Keir Starmer has said Labour will “make Brexit work” and the statement has certainly divided people.
The Labour leader made the comments during an interview with BBC’s Andrew Marr on Sunday where he argued for “sensible adjustments” to be made to the deal negotiated by the government that currently stands with EU.
“It’s all very well saying get Brexit done, we’ve got to make Brexit work,” he told Marr when asked if he would be willing to renegotiate a deal to reduced the predicted economic fall-out. He made similar statements during his Labour party conference speech this year.
He added: “In order to do that, we have got to deal with some of the gaps and weaknesses in the current arrangements.”
Starmer said that he would do “whatever I could to make it easier for British firms to trade across the world, but particularly with the EU.”
However, he ruled out rejoining the EU.
“What I’m not talking about is rejoining the EU, what I’m not talking about is ripping up the current agreement and starting again – nobody wants to be in that place,” he explained.
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Starmer’s comments on making Brexit work have fuelled conversations on Twitter as to whether the Labour leader - who had voted Remain himself during the 2016 referendum and at one point said there should be a second referendum - was wrong to “make Brexit work.”
Of course, there were some memes to reflect the feelings of those left disappointed by Starmer’s comments.
“Make Brexit Work” pic.twitter.com/ExqjoKThal
— Andrew Adonis (@Andrew_Adonis) November 7, 2021
One side.
— Matthias Eberl 💉😷 (@eberlmat) November 7, 2021
"Get Brexit done!"
The other side.
"Make Brexit work!"
Really? That's the best you've got? pic.twitter.com/UKJl9Xlqng
“Make Brexit Work” pic.twitter.com/OytQfqk2ht
— Erik Geddes (@erikgeddes) November 7, 2021
Johnson: Get brexit done
— UK is with EU (@ukiswitheu) November 7, 2021
Starmer: Make brexit work
Russians: We have crushed the British to the ground. They are on their knees and will not rise for a very long time pic.twitter.com/gEzhKi0Row
"Make Brexit Work" is the same as saying
— David Ziggy Greene (prev S&H illustrated reports) (@SaHreports) November 7, 2021
"Give this car a push to get it started" pic.twitter.com/RH0UYHmZo9
Tell me again, Mr Starmer, just how do you propose to "Make Brexit Work"? pic.twitter.com/2LfjvrdLli
— Bridgend For Europe / Penybont Dros Ewrop (@Bridgend4Europe) November 7, 2021
Make Brexit Work pic.twitter.com/0D1pzR7ToZ
— Klinger OBE 🚲🏴🏊♂️ (@bernie4077) November 7, 2021
Meanwhile others criticised the Labour leader for using similar language to Prime Minister Boris Johnson who coined the slogan “Get Brexit Done,” in reference to negotiating a deal with the EU.
I realise that this is a bit of a message of despair, but saying ‘make Brexit work’ seems to me just to prolong the agony. It allows those in denial about Brexit to continue to believe that it’s just this particular deal that’s doing it wrong. As though it just needs tweaking.
— Prof Paul Bernal (@PaulbernalUK) November 8, 2021
“Make Brexit Work” Starmer said there will be no rejoining the EU under Labour, he wants to make it work, another one not living in the real world…#Brexit pic.twitter.com/3oz8rS8zKI
— Anthony (@Anthony41806183) November 7, 2021
What I’m expecting from Starmer or any politician is their vision of Britain in 2030 and beyond. What are we aiming for? ‘Make Brexit Work’ is unambitious, it’s backwards looking and it’s too pedestrian. Whe lack the vision of the future we can all get behind.
— Backlash (@SlimBisk) November 8, 2021
Rather than ‘Make Brexit Work’ how about ‘Repair our relationship with Europe’ or ‘Remove the barriers to trade with Europe’ Just a thought @Keir_Starmer
— Graham Simpson (@grahambsi) November 8, 2021
If Labour acknowledge this Brexit truism why the 'make Brexit work' slogan from @Keir_Starmer Surely the line should be Labour will soften Brexit & reach out & get closer to EU again rather than Tory gov. determination to prosecute a war of words with threats to dismantle the NIP https://t.co/zuw6369BGi
— Dr Charles Tannock (@CharlesTannock) November 7, 2021
I’m no media consultant. But the phrase “Make Brexit Work” is never going to happen. Starmer needs to stop. There’s no universe where Brexit works. Try a catch phrase like: “I suppose we better get on with it” or “This sucks, what can we can do about it?”. Something believable.
— Dr. Jennifer Cassidy (@OxfordDiplomat) November 7, 2021
“We need to make Brexit work. No Rejoining”
— Siobhan Benita (@SiobhanBenita) November 7, 2021
And with that my last vestige of hope in Keir Starmer dies. #Marr
So depressed to hear @Keir_Starmer adopting the slogan ‘make Brexit work’
— Green💚Molly (@GreenPartyMolly) November 7, 2021
Following along after the Tories with their disastrous anti-European policy and their absurd three-word slogans
The exact opposite of the Opposition we need#marr
On the other hand, there were some who understood Starmer’s stance, noting that he wants to win back Brexiteers and also that it could be the best stance for him (at the moment).
I really can’t understand commentators and users criticising Keir Starmer saying “We've got to make Brexit work"
— Antonello Guerrera (@antoguerrera) November 7, 2021
It’s a responsible and constructive remark by the opposition leader.
Brexit is a fact and it’s irreversible. So this is the most reasonable thing Starmer can say. 🤷🏻♂️
I totally agree. There is no political mechanism whatsoever for the UK to rejoin the EU any time in the next few decades & no certainty we'd rejoin even if that wasn't the case.
— The Happy Tramp (@Happy_Tramp) November 7, 2021
Mr Starmer is quite rationally playing the cards he's been dealt.
Lots of upset about Starmer’s ‘Make Brexit work’ remarks. Would people prefer him to say ‘Let Brexit fail?’
— Richard Aske (@RichardAske) November 8, 2021
Keir Starmer saying 'make Brexit work' is genius - because he knows it can't. What he's really saying is 'give it time to fail.' In the interim, he's allowing Brexiters their moment in the sunlit uplands, without him coming across as a 'saboteur'. Chapeau, Starmer! 👏
— Lee 🌍 (@LSaczak) November 7, 2021
"Think it was a mistake" and "wanting to rejoin" are different things. Brexit is done. Politically, "Make Brexit Work" might be the best way forward at the moment.
— Simon Bye 🎪🔶 (@UB5simon) November 7, 2021
It's not my ideal outcome either.
I know Remainers want to dump on Starmer for "Make Brexit work", but I think that's as far as he can go for now. Put the blame on Johnson for a bad deal and tell the public he'll fix it in office. Re-open the debate on our relationship with the EU, which is a start.
— Nick Tyrone (@NicholasTyrone) November 7, 2021
During the same interview, Starmer also took aim at Johnson, claiming he tries to “pick a fight” with Brexit-related issues to avoid scandals at home and gave the Owen Paterson fiasco as an example.
“There’s a little bit of me that can’t help think that the Prime Minister is constantly trying to pick a fight on things like this so he hopes people don’t look elsewhere in the forest, which are things like the Owen Paterson affair,” Starmer said.
He also slated the Government’s approach with ongoing EU dispute over the Northern Ireland border and said he would rather see “both sides sitting down and resolving this.”
“What I am saying is don’t rip up the protocol because that has that very important central purpose, which is to protect the no border in Northern Ireland,” Starmer concluded.
