Lord Kinnock has called on Sir Keir Starmer to consider rejoining the European Union, claiming it would solve Britain’s economic woes and end the small boats crisis in one stroke.
The Labour veteran, who led the party from 1983 to 1992, argued that Brexit has resulted in “huge self-inflicted losses” costing the UK £100 billion annually in lost economic growth. Speaking as the government celebrated its first migrant returns to France this week, Lord Kinnock insisted EU membership would provide far more comprehensive solutions.
“If we rejoined, we’d be able to get rid of the economic growth deficit, which is costing us £100billion a year, which means the government is losing £40billion in tax revenue,” the 83-year-old peer stated. “We can’t afford to carry on losing revenues on that scale or the investment in jobs that would go with that amount.”
Lord Kinnock claimed rejoining would add approximately five per cent to Britain’s GDP, describing this as a transformative rather than marginal improvement. “We need to resume normality and be part of our continent again. It would hugely help our economy out at a time of desperate need in a major way,” he said.
Dublin Convention as Migration Solution
The former Labour leader, who campaigned alongside Sir Keir for Remain in 2016, argued that EU membership would automatically solve the Channel crossings crisis through the Dublin Convention. This regulation allows EU member states to return asylum seekers to the first safe country they entered.
“It would help the small boats crisis, too, as we will be part of the Dublin Protocol again,” Lord Kinnock explained. “Under that protocol, which we participated in until 2021 when we fully left the EU, anyone who arrived by irregular means could be returned to the last EU country through which they came from.”
He claimed the system had been highly effective before Brexit, stating: “At the time, we didn’t have to do it much as there were very, very, very few people arriving by irregular means. Why? Because they knew that when apprehended, they would be sent back.”
Lord Kinnock directly blamed Brexit for the current crisis, arguing: “When we left the EU, we left the Dublin Protocol, which is the main deterrent to irregular migration. That is what has happened.”
Government Rejects EU Return
The intervention comes as the government implements its new bilateral returns agreement with France, which saw three migrants forcibly removed this week. A government spokesman firmly rejected Lord Kinnock’s suggestion, stating: “We will not be rejoining the European Union.”
Officials were keen to distance themselves from any suggestion of rejoining the Dublin Convention, with the spokesman adding: “Thanks to the new UK-France Treaty, people arriving in small boats can now be detained and sent back to France, with the first returns having taken place this week.”
Despite being regarded as a steadfast Remainer during his tenure as Jeremy Corbyn’s Shadow Brexit Secretary, Sir Keir has consistently maintained since becoming Prime Minister that Britain will remain outside both the single market and customs union. The Labour leader has focused instead on “making Brexit work” through improved trading arrangements and bilateral agreements.
Brexiteers Challenge Dublin Claims
Brexit supporters have strongly disputed Lord Kinnock’s characterisation of the Dublin Convention’s effectiveness. They point to 2018 statistics showing the UK made 5,510 outgoing transfer requests under the system, with only 209 being granted – a success rate of less than 4%.
Furthermore, Britain became a net recipient of asylum seekers under Dublin rules, with 1,215 individuals transferred into the UK that year. These figures suggest the system was far from the silver bullet Lord Kinnock describes.
Brexiteers have instead been pressing Sir Keir to reform or withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights, which they argue hampers deportation efforts. Labour MP Graham Stringer has called for the UK to leave both the ECHR and the UN Refugee Convention to gain full control over immigration policy.
Wider Labour Interventions
Lord Kinnock’s EU proposal is the latest in a series of interventions attempting to steer the Prime Minister leftwards. The former leader has previously called for a wealth tax and urged Chancellor Rachel Reeves to impose VAT on private healthcare. He has also demanded the UK hire more migrant workers to address the housing construction shortage.
These suggestions come as Sir Keir faces pressure from multiple directions on economic and immigration policy. With growth stagnating and Channel crossings at record levels, the Prime Minister must balance demands from his party’s traditional left wing against his commitment to respect the Brexit vote.
ECHR Debate Intensifies
The debate over Britain’s international obligations has intensified following this week’s legal challenges to migrant removals. Former Home Secretaries Jack Straw and Lord Blunkett have joined calls for Sir Keir to “decouple” or suspend rulings from the Strasbourg-based European Court of Human Rights.
Their intervention reflects growing frustration within Labour ranks about legal obstacles to deportations. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has already announced a review of modern slavery legislation to prevent what she termed its “misuse” by those facing removal.
Economic Context
Lord Kinnock’s economic arguments come as Britain faces persistent challenges. The Office for Budget Responsibility has acknowledged Brexit has reduced UK GDP by approximately 4%, though this falls short of Lord Kinnock’s claimed losses. The government continues to struggle with anaemic growth, high inflation, and constrained public finances.
However, rejoining the EU would require accepting freedom of movement, potentially exacerbating rather than solving immigration concerns. It would also necessitate a dramatic political U-turn from Sir Keir, who has repeatedly ruled out such a move.
The Prime Minister faces a delicate balancing act between those calling for closer EU ties to boost the economy and others demanding tougher border controls incompatible with EU membership. With both major parties having ruled out EU rejoin, Lord Kinnock’s proposal appears unlikely to gain traction despite his economic arguments.
As the government celebrates its first deportations under the France deal whilst facing continued record Channel crossings, the fundamental questions about Britain’s post-Brexit future remain unresolved. Lord Kinnock’s intervention ensures these debates will continue to divide both Labour and the country.
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Image Credit:
Sir Keir Starmer (official portrait, cropped) — photo by Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street, Crown copyright; Open Government Licence v3.0 (UK)
