Lib Dems are ‘not a rejoin party’

Ed Davey on the Andrew Marr show - Credit: BBC

The Liberal Democrats are not the party of rejoining the European Union, Sir Ed Davey has said.

The Lib Dem leader said that whilst his party are “very pro-European” and want to see the closest possible relationship with the EU following Brexit, they are “not a rejoin party”.

Sir Ed added that he believes the removal of free movement is “illiberal” and the case for its reintroduction should be reopened with the EU.

Speaking on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show, Sir Ed said: “We are not a rejoin party, but we are a very pro-European party.

“We believe it is in the interest of the British people, for jobs, small businesses, exporting, Scottish fishermen, for our security and for our police services that we have the closest possible relationship with our European partners, and we’ll be arguing throughout the next few months and years that Britain needs to have a far more pro-European position.”

Pressed on whether the issue of free movement should be reopened with the EU, Sir Ed added: “Yes, I think we should do. Free movement is a huge freedom for British people.

“British people work across the European Union, they travel, they live, they bring up families across the European Union.

“It is a huge freedom for our young people. I think one of the sadnesses of taking away free movement is it’s very illiberal – it is taking away that freedom from all our British people.”