Overview
- The prime minister, who opened the debate at the Labour conference earlier this month, has launched a formal review of the UK–EU relationship that explicitly lists full EU membership as a possible long‑term option.
- A poll by European Movement UK and Observant shows strong support among Labour voters for talks on rejoining and finds a reported 57% would vote to rejoin in a new referendum versus 30% against.
- The European Movement has circulated a roadmap aiming for accession by about 2036 and says any final deal would need EU agreement and almost certainly a UK referendum to ratify membership.
- The government has stressed it will not rejoin the single market or customs union or restore free movement during this Parliament, while former Vote Leave figures and several Conservative MPs are organising a cross‑party campaign to resist rejoining.
- Immediate tests that will shape whether discussion becomes policy include a scheduled Westminster debate on a petition with roughly 110,000 signatures, an upcoming UK‑EU summit, and near‑term parliamentary and by‑election signals.