Wes Streeting, Labour's health secretary, surprised many by calling for "a deeper trading relationship" with the European Union. In a recent interview with the Observer, Streeting hinted that joining a customs union with the EU would give Labour a strong edge against Nigel Farage in the next general election. This move mirrors what Keir Starmer did in 2018 when he backed a second Brexit referendum including a remain option. Polling by YouGov shows that 80% of Labour supporters want the party to seek a customs union deal with the EU, and 73% want talks to rejoin the EU completely. Several Labour MPs and senior ministers believe the government's current EU "reset" is too weak and that stronger ties could boost the economy. David Lammy, Labour's deputy leader, also mentioned that rejoining a customs union is beneficial, comparing it to countries like Turkey. However, the government under Starmer has so far rejected these ideas, fearing it would undo existing free trade agreements made post-Brexit. Critics of Starmer say a more pro-EU approach could harm relations with allies like the US. But recent problems in UK-US trade talks, such as the paused "tech prosperity deal" and slow progress on pharmaceutical tariff agreements, have raised doubts about the benefits of an independent trade policy. The UK’s free trade deals with the US, India, and others appear to have little impact on economic growth. One business leader described them as "performative," meaning more for show than for real benefit. With Labour voters and MPs pushing for closer EU ties, the pressure on Starmer is increasing. While No 10 insists their manifesto rules excluding customs union or single market re-entry are fixed until the next election, ministers admit these rules might change after. "Hopefully we’ll be in a position to go into the next election saying, look, we have done all we can within the confines of what we inherited," one minister told the Guardian. "But if we want to push on, then some sort of commercial union with our neighbours may be the next place to go." Negotiations with Brussels remain tricky and costly. For example, talks to expand UK defence firms' role in the EU's Safe fund failed due to French resistance. Food standards and youth mobility talks are slow and face major disagreements. In short, while many in Labour want faster progress on EU relations, the government still struggles to secure even its limited current deals. The debate over customs union re-entry is likely to grow louder as the next election approaches.