Keir Starmer vows his party will not reverse Brexit: UK

LONDON: The leader of the left-leaning United Kingdom’s Labour Party, Keir Starmer vowed his firm stance on Brexit during a live session in London.

The event saw the Labour Party leader making it clear that his party would not seek to reverse Brexit if they were to come into power. The live event was also attended by current conservative prime minister (PM) Rishi Sunak.

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Starmer stated that despite his personal preference to remain in the European Union (EU), the UK has now left and there is no intention to return. He said that there was a need to move forward from the Brexit debate and focus on the future challenges and opportunities for the country.

During the discussion, the Labour leader criticised the conservative government’s handling of Brexit. He pointed out shortcomings, particularly in trade and economic relations. He pointed out concerns raised by businesses regarding the current arrangements.

Keir Starmer said he preferred bettering defense and security cooperation with European partners, suggesting areas where he believes the government could do more.

The backdrop to Starmer’s statements comes amidst polling data showing strong support for him, with figures indicating a significant lead over his conservative counterpart, Sunak.

The 2024 United Kingdom general election is scheduled for July 4. The general election will determine the House of Commons composition, important for forming the government. It follows significant boundary changes, the first since 2010, and mandates voter identity for in-person voting in UK under the 2022 Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act.

The campaign for the upcoming general election has focused on potential government change, with Keir Starmer’s Labour Party leading in opinion polls over Rishi Sunak’s conservatives. Projections suggest a possible landslide victory for Labour.

The Conservative Party was led by Boris Johnson since 2010 and independently from 2015. It oversaw Brexit in 2020, a central issue in this election. Johnson’s tenure was marked by controversies like the Partygate scandal, impacting public sentiment and electoral dynamics.

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The repeal of the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act in 2022 gave Sunak flexibility to call the election with 25 days’ notice.

The recent betting scandal involving key figures in Conservative party has intensified scrutiny on campaign ethics and party integrity ahead of election day.