The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), a thinktank close to Labour, has argued that Britain cannot respond properly to crises such as Russian aggression and instability in the United States while it remains outside the European Union, The Guardian reports. Its new paper says ministers should begin preparing the ground for membership, while stopping short of calling for an immediate referendum.
The IPPR says the approach of seeking closer ties without the single market leaves the UK at a disadvantage. It cites polling suggesting 52% of voters would support re-entry and 29% would oppose it, although support fell to 47% when people heard warnings about higher migration. The paper follows a similar report from the Tony Blair Institute and adds pressure on the prime minister, Andy Burnham, who has commissioned a review of the options for Britain's relationship with Europe.
Source: The Guardian