THE GUARDIAN: Leader Ed Davey to call for talks to begin immediately, urging ministers to be ‘far more positive, far more ambitious’
The Liberal Democrats are to call for the government to seek a formal customs union with the EU to boost growth and insulate the UK from the impacts of a Trump presidency, a move that will place new pressure on Keir Starmer over Europe.
The changed Lib Dem stance – the party’s election manifesto argued only for closer links with Europe – will be made by its leader, Ed Davey, in a speech in London on Thursday.
Calling for talks to begin immediately on a customs union, with a target of 2030 for it to come into force, Davey says ministers should be “far more positive, far more ambitious” rather than “tinkering around the edges of the botched [Brexit] deal the Conservatives signed four years ago”. The Liberal Democrats are to call for the government to seek a formal customs union with the EU to boost growth and insulate the UK from the impacts of a Trump presidency, a move that will place new pressure on Keir Starmer over Europe.
The changed Lib Dem stance – the party’s election manifesto argued only for closer links with Europe – will be made by its leader, Ed Davey, in a speech in London on Thursday.
Calling for talks to begin immediately on a customs union, with a target of 2030 for it to come into force, Davey says ministers should be “far more positive, far more ambitious” rather than “tinkering around the edges of the botched [Brexit] deal the Conservatives signed four years ago”. » | Peter Walker, Senior political correspondent | Wednesday, January 15, 2025
