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BREXIT'S DONE

Labour leader Keir Starmer tells Remainers Brexit debate is ‘over’ as he vows not to rejoin EU if he becomes PM

NEW Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer says the Brexit issue is "over" - and confirmed there will be no further campaign to rejoin the EU.

And he admitted his party's previous attitudes towards the split with the EU - which he partly oversaw as shadow Brexit secretary - had been damaging.

 Labour won't continue to campaign to rejoin the EU, Sir Keir says
Labour won't continue to campaign to rejoin the EU, Sir Keir saysCredit: PA:Press Association

In an interview with the Telegraph, Sir Keir said Labour will now focus on "what sort of a deal we have with the EU and what sort of deals we have with the rest of the world".

He also said he wants the party to be "proudly patriotic", and will not snub state occasions, like predecessor Jeremy Corbyn did.

During the interview Sir Keir said: "We've left the EU, and therefore the Leave/Remain argument is over and the only argument now is what sort of a deal we have with the EU and what sort of deals we have with the rest of the world.

"It's very important for the Labour party to be clear that whatever position we and others may have taken in the last three-and-a-half, four years, that divide between Leave and Remain is now over."

Asked whether he will try to take the UK back into the bloc if he wins the next general election, he said: "I don't think there's a case for rejoining the EU and I'm certainly not making that case."

'THE LEAVE/REMAIN DIVIDE IS OVER'

Sir Keir hopes to lead Labour away from the political wilderness after its worst election showing since 1935.

And he said the party is proud of its roots.

"I'm proud that we're patriotic," he said.

"I don't think we should be shy about it.

"I think it is something we should be very proud of."

Jeremy Corbyn refused to attend a state banquet given in honour of President Donald Trump in April 2019.

After snubbing the Queen's invite and ripping up his invitation, he was branded "unfit" to be PM.

But Sir Keir said he wouldn't refuse any ceremonial occasion.

"I've never shied away from these events," he said.

"I've attended them when I was director of public prosecutions.

"No doubt I'll attend them as leader of the Labour party."

 

Sir Keir has also called for schools to reopen as soon as possible - and says his son and daughter have attended class throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

This week, the UK sparked a fresh Brexit showdown with Brussels after defying demands for new border posts in Northern Ireland.

Government documents published on Wednesday confirmed there will need to be checks on some goods entering Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK from January next year once the Brexit transition period has ended.

 Sir Keir is trying to move Labour away from its disastrous election showing under Jeremy Corbyn
Sir Keir is trying to move Labour away from its disastrous election showing under Jeremy CorbynCredit: AFP or licensors
 The Labour leader has also backed calls for schools to reopen as soon as possible
The Labour leader has also backed calls for schools to reopen as soon as possibleCredit: AFP


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