Blair urges Britain to seek return to a reformed EU — Politico Europe

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair said that the country should seek to return to a reformed European Union within the next decade. In the foreword to a report by the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, he noted that Britain should take part in shaping Europe’s future, Politico Europe reports.

Condition for returning

The Blair Institute considers the United Kingdom’s return to the EU to be one of the key elements of the British government’s future 10-year plan. At the same time, this is possible only if Brussels takes reforms seriously, the report says.

According to Blair, the EU must develop as a union of nation states capable of becoming a truly global power. If it does not pursue such a course, Britain should, in his view, cooperate with European partners where interests align, while also demonstrating its readiness to preserve independence.

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Proposals for cooperation

The report calls for abandoning Brexit-era rhetoric and the “red lines” set out in the Labour Party’s 2024 election manifesto. Its authors propose developing cooperation through new joint institutions.

Possible areas include turning the North Sea into a shared energy hub, cooperation in artificial intelligence, and the United Kingdom joining the EU’s Security Action for Europe (SAFE) arms-loan scheme. Britain’s new Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who took office in July, previously promised to present his vision for the next decade later this year.

Blair has consistently opposed the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the EU. In 2017, he said he would make it his mission to persuade voters to change their minds about Brexit.