Rachel Reeves’ push to improve EU ties remains boxed in by red lines

Labour sources say Rachel Reeves is increasingly driving the effort to lower trade barriers with the EU. Photograph: Thierry Monasse/Getty Images

Rachel Reeves is seeking a “deeper, more mature relationship” between Britain and the EU: this was her central message to the bloc’s finance ministers in Brussels a fortnight ago.

In her brief speech to the meeting of her European counterparts – the first a UK chancellor had attended since Brexit – Reeves mentioned the UK’s relationship with the EU nine times.