Rachel Reeves says Britain’s future lies inside the EU
Former Chancellor Rachel Reeves has said Britain’s future lies inside the European Union, in her first major intervention since leaving the Treasury. Writing in The Sunday Times, in an article trailed late on Saturday, 31 October, she said Brexit had made the country “poorer, weaker and less secure”.
“I do believe Britain’s future lies in the European Union,” Reeves wrote. “No one in the Treasury ever doubted where my instincts were.” She welcomed Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s leadership in opening a debate about Britain’s relationship with Brussels, and said supporters of re-entry must make the argument, show tangible benefits and get the next steps right.
The extracts published so far set out no timetable and call for no application to rejoin. The Independent has described the article as a call to rejoin the EU, but Reeves’s quoted words stop at saying Britain’s future lies within it. That matters because she helped write Labour’s 2024 manifesto, which ruled out the single market, the customs union and freedom of movement.
For now, she is looking to the next step, not membership itself. Ahead of the UK-EU summit on 20 November, she wants confirmation of the youth mobility scheme negotiated earlier this year, and progress towards entry into the EU’s SAFE defence partnership.
Why it matters
Reeves is one of the most prominent Labour figures to speak out for rejoining, breaking with the line she defended in office. An Ipsos poll reported by The Independent found 56 per cent would now vote to rejoin, up four points since May, while 30 per cent would stay out, down three points. Among those likely to vote, the split was 63 per cent to 34 per cent in favour of rejoining.
Downing Street has not said whether her views reflect government thinking. Burnham, who last week called for an “honest” conversation about Brexit, wants Britain back in the EU within his lifetime but has ruled out any change in this Parliament.
What happens next
Burnham is expected to set out more about closer EU ties around the summit on 20 November, when a youth free-movement deal is expected. The test is whether other Labour figures follow Reeves, and whether the government turns this debate into proposals.
This article is for general information and education only. It is not legal or financial advice.
Sources
- https://www.europesays.com/europe/171383/ (The Independent, via EuropeSays, 31 October 2026)
- https://www.ukfactcheck.com/article/565/former-chancellor-reeves-says-brexit-made-britain-poorer-weaker-and-less-secure (UK Fact Check, 1 November 2026)
- https://world-today-journal.com/rachel-reeves-argues-uk-future-belongs-inside-eu/ (World Today Journal, 1 November 2026)
