Scottish Labour leader Michael Marra called for the UK to make EU membership a long-term goal, Anadolu Agency reported, as the government prepares for a Nov. 20 summit with EU leaders.
Anadolu Agency reported that Marra made the appeal in a speech at the University of Edinburgh on Nov. 10. Holyrood and The Independent reported that Marra said rejoining was not current UK Labour policy. Labour’s manifesto rules out returning to the EU single market, customs union or freedom of movement while supporting efforts to reduce trade barriers.
The UK government says the summit agenda includes reducing costs and paperwork for farmers and food businesses. It also plans discussions on cooperation over security, illegal migration and crime.
The government has linked the trade measures to post-Brexit barriers and paperwork that add costs for businesses. It says agreements affecting food and farming could reduce those burdens and ease pressure on supermarket prices for families.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham told Parliament on Oct. 12 that the government’s immediate focus was the summit, with dialogue on the UK’s longer-term relationship with Europe to follow. The Brussels meeting will be the second UK-EU summit; the first took place in London on May 19, 2025.
