Sir Tony Blair wants Keir Starmer to forge closer ties with the EU (Image: Getty)
Sir Tony Blair has urged Labour to reset relations with the European Union and negotiate closer ties with the bloc, if they win the election.
The former prime minister said it "would be wise" to reboot Britain's relationship with the EU, adding: "There are too many things that affect us that are going on in Europe."
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He told The Sunday Times that didn't mean Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer would start trying to frame it as rejoining the EU or the single market.
Sir Tony said: "In any event, we’ve got a trade negotiation coming up in 2025. But at the moment we’re outside the big political union on our own continent and we’ve got a disrupted trading relationship with our biggest trading partner, so you’ve got to fix this stuff."
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The intervention comes as Sir Keir faces calls to explain how Labour would get the most out from Brexit should the party win power at the next general election.
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Sir Keir Starmer says he wants to improve the UK-EU trade deal (Image: Getty)
Sir Keir has ruled out rejoining the bloc and the single market, but some within his party want him to prepare the way for the UK to rejoin.
Labour's leader has said he wants to improve the UK-EU trade deal, which is due to be reviewed in the coming months.
But negotiations would be challenging with Labour understood to want a veterinary deal with the EU to cut red tape on British food exports, while it is understood the bloc would insist the UK mirrors European food standard laws.
Mutual recognition of qualifications to allow Brits to work in EU countries more easily is also on Labour's wishlist, though the EU is believed to be against that idea.
Labour was forced to scale back its plans for a renegotiation of Britain's Brexit trade deal after being snubbed by the EU in March.
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David Lammy says he would attend EU foreign affairs meetings to boost ties (Image: Getty)
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The Telegraph was told Sir Keir had quietly dropped his aim to secure a massive overhaul of the deal, which Brussels warned wouldn't be reopened.
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Sir Keir told the Financial Times Labour would try and get "a much better deal" for the UK, adding there was more that can be achieved "across the board".
But EU insiders have told The Telegraph senior Labour figures had accepted in recent talks that a major renegotiation wouldn't happen in 2025.
It is understood Labour's focus has since turned to improving defence and security ties. Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy has said he would like to attend EU foreign affairs meetings.
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