Britain cannot deal effectively with geopolitical crises without rejoining EU, says thinktank

Britain cannot deal effectively with geopolitical crises such as Russian aggression and political turmoil in the US without rejoining the EU, according to an influential thinktank.

The Institute for Public Policy Research has become the latest organisation with ties to the Labour party to call for the UK to re-enter the bloc, after Andy Burnham said he wanted to examine all possible options.

The paper, which comes weeks after a similar one from the Tony Blair Institute, adds to growing pressure on the prime minister to back re-entry once his review is over.

Harry Quilter-Pinner, the IPPR’s executive director, said: “The government has made important progress in repairing relations with Europe, but a series of individual deals will not be enough. There is one option which is best for the UK’s relationship with Europe – membership of the EU.

“That does not mean announcing another referendum tomorrow. But this means starting work to move towards this destination, building political support at home and in Europe.”

The IPPR argues that the position taken by the former prime minister Keir Starmer – that the UK should seek closer ties with the EU but not contemplate joining a single market or the bloc as a whole – puts the UK at a disadvantage at a time of global change.

It says Russian expansionism, the lack of reliability from the US as an international partner and increased assertiveness from Beijing mean that the UK should reinforce its power by joining other European nations rather than trying to go it alone.

The paper says: “Sovereignty without the ability to act on it is not autonomy; hedging between larger powers is, at best, a strategy for survival rather than for success.”

It argues that so much has changed since Britain left the EU in 2020 that this would not count as rejoining, but becoming a member of a wholly new European Union. Most voters would be willing to support such a position, it says, citing new polling showing 52% of voters back reentering the union, compared with 29% who oppose such a move.

Voters were likely to be attracted by the promise of shorter queues at passport control in particular, which comes out considerably ahead of economic benefits and the chance to live and work in the EU as potential benefits of membership.

However, they were also likely to be dissuaded by aggressive messaging on migration, with the percentage in favour falling from 52% to 47% once voters are told that rejoining would “open the floodgates” to more migrants. Such a message proved more effective in the polling than one focused on “freedom of movement”, which failed to change the minds of many voters.

The flurry of thinktank reports comes after Burnham signalled he wanted a rethink of Britain’s policy on the EU, announcing at Labour conference he would commission a review of all the options available.

Though the prime minister has not stated his own view as part of that review, he previously told the Guardian he wanted the UK to re-enter the bloc in his lifetime.

Many in government support the idea of rejoining, but worry it could boost support for Nigel Farage and his Reform UK party, which are struggling to overcome controversies over funding and racist views expressed by some party candidates.