then no. If it's presented as something fresh and innovative with new reasons to re join, then yes.
Labour is not very good at comms at the best of times, so I'm not holding out much hope on this one.

Looking at the final poll, folk are still divided no matter what you keep hearing about people want to go back in.

All the opinion polls I’ve seen in recent years suggest that more than 50% of people would rather we were still in the EU (although I’ve never seen a huge majority for this).

However, a pro-EU stance did the Lib-Dems no favours at a general election a few years ago. So it could easily backfire on Labour.

To rejoin the EU has several hurdles:

MPs must vote to trigger article 49.

All existing EU members must agree to the UK becoming a member. It only takes one member to say no.

A deal could take many years of negotiations.

Deals made be the UK with other countries since Brexit may not align with EU rules and standards. Wouldn’t be a good idea to tear up deals made with the US, the world’s largest economy.

The list could go on….

No. It will cost us a fortune, and we’d have to join the Euro. Closer alignment in some things would be best.

UK was the fastest growing economy in the G7.

Also, Rachel Reeves has lowered tariffs on 100 food products. She would not have been able to do this if UK was an EU member. Link is:

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/chancellor-rachel-reeves-statement-to-parliament

So, Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg was correct all along.

Uk population is 0.84% of global population. Uk emits 0.74% of global CO2 emissions.

Top 5 emitters per capita are:

1. Palau:
2. Qatar:
3. Kuwait:
4. Bahrain:
5. Brunei:

Other countries that are still in the EU have faced the same economic challenges as us, the decline is everywhere, not just the UK.

@floppybit

True, so what would be the point of rejoining the EU?

There would be no point, that’s why I think we shouldn’t re-join.

Should Labour commit to it, and do I want to are two different questions.

Labour cannot commit to it without agreeing to terms that the EU would insist on such as us giving up the £, and accepting freedom of movement.

That won't win Labour an election, and would cause chaos in the money markets

So 49% against, 51% for. But Mumsnet is famously proEU.

A wider poll including older voters ( who all take the trouble to vote) would probably end in the same 52:48 as at the original Brexit poll.

So no, it won't fly, no matter how we look at it.

Late to find this thread but fascinated at how close it was to the original vote.
For the record I voted remain but would vote no to re-joining.

My problem with rejoining the EU is how much it will cost? Can we really afford to do it. It cost a fortune to leave, how much to rejoin. We won't get the same great deal we had beforehand and there were issues with that if I remember - fishing quotas etc

We never should have left, I voted to remain and have never been so gutted as I was the day I woke up and found we'd voted to leave

I want proper INFORMED information before I agree to return to the EU sad as I am about leaving, no hyping it up. Basic facts of what it will cost and what benefits we will get because it won't be as good as what we had

So no. No party will get my vote just to rejoin

It is pretty close. I’m the same as other remain voters who wouldn’t automatically vote re-join. I’d need information and costs plus likelihood of having to adopt the euro.

I’d vote for it. Brexit has been disastrous and our current government do not highlight this enough.

Some will be worse off due to Brexit, but I am not convinced it’s the majority. Logic is simple:

Starmer has a massive majority in Parliament and could get anything passed. It’s approaching two years since Labour got into power, but I have heard no mention of triggering article 49 to rejoin the EU.

Examples of Brexit benefits so far:

Best trade deal with the US, the world’s largest economy. Proves being in a large bloc does not carry more weight.

Lower immigration than, Germany, France Spain and Italy. Proves that being part of the Dublin Agreement does not guarantee lower immigration. Indeed, as confirmed many times on BBC Question Time, when UK was party to the Dublin Agreement there was a net inflow of migrants.

Ability to lower tariffs on imported food which has been done recently. Hopefully the same will be done for clothing and footwear. Proves Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg was right all the time.

Fastest growing economy in the G7 in Q1 of 2026.

No. It's more likely to lose them votes.

I was a remainer, I think Brexit was a disaster and we have paid (and continue to pay) a terrible price. However, I agree with those who say it is a bell we can't unring. We'd likely get an unfavourable deal and it would cost a fortune that we cannot afford. Plus the added expense and uncertainty (and national embarrassment) of another potential reversal if a euro-skeptic government gets in next time. Sadly, the bed was fouled in 2016, we have to lie in it.