Brexit 'did not make sense', says Taoiseach

Micheál Martin also said the possibility of rejoining EU is a 'matter for the British people'

In Listowel at the rebranding of the former Kerry Group as Kinisla, Mr Martin was asked about the upcoming 10th anniversary of the Brexit vote, which, on June 23, 2016, saw the UK vote by 52% to 48% to leave the EU. Picture: Conor McCabe

A decade on from the Brexit vote, talk of the United Kingdom rejoining the European Union is “a matter for the British people”, but Ireland will support a stronger relationship between the EU and the UK, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said.

In Listowel at the rebranding of the former Kerry Group as Kinisla, Mr Martin was asked about the upcoming 10th anniversary of the Brexit vote, which, on June 23, 2016, saw the UK vote by 52% to 48% to leave the EU.

“Our view has been that Brexit did not make sense, to cut yourself off, or to create barriers between your industries and a market of 450m people never made sense,” Mr Martin said.

“And it has damaged the British economy, and one of the challenges facing politics in the United Kingdom is the fact that there’s been stagnant investment for quite a long time, and that has been exacerbated by Brexit.

“That’s a matter for the British people and for British political parties to navigate, but from the Irish perspective, we are supportive of a stronger relationship between the European Union and the United Kingdom, and we have been supportive of the efforts made by the British prime minister Keir Starmer in trying to strengthen that relationship.” 

The Taoiseach cited greater co-operation between the EU and the UK in the area of security and defence, and supporting Ukraine against Russia’s illegal war, as evidence of a strengthening of those relations.

“There are areas where it would benefit everybody economically. The Anglo-EU summit is due, and SPS (the Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement) which will help food, agriculture, in terms of streamlining all of that, will be very helpful,” he said.

“I believe progress will be made through that summit, which will benefit Ireland as well.” 

Mr Martin added that, in his view, the Brexit vote demonstrated “the importance of avoiding external influences” in democracies.

“The extraordinary amounts of money that is coming in from outside to influence British politics is an issue that is worthy of reflection and analysis,” he said.

We have consistent regulatory frameworks governing political expenditure and governing how much parties can spend, and I think that could be a strength for us now into the future, given what’s happening in other countries around the world.

Mr Martin’s remarks came after former British health secretary Wes Streeting said last weekend that the UK’s future would “one day” be back within the EU.

Mr Streeting said he intends to be a candidate should a leadership contest to replace Labour Party leader and British prime minister Keir Starmer be triggered.

His comments about EU membership have been widely seen as an attempt to embarrass potential leadership rival, Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham.

Mr Burnham is pro-EU, but he is hoping to win the impending by-election in Makerfield, a constituency that voted for Brexit by a margin of 65%.