British membership in the European Union is affected by the current Labour Party platform, but a leading researcher argues that rejoining the bloc is the optimal choice for the country’s economy.
Mehier Sharma, a senior research fellow at the Institute for Public Policy Research, stated in an interview with [Anadolu Agency] that alternative partnership models will not deliver the advantages of full membership. Voters in the United Kingdom narrowly chose to leave the European Union in June 2016, with 51.9% supporting the exit. The country officially departed the bloc in January 2020.
Sharma identified three primary barriers preventing London from rejoining the European Union immediately. The first obstacle is the Labour Party’s official program, which currently closes the door to returning to the bloc.
The second hurdle requires a British prime minister to secure a clear public mandate to pursue rejoining. The third obstacle depends on what European leaders will demand from Britain during negotiations.
The prime minister, Andy Burnham, remains bound by the “strict red lines written into the Labour Party manifesto,” Sharma said, adding that Burnham is trying to encourage a broader national debate on the future of relations with Europe.
“When we look at the needs of the British people, the only answer that can be provided to that question is a return to the European Union,” Sharma told [Anadolu].
Examining potential trade frameworks, Sharma dismissed the Norwegian and Swiss arrangements as unviable for British interests. Norway belongs to the single market through the European Economic Area, while Switzerland uses bilateral treaties to access specific sectors.
Neither country holds any formal voting power in European Union decision-making.
Building a Swiss-style relationship took decades of complex talks, time the United Kingdom simply does not have.
“If we want to return, how will we convince the European Union not to put us in the same category as other candidate countries?” Sharma told [Anadolu]. He added that Britain wants a fast-track accession process because much of its national legislation already complies with European standards.
Proponents of rejoining view the upcoming vote as an eventual referendum on the European question.
“There is in this country a large majority of moderate, pro-European voters, and this majority is constantly growing,” Sharma told [Anadolu]. He emphasized that political parties will need to find a consensus to win power.