Brexit has damaged Britain and Farage knows it, claims minister

Brexit has damaged Britain's standing in the world, and its chief advocates no longer wish to talk about it, a senior minister will claim today.

Attorney General Lord Richard Hermer, a close ally of the prime minister, will say Labour are now "cleaning up" the "mess" left by politicians who campaigned for Leave.

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His speech at an event held by the European Movement advocacy group comes ahead of the 10th anniversary of the referendum next Tuesday.

Sir Keir Starmer's government is seeking closer ties with the EU, and he is holding talks with key European leaders in France this week as part of the G7 summit.

A second EU-UK summit since Labour came to power is scheduled to take place in Brussels on 22 July, where a youth mobility scheme is set to be agreed.

The divisive issue of the UK's relationship with the bloc has been brought back into the limelight in recent weeks, with prospective Labour leadership hopeful Wes Streeting describing Brexit as a "catastrophic mistake".

The PM and chancellor, Rachel Reeves, have both suggested it had a negative impact on the economy but have promised they will not go back on their manifesto promises not to rejoin the single market or the customs union.

Lord Hermer will repeat the argument that Brexit has damaged the UK economy in his speech later.

'Farage knows Brexit has damaged Britain'

"Strikingly, the politicians who were key proponents of Brexit and major figures in the campaign to Leave now appear reluctant to remind us of the promises that they made," he will say.

"When was the last time you heard Nigel Farage proudly talk about Brexit? Or make the case for the benefits it's brought Britain?

"The reason he has become uncharacteristically quiet about what he used to describe as his crowning achievement is because he knows the damage it caused Britain, our standing in the world, and our economy."

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Mr Farage has previously said Brexit "has failed" but blamed it on the then-Conservative government for "mismanaging" Britain's departure. He has criticised Labour's attempts to get closer to the EU, notably an agreement with France designed to combat small boat crossings.

The Tories have dismissed Lord Hermer's criticism, saying he "should focus on his job as attorney general".

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