Thursday, September 24, 2026
Brexit was a 'unilateral declaration of political impotence'
The Mirror reports that former Foreign Secretary, David Miliband has said Brexit was a "unilateral declaration of political impotence" adding that he has called on Andy Burnham to reverse the decision to leave the EU.
The paper adds that Miliband said that Brexit has reduced the UK to “a bobbing cork in the sea”:
He accused Keir Starmer of lacking a vision for resetting relations with Europe - but said he backs Andy Burnham to do so. Earlier this week the Prime Minister refused to rule out reversing Brexit in Labour's next manifesto.
Mr Miliband said the UK must seek a "structured, organised, institutionalised relationship with the EU", telling The Independent: "We have got to join together in a new project for European security and prosperity."
The former Labour leadership contender, who was Foreign Secretary from 2007 to 2010, said Brexit had caused "exactly the daily anguish" he and fellow Remainers predicted. He added: “Britain is weaker because we've cut ourselves off economically and issued this unilateral declaration of political impotence.”
Mr Miliband added: “We have made ourselves weaker economically and politically because we're not influential. Britain is weaker, Europe is weaker and the West is weaker. The EU is less well balanced and we have left Europe without an absolutely critical anchor and contributor.”
Although rejoining the bloc would be tricky, he said, Europe is becoming more flexible. He said although the full membership Britain had before Brexit is gone, Mr Burnham should seek to fashion a new deal.
Mr Miliband said a "new shared model" would have to be drawn up to undo the damage caused by leaving the EU Customs Union and Single Market.
“It is the cheapest way to boost the economy, the fastest way to unite Europe in the face of security threats and the best way to get leverage on a global system that no longer has an American anchor. All politics is local, but local today is not confined to your locality or postcode. We cannot afford to be provincial about it. We have got to be be engaged.”
Asked if he thought Mr Burnham would do this more effectively than Mr Starmer, Mr Miliband said: “I do – because he has said he will. When Andy says we have got to be bold and ambitious, he doesn’t say things by accident. We should take him at his word.”
Burnham though, is prevaricating. It's time he got off the fence.
