BREXIT IS OVER! REMAINERS GLOAT AS LABOUR LOOKS SET FOR VICTORY

Remainers were gloating today about the end of Brexit amid widespread expectations the general election will see the Tories booted out of office.

As millions of Brits headed to polling stations, those opposed to the UK's exit from the EU urged an incoming Labour government to think again on links with Brussels.

Guy Verhofstadt, the former Belgian prime minister who represented the European Parliament in Brexit talks, reckoned 'peak Brexit' had already been reached.

The MEP predicted Britain would pursue a 'more sensible approach' to its relationship with the EU after the general election.

Mike Galsworthy, chairman of pro-Remain campaign group European Movement UK, said polling day was the day 'the Brexit dream shuts up shop'.

He warned Labour not to be the 'caretaker' of Brexit, should Sir Keir Starmer's party - who have pledged to rewrite the Brexit deal - form a new government tomorrow.

But, while former European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker left the door open to Britain returning to the EU, he warned this would be 'in a century or two'.

Mr Juncker, who was the EU's top official during bitter Brexit negotiations, told Politico that Britain was 'currently discovering the consequences' of the Leave vote.

'And the consequences correspond exactly to what we told them they'd be,' the Luxembourgish politician said.

He added the UK's chances of rejoining the EU's single market were slim, but perhaps it could do so 'in a century or two.'

'When you leave a boat, you can't get back on the same boat,' Mr Juncker continued.

Mr Verhofstadt told the same website there would be 'growing pressure' after the general election for Britain to move back closer to the EU.

'I think that more and more after the election we will see a growing pressure to step-by-step to go back in a direction of a more sensible approach,' he said.

'I think the peak was at the moment that the hardliners in the Tory party decided to go for a hard Brexit: I don't think that you can go further than what we have now.'

Mr Verhofstadt suggested the UK resuming participation in the EU's Horizon science project last year was a sign of things to come.

'I think what is already happening now will continue,' he added.

'Britain is back in Horizon; tomorrow maybe Erasmus, and after tomorrow the customs union, defence and so on and so on.

'And then later on maybe people will ask themselves, why are we not in there? 

'Because we are following these rules, and maybe it's better that we have a say about what these rules are.'

On his final day of campaigning ahead of the general election, Sir Keir yesterday said he does not see the UK rejoining the European single market in his lifetime.

Speaking to reporters in Carmarthen, the Labour leader - who has pledged to rewrite the Brexit deal - said he 'doesn't think that is going to happen'. 

He added: 'I've been really clear about not rejoining the EU, the single market, or the customs union, or returning to freedom of movement. 

'I've been equally clear that I do think we can get a better deal than the botched deal we got under Boris Johnson.'

But Mr Galsworthy issued a warning to Sir Keir ahead of the likelihood of the Labour leader becoming Britain's next PM tomorrow.

'Today the Brexit dream shuts up shop,' he posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. 

'Dozens of leading Brexit figures are moving out of Parliament and out of power.

'It would be unwise for the next government to try to be a caretaker of the dilapidated building.'

Earlier during the election campaign, Labour shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves was accused of wanting to unwind Brexit 'through stealth' 

She set out plans to seek closer ties with the EU if Labour won power,.

This incluced closer alignment with Brussels rules in areas such as chemicals, as well as a veterinary deal, better touring rights for British artists, and greater mutual recognition of qualifications for City of London workers.

Ms Reeves said this was not an 'exclusive' list, telling the Financial Times: 'We would look to improve our trading relationship with Europe, and do trade deals around the world.'

'I don't think anyone voted Leave because they were not happy that chemicals regulations were the same across Europe,' Ms Reeves added.

'When my constituency voted Leave it was purely because of immigration.'

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2024-07-04T13:13:04Z dg43tfdfdgfd