Exclusive:Scots Labour MP warns Andy Burnham against rejoining 'imperialist' EU
Brian Leishman has revealed that he voted Leave in 2016 - making him the only Scottish Labour MP to have publicly said that they backed Brexit
A Scottish Labour MP has warned Andy Burnham against rejoining the “pro-capitalist, pro-imperialist” European Union.
Brian Leishman has revealed that he voted Leave in 2016 - making him the only Scottish Labour MP to have publicly said that they backed Brexit.
The Alloa and Grangemouth MP said that the European Union “imposes cuts to public services”.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he wants a closer relationship with Europe - and some Labour MPs have been pushing for him to rejoin.
It comes as former Chancellor Rachel Reeves said “Britain’s future lies in the European Union”.
Mr Leishman told The Scotsman: “There's a lot of things in the EU that is very good, and it has been a benefit for people.
“But let's be honest: the EU is a European capitalist imperialist project that basically is there for corporate dividend and shareholder benefit, and they inflict and they pretty much impose cuts to public services and capitalism.
“That's what it is. It's all about co-operations for the EU. It's not about public services.”
He added: “I voted leave because the EU is a pro-capitalist, pro-imperialist project.
“You can see it right now. It is terrifying. This rearm Europe, getting all the member states to five per cent.
“It's just going to feed the military-industrial complex, and what that then means is you're going to then have extreme austerity across Europe, where people's living standards will deteriorate to then fund your arms manufacturers.”
The PM wants to lock in deals on food and drink, emissions trading and a youth mobility scheme at a summit with the EU next month.
But he has told ministers that the period beyond that would be to “explore options” for the long-term relationship.
Mr Leishman said that the UK rejoining the EU would push more voters towards Reform and Restore.
He said: “Let's look at it from a domestic democracy point of view. We had a referendum. The people voted to leave.
“You've got to honour these things. I look at it from a Labour Party point of view. When you look at the red wall pockets of England that voted leave, and then and then on the back of Boris Johnson, they voted Tory to ‘Get Brexit Done’.
“Then they made their choice. You've got to then deliver democracy and do that.
“People voted for Brexit because in communities like that they had been basically shafted for decades by bad, horrendous neoliberal political decisions and choices.”
He went on: “Now you get MPs arrogantly saying the public was wrong. That's not going to win these people back over.
“What it could end up doing is by belittling their democratic decision that they made at the ballot box, you then drive them into the hands of folk like Farage, Tice in Reform, or, dare I say it, Rupert Lowe and Restore.”
Ms Reeves, who was sacked as chancellor in the summer, said: “I am proud of the progress we have already made in strengthening our relationship with the European Union.
“Brexit has made us poorer, weaker and less secure.
“There is a debate to be had about our future relationship with Europe, and I welcome Andy Burnham’s leadership in facing up to this. No one in the Treasury ever doubted where my instincts were.”
The UK Government was approached for comment.
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