A senior cabinet minister has publicly contradicted deputy prime minister David Lammy after he suggested rejoining the EU customs union could boost the UK's economic growth and repeatedly declined to rule out reversing Brexit.
McFadden Reiterates Government's Brexit Red Lines
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden was asked on Sunday 7 December 2025 about Mr Lammy's recent comments. Speaking to Sky News, Mr McFadden stated that Prime Minister Keir Starmer has been "pretty clear" that the UK will not be rejoining the customs union. He pointed to the three trade deals secured this year as a significant obstacle to such a move.
"I think the prime minister has made that pretty clear in terms of the grand architecture of the EU. By grand architecture, I mean the single market and the customs union," Mr McFadden explained. He stressed that while the government seeks a closer relationship with Brussels, its fundamental position on these institutions remains unchanged.
Lammy's Controversial Comments on Economic Growth
The row stems from an interview Mr Lammy gave on The News Agents podcast last week. The Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary was asked seven times if he would rule out reversing Brexit and refused to do so each time. He argued that leaving the European Union had severely damaged the UK economy.
While acknowledging that rejoining the customs union was not current government policy, Mr Lammy pointed to nations like Turkey, stating it was "self-evident" that other countries had seen growth after entering such an arrangement. He later noted his comments were "subject to collective responsibility," aligning himself with Sir Keir's official stance.
Mounting Pressure and the Brexit Legacy
This internal disagreement highlights the mounting pressure on Labour from its own MPs and advisers following poor economic growth forecasts. The party's manifesto explicitly pledged not to rejoin the single market or customs union.
New polling reveals the scale of backbench sentiment, showing that two-thirds of 2024 Labour voters would prefer Sir Keir to abandon his Brexit red lines and join a customs union rather than raise taxes on working people.
The debate occurs as ministers have intensified their criticism of the previous government's handling of Brexit. In a speech on Monday, Sir Keir Starmer condemned the "utterly reckless" idea of using Brexit as a template for future foreign policy. He respected the democratic vote but criticised how it was "sold and delivered," with unfulfilled "wild promises" whose economic consequences persist today.
Mr McFadden concluded by emphasising the government's distinct approach: "We're not nationalists... We don't seek to blame the EU for everything, and we do want a closer, more productive relationship where we can take away some of those costs and delays of the Tory Brexit."
