“If we were to do what Labour would do, go back into the EU and remain aligned with the EU single market. That is the objective of the Labour party.”

Boris Johnson, Prime Ministers Questions

5 January 2022

Facts

Boris Johnson claimed that the “objective of the Labour party” is to “go back into the EU.”

In an interview with The Daily Telegraph in March last year, Labour leader Keir Starmer said: “We’ve left. We are no longer a member of the EU. We’ve got a deal, we’ve got to make that deal work.

“There’s no case for rejoining the EU and I’ve been very clear about that. The Remain-Leave debate is over.”

Verdict

Labour is not calling to rejoin the EU. Boris Johnson’s claim was false. It is one of a number of false claims made during PMQs on January 5 2022. This claim remains on the Hansard record in defiance of the Ministerial Code.

We approached Mr Johnson’s office, the Cabinet Office and the No 10 Press Office to give them a chance to comment. No reply.

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