UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves has urged the UK to pursue a closer economic relationship with the European Union, describing deeper cooperation with Britain’s largest trading partner as the most significant opportunity for boosting national prosperity. Although Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s administration has repeatedly said it will not seek to rejoin the EU single market, customs union or revive freedom of movement, it has made repairing post-Brexit ties with Brussels a central diplomatic priority since taking office. Reeves argued that reinforcing those links would not only strengthen economic growth, but also support the UK’s security and resilience. While speaking on the issue at the London School of Economics, Reeves highlighted the scale of the UK’s economic interdependence with the continent. She noted that around half of Britain’s trade flows to or from the EU – a volume roughly equivalent to UK commerce with the entire rest of the world combined. Reves argued that Britain should continue to align with EU regulatory frameworks where doing so serves the national interest, stressing that constructive engagement would help reinforce a stable and prosperous Europe rather than isolate the UK behind barriers of its own making.