Labour will have to bring back free movement if it wants to renegotiate Brexit, warns ex-EU chief

LABOUR will have to bring back free movement if it wants to renegotiate the Brexit deal, Michel Barnier warned last night.

The former top EU official’s comments come as the PM blasted Sir Keir Starmer for never believing in a sovereign Britain.

Rishi Sunak told The Sun that under Labour, the result of the 2016 referendum would be undone.

He reminded voters of Sir Keir’s “relentless” opposition to Britain’s withdrawal from the EU, noting: “This alone proves Brexit is not safe in his hands.

“He has never believed in our ability to be a sovereign country and he never will.”

The Labour chief has ruled out rejoining the single market, customs union or bringing back free movement, but wants to build closer ties with Brussels.

Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves said she would want to negotiate closer ­alignment with EU rules on chemicals and a better deal for City of London bankers.

But in a blow for Sir Keir, Mr Barnier, the European Commission’s chief negotiator with the UK on Brexit, yesterday insisted the bloc would not budge on its red lines.

The stubborn French bureaucrat told The Telegraph: “It is one thing to say we can improve the relationship, but it is another thing to say we can open the single market.

“Any UK government knows the rules of the single market — you cannot be in and out at the same time.”

As Britain marked the eighth anniversary of the EU referendum yesterday, the PM said: “I backed Brexit because I believe in Britain as an independent nation.

“Under Keir Starmer, Brexit will be reversed and it will be British businesses, British jobs and the British people who will pay the price.”