Former Brexit Department Head Calls for UK to Reopen EU Membership Talks
Philip Rycroft, the former permanent secretary of the Department for Exiting the European Union, said Britain should start talking about rejoining the EU, according to an interview published by The Guardian on April 24, 2026. Rycroft, who led the government department responsible for delivering Brexit, stated that promises made on issues ranging from economics to immigration have not lived up to expectations. He argued that a "clear-headed appraisal of what is in the country's best interests" was needed.
Unfulfilled Promises Drive Reassessment
Rycroft said that the core arguments used to justify leaving the European Union have failed to materialize as promised. The former civil servant pointed to economic forecasts and immigration control pledges that, in his assessment, did not deliver the benefits that Brexit campaigners had projected. The Guardian reported that Rycroft described the gap between what was promised and what has been achieved as a central reason for reopening the debate about EU membership.
The former permanent secretary said the "argument was there to be won" about going back into Europe. He called for a national conversation based on factual analysis rather than political rhetoric. Rycroft's comments carry weight because he served as the top civil servant in the department created specifically to manage Britain's withdrawal from the bloc, a role he held from 2017 to 2020.
Acknowledging the Difficulty of Rejoining
Rycroft acknowledged that any process to rejoin the European Union would be complex and lengthy. He described the potential path back into the bloc as a "long and windy" road. The former official did not specify a timeline or a specific mechanism for how Britain would begin formal discussions with Brussels.
His remarks come more than six years after the UK formally left the EU on January 31, 2020, following the 2016 referendum in which 51.9% of voters chose to leave. Since then, successive British governments have maintained a policy of not seeking to rejoin the single market, the customs union, or the EU itself. No current government official has endorsed Rycroft's position.
Political Landscape and Public Opinion
Rycroft's intervention adds a notable voice to a debate that has remained largely dormant in mainstream British politics. The current Conservative government under Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has consistently ruled out any return to EU institutions. The Labour Party, led by Keir Starmer, has also stated it will not seek to rejoin the EU, focusing instead on improving the existing trade and cooperation agreement.
Public opinion polls in recent years have shown fluctuating attitudes toward EU membership. A YouGov survey from January 2026 found that 55% of respondents said they would vote to rejoin the EU if another referendum were held, while 45% said they would vote to stay out. However, both major political parties have resisted calls for a second referendum, citing the need for political stability after the divisive 2016 campaign and subsequent negotiations.
Rycroft's comments are scheduled to reignite discussion within pro-European circles but face significant political headwinds. The former civil servant did not call for an immediate referendum or formal application to Brussels. Instead, he urged a shift in the national conversation toward a more open assessment of the costs and benefits of Brexit, a process he said had been avoided since the 2016 vote.