Rachel Reeves accused of wanting to unwind Brexit ‘through stealth’ as shadow chancellor talks up closer ties with EU to boost the economy – but denies Labour wants to restore freedom of movement

Rachel Reeves is accused of wanting to relax Brexit ‘by stealth’ after she outlined plans to seek closer ties with the EU Work the general wins election.

The shadow chancellor suggested she would push to revisit parts of the island Boris Johnson‘s Brexit deal allowed her party to take office after July 4.

This would include closer alignment with Brussels rules in areas such as chemicals, as well as a veterinary deal, better touring rights for British artists and greater mutual recognition of qualifications for the city London employees.

Ms Reeves said this was not an “exclusive” list Financial times: “We would try to improve our trade relationship with Europe and conclude trade agreements around the world.”

“I don’t think anyone voted Leave because they weren’t happy that chemical regulations were the same across Europe,” Ms Reeves added.

‘When my constituency voted Leave it was purely because of immigration.’

The shadow chancellor stressed that Labor would not cross the red lines of Britain’s relationship with the EU.

She reiterated that Labor would not seek to rejoin the bloc’s single market or customs union and ruled out a return to freedom of movement or an agreement on youth mobility.

Rachel Reeves, pictured next to Sir Keir Starmer as she spoke to dock workers in Southampton today, is accused of trying to handle Brexit ‘stealth’

As Labour’s shadow chancellor, she has set out plans to seek closer ties with the EU if Labor wins the general election

Ms Reeves suggested she would push for a review of parts of Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal if her party came to power after July 4.

Senior Tories accused Sir Keir and Ms Reeves of wanting to leave Britain as a ‘vassal state’ by aligning more closely with the EU

Ms Reeves said that ‘the majority of people in the city do not see Brexit as a great opportunity for their businesses’ and claimed that financial services were ‘virtually excluded’ from the Brexit deal.

Labor leader Sir Keir Starmer, who today joined Ms Reeves to speak to dock workers in Southampton during a campaign visit, branded Britain’s Brexit deal a “failed”.

“We have decided to leave the EU, so we are not going back in,” he said.

“But we think the deal we made failed, it’s not good enough. And I think a lot of companies would say we need something that works better for us.

“Because if you make it harder to trade, guess what, it’s not as successful from our perspective.

‘So we think a better deal is possible. Of course, this will have to be negotiated.

“It doesn’t mean we have to go back inside, but it does mean an improvement in what we have for businesses.

“I think there is actually room for improvement in other areas as well – in defense, security, development, and in research and education and so on.”

‘We want to get a better deal because ultimately we want you and those coming in and out of this port to be outside the EU as easily as possible and not make life more difficult.’

Senior Tories accused Sir Keir and Ms Reeves of wanting to leave Britain as a “vassal state” by aligning itself more closely with the EU.

Former Conservative MP and ex-Brexit Secretary David Jones told MailOnline: ‘There is little doubt that Labor intends to do as much as possible to reverse Brexit without actually saying so.

‘Similarly, we see a push for Britain’s integration into the EU’s defense structures.

‘In fact, what they are pursuing would be worse than EU membership. We would become a puppet state, without a seat at the table, which would make it all the easier for Labor to push for a resumption of the party.

‘In other words, Britain would once again become a full-fledged EU member state through stealth.’

Lord David Frost, Britain’s chief Brexit negotiator, accused Ms Reeves of “already freelancing on EU issues beyond her manifesto.”

“The Labor manifesto says nothing about aligning the rules on chemicals – in fact they are a key part of the single market that they claim they no longer want to be part of,” he said.

‘It’s a foolish argument, even in its own terms. With the exception of free movement, people did not vote against any part of the internal market rules; they voted against setting the rules in Brussels. Labor seems quite happy with that.”