European leaders are willing to relax their stance on the free movement of people to accommodate Britain in a reformed union after Brexit, according to Tony Blair.
The former prime minister said senior EU figures had told him they were open to adapting one of the central principles of single market membership, and suggested that British people should be made aware of the possibility of meeting Europe “half way” on a range of issues.
Mr Blair also said that Brexit combined with a Jeremy Corbyn government would leave Britain “flat on its back” and “out for the long count”.
He reiterated his belief that abandoning the single market would be “damaging” for Britain’s economy while predicting that Europe would “comprise an inner and outer circle” in the coming years.
“Rational consideration of the options would sensibly include the option of negotiating for Britain to stay within a Europe itself prepared to reform,” he wrote in an article for the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change.
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“Reform is now on Europe’s agenda. The European leaders, certainly from my discussions, are willing to consider changes to accommodate Britain, including around freedom of movement. Yet this option is excluded.”
Mr Blair added that it was possible that the will of the British people could change, opening the door to remaining in the union with an improved deal. “As we know more about what Brexit means, our will changes,” he wrote.
He pointed to the election of the French president, Emmanuel Macron, as an event that “changed the political dynamics of Europe” and made an alternative to a hard Brexit more plausible.
Mr Blair called on ministers to conduct a “proper debate about the options before us” before further negotiations. “Europe knows it will be poorer and less powerful without us,” he said.
Leave Means Leave, the pro-Brexit group, said Mr Blair’s comments “demonstrate how out of touch he is with British voters”.
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Richard Tice, the group’s co-chairman, said: “The former prime minister believes that freedom of movement is the only issue with the EU, when in reality the British people also voted to leave in order to take back control of our laws and money and no longer be dictated to by the European Court of Justice.
“Sadly, Westminster ‘remainers’ are still in denial, whilst more and more business people see the advantages and opportunities of leaving the EU.”
Mr Blair used his article to launch his latest attack on Mr Corbyn. Although he paid tribute to the Labour leader for energising the youth vote in the general election, he said the Tories’ campaign was the “determining factor” for the election result.
He warned that if the Labour leader implemented his “unreconstructed hard-left economics” while Brexit was taking effect, Britain “would hit the canvas, flat on our back and be out for a long count”.
He said: “Labour’s leadership could champion a position on Europe radically distinct from the Tories and reach out to those in the PLP [Parliamentary Labour Party] with experience of government to craft a programme of credibility as well as change.
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“Or they could dismiss the need for compromise and double down in their efforts to make their takeover of the Labour Party complete. The Labour Party should be cautious in thinking ‘one more heave’ will deliver victory next time.”