Former Chancellor Reeves backs deeper UK-EU ties

Former chancellor Rachel Reeves wrote in The Sunday Times that Brexit has made the UK poorer, weaker and less secure and that Britain's future lies in the European Union. She welcomed Prime Minister Andy Burnham's leadership on reopening EU ties and said backers of rejoining must show clear benefits. She urged summit progress on a youth mobility scheme for 80,000 young Europeans and possible entry into the EU's SAFE defence partnership. Burnham is scheduled to meet European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels on November 20. He said he would not reinstate freedom of movement without a public vote and told Cabinet ministers not to advocate post-summit outcomes. Downing Street said he was not leaning either way on a referendum. Chancellor John Healey downplayed rejoining chances in post-Budget interviews. An Ipsos poll of 1,109 UK adults on 15-22 October found 56 percent support applying to rejoin the EU, up from 52 percent in May, and 30 percent opposed. Support was 73 percent among under-35s and 77 percent among 2024 Labour voters; 76 percent of Reform UK voters and 54 percent of Conservative supporters opposed.