Brexit debate reignites as UK government weakens

London, England – Nearly a decade after the 2016 referendum, Brexit is once again the focal point of British politics after the ruling Labour Party suffered a heavy defeat in local elections in early May 2026.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged to rebuild ties with Europe “by putting Britain at the center of Europe, so we are stronger economically, on trade, and in defense.” But with the hardline anti-EU Reform party leading in opinion polls, those promises have met with widespread skepticism.

Former Health Secretary Wes Streeting, a likely Labour leadership contender, called Brexit a “catastrophic mistake” and proposed that Britain rejoin the EU to “rebuild our economy and trade.” However, some other Labour leaders have shied away from the topic. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy dismissed Brexit discussions as “a bit odd,” while Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy refused to answer whether Britain should rejoin the EU.

Experts say the prospect of rejoining the EU is currently very slim. “The EU will not be willing to engage in serious talks with the UK about rejoining as long as anti-EU parties lead in the polls,” said Jonathan Portes, professor of economics and public policy at King’s College London. “Why would they waste time talking to Keir Starmer about rejoining when the 2029 election is likely to be won by opposition parties?”

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, another potential Labour leadership candidate, said Brexit “has done damage.” A More in Common poll suggested that if Burnham replaced Starmer, he could defeat the Reform party in a general election.

Piers Ludlow, professor of international history at the London School of Economics, said the current Brexit debate can be seen as “a lot of noise and smoke about the Labour leadership race.” He added: “We’ve been through a period of unprecedented political instability and fairly weak economic performance, so it’s no surprise that the debate has begun to shift and public opinion now shows a majority of people, including many who voted to leave the EU, are beginning to have second thoughts.”

Burden on businesses and citizens

Johnny Skates, 66, owner of a record store in London’s Lambeth district, said leaving the EU made it harder to DJ in Europe. “Before, I could take records to Europe without any problems; now I have to declare their value and may face tariffs,” he said.

Noufal, 29, an employee at a household goods store three doors away, said since Brexit “prices have gone up and shipping costs have risen. Logistics costs have increased.” He moved from India to Britain four years ago and believes Britain should not have left the EU. “Before Brexit there were more job opportunities for workers,” he said.

Professor Portes explained that economists had warned about trade challenges before the 2016 vote. “Businesses can still trade with the EU and the rest of the world; the UK economy hasn’t collapsed. But the economic damage is significant, and the harm to some businesses has been enormous. That’s no surprise—it’s exactly what we said would happen.”

Looking ahead, the Brexit debate promises to continue casting a shadow over British politics. “If we change our minds on this issue, if we decide we want to go back to being an EU member, it will be slow, painful, and extremely costly in terms of domestic politics,” Ludlow said. “We’ve really split into two tribes: the Remain camp and the Leave camp from the Brexit era. Only 10 years have passed; people haven’t forgotten. That identity is so strong it still persists.”