Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy is doubling down on his vow to deepen the UK’s economic ties with Brussels if Labour win the next election. In a speech to the Trade Unlocked conference in Birmingham today, Lammy will claim the Conservatives are “living in a fantasy” for not wanting to cosy up to the European Union, and argue “Britain’s relationship with Europe is of fundamental importance to our future“. Every day is groundhog day…

The speech reads:

“The next Labour government will set our world-class network of diplomats a priority task: launching a new economic diplomacy, for the modern era. Helping to create the conditions for growth. Navigating this new geopolitical and geoeconomic context… Last week the Conservative Party Press Office attacked me for saying that improving our relationship with the EU will be a priority of the next Labour government. I have no qualms about repeating this. Reconnecting Britain must start by reconnecting with our European neighbours… If you do not think Britain’s relationship with Europe is of fundamental importance to our future, you are living in a fantasy.”

It was only a month ago that Starmer insisted it “feels wrong” that EU citizens can’t vote in general elections. Just last week Lammy said the bloc would be the “number one priority” for Labour’s foreign policy. If they’re acting like this now, imagine what they’d say with Ed Davey pulling the strings in a coalition…