Scottish Labour Leader Calls for UK to Rejoin EU
Michael Marra urged the UK government to make rejoining the European Union a long-term objective to boost economic growth and investment.
Scottish Labour leader Michael Marra called for the United Kingdom to rejoin the European Union, designating the move as a long-term objective for the country. Speaking at the University of Edinburgh on November 10, 2026, Marra argued that re-entry would attract investment, create better-paid jobs, and lower prices. He acknowledged that this is a distinct Scottish Labour position and not current policy for the UK Government or the UK Labour Party.
Marra has written to Prime Minister Andy Burnham to advocate for the shift and plans to convene a summit in Scotland next year with businesses, unions, and civil society to build a formal case for rejoining. Prime Minister Burnham is currently pursuing an EU reset and is scheduled to travel to Brussels next week to sign deals aimed at reducing post-Brexit trade barriers in food and farming.
Political reactions were divided. The Scottish Liberal Democrats supported the proposal, while Reform UK argued that economic growth is achievable without rejoining. The Scottish National Party welcomed the shift in tone but maintained that independence remains the only guaranteed path to EU membership. SNP leadership further argued that if the EU referendum decision can be revisited, the decision regarding Scottish independence should also be open for review.
