Sunak or Truss should have ‘backbone’ to strike free movement deal with EU, says Ryanair chief
The next prime minister should have the “backbone” to secure a deal with the European Union to open up the free movement of labour, Ryanair’s chief executive Michael O’Leary said this morning.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I think the first thing they should do to boost the British economy is prioritise a trade deal with the European Union – a good starting point for that would be to open up the free movement of labour between the UK and Europe once more.”
O’Leary, who said he accepted the result of the 2016 Brexit referendum, added: “You have to accept that you’re not going to get elected by a very narrow 180,000 electorate of the Tory party membership if you advocate common-sense policies.
“But once you do become prime minister, you should have enough backbone to lead the UK economy forward and the starting point for that should be a free trade deal with the European Union.”