UK open to paying EU funds for power market; Marra urges rejoining
Hamish Falconer, the minister running the EU reset, says Britain is “willing to discuss” contributing to EU infrastructure funds in return for access to the European electricity market, after five European leaders said the UK would have to pay into the cohesion fund: “We have not accepted that principle … this is something no doubt we will discuss.” Michael Marra, Scottish Labour’s new leader, said “the UK should re-join the European Union”.
Mr Falconer hopes the Brussels summit on 20 November “will go some real distance in undoing some of the harm that Brexit has done”; Britain is already paying up to €6bn to join the €150bn Safe defence fund and wants a place in its successor, and Erasmus+ returns next year. Mr Marra, in his first major speech as leader, at Edinburgh University, was careful: “I don’t pretend it will happen quickly. But I believe we should set it as a long-term objective,” adding that “re-joining the EU is not the current policy of the UK Labour Party … this is a distinct Scottish Labour position” and that “serious questions” on currency and borders would need answers. He does not support a second independence referendum, which the SNP’s Keith Brown seized on: “How can any Labour Party politician now seriously claim Scotland can’t revisit the independence referendum decision taken 12 years ago?” The government ruled out rejoining in this parliament last month; a day after Chris Ward called for the red lines’ retirement, the direction is plain. Watch what Mr Burnham says in Dublin on Thursday.