Osborne calls for UK to rejoin EU customs union

Former UK Chancellor George Osborne has called for Britain to rejoin the European Union customs union, arguing that Brexit has damaged the economy and left the country poorer. In an interview, Osborne stated that the UK economy has "gone off a cliff" since leaving the EU and that rejoining the customs union would be a "straightforward decision" for Prime Minister Andy Burnham. Osborne, who served as chancellor under David Cameron and resigned after the 2016 Brexit referendum, said the original case for leaving the customs union has failed. "The reason we weren't supposed to be in the customs union according to the Brexiteers was these great trade deals we were going to strike with America. That all looks pretty fanciful now," he said. He argued that the customs union was never part of the Brexit debate and that its departure has had a "devastating impact on trade." The former chancellor suggested that rejoining the customs union would be a politically viable step because, unlike rejoining the single market, it would not require accepting the free movement of people. "If I was Andy Burnham, I don't see why you wouldn't rejoin the customs union," Osborne said.