Brexit red lines deserve a 'dignified retirement', says Labour co-author

Chris Ward, the Labour MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven, wants the party's Brexit red lines gone by the next general election. He co-authored them for Labour's 2024 manifesto and served as Keir Starmer's chief adviser when Starmer was shadow Brexit secretary. Now he says they should be given a well-earned and dignified retirement.

The red lines rule out rejoining the EU, the single market, the customs union and restoring freedom of movement. Writing in the Guardian, Ward said the case for ditching them is no longer about trade. He pointed to a world where the UK can no longer rely on the Americans, calling it a geopolitical shift big enough to force a full reappraisal of Britain's diplomatic ties. That question was unthinkable in 2016, but it is unavoidable in 2026, he wrote.

Ward cited Starmer twice having to scramble alliances together, on Ukraine and on the strait of Hormuz. Betting UK and European security on US election outcomes, or on whoever occupies the White House, would be brave in the extreme, he said. He also admitted he had never understood the argument for rejoining the single market without full EU membership.

He defended the original plan, saying the red lines were designed precisely to close down the debate and narrow the target Brexit had become for Labour. Next month's UK-EU summit should demonstrate what can be delivered inside them, he added, whether cheaper prices for businesses, a youth mobility scheme or the return of Erasmus+. On 20 November in Brussels, the UK is set to sign new agreements on agriculture and food, emissions trading and youth mobility.

Burnham will attend the European Political Community summit in Dublin on Thursday, meeting many European leaders for the first time and expected to help push the reset deal over the line. Rachel Reeves, the former chancellor, has said it is right for Burnham to consider rejoining. Burnham has previously said a single market option could be offered in a Labour manifesto, while full rejoining would need a referendum.

Ward wants a public debate on whether the UK formally rejoins or seeks associate membership on Canadian lines. He said the prime minister will need to be clear on why now is the right time to reopen the Brexit debate and what Britain is seeking. A re-run of the tired arguments of 2016 won't do that, he wrote, but appreciating the urgent strategic challenges of the decades to come just might.