Overview
- TUC chief Paul Nowak called for the “closest possible” relationship with Brussels, explicitly saying a customs union should be considered to cut trade barriers and support growth.
- Downing Street maintains rejoining the customs union is a manifesto red line, even as figures such as Wes Streeting and David Lammy have voiced openness to closer arrangements.
- Nowak linked the push for tighter EU links to higher shop prices and disrupted supply chains since Brexit, urging a laser focus on living standards with 2026 as a turning point.
- He said the case has sharpened because the United States has become a less predictable partner under President Donald Trump, increasing the value of stronger European ties.
- Welcoming the new Employment Rights Act, Nowak pressed for full delivery without dilution and said Angela Rayner has much to offer if she returns to frontline politics, while warning Labour not to chase Reform UK on immigration as many union members back the party.