Sir Keir Starmer was accused of wanting to jump back into bed with Brussels after he picked the EU’s anthem to sum up Labour.
The Opposition leader talked about the “sense of destiny” and “moving forward to a better place” in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony.
It includes the choral Ode to Joy, which has been the adopted song of the European bloc since the 1970s to represent “the ideals of freedom, peace and solidarity”.
Sir Keir told Classic FM: “One of the pieces I’ve got is Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, the choral Ode to Joy. You’ve got the orchestra, you’ve got the voices, you’ve got this big combination.
“This is very sort of Labour.”
Sir Keir insists returning to the EU’s single market or customs union is not on the table for Labour.
But Tory Chairman Richard Holden said the choice was “simultaneously totally naff and completely telling”.
“As if we needed any more proof that Sir Keir is ready to jump back into bed with Brussels at the first opportunity – never mind Ode to Joy, this is another of his embarrassing Odes to the EU,” he added.
“Labour has already admitted they want to cosy up with Europe, and we know they want to strike a back door open borders deal with Brussels.
“It’s clear that Sir Keir’s only real sense of ‘destiny’ is to defy the will of the British people and reverse Brexit by stealth.”
Brexit negotiator Lord Frost said: “Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, with Schiller’s Ode to Joy, is one of the most sublime, uplifting, and profound works of the human spirit.
“It is a huge pity that the final movement’s main theme has been appropriated by the bureaucratic monstrosity of the European Union.
“Of course one must suspect Starmer of making a pro-EU political point, but I don’t think the rest of us should be led to feel we can’t appreciate the music for political reasons.”
