Andrew Neil dismissed calls for the UK to rejoin the EU during an appearance on BBC's Question Time, arguing that Britain would be returning to a "different Europe" from the one it left in 2016.
The broadcaster highlighted the rise of right-wing parties across the continent and noted that UK growth, while sluggish, has exceeded that of Germany, France and Italy since leaving the bloc.
Europe 'nothing like' 2016
Mr Neil's comments came as the show debated whether the UK should rejoin the EU in the next decade, following a demand from Sir Tony Blair's think tank.
He said: "The political class continue this debate today as if the Europe we left in 2016 is the Europe of today, it's nothing like the Europe of today."
He pointed out that centrist leaders were in charge of France, Germany and Italy in 2016.
Rise of the hard right
Mr Neil went on: "Today, the AfD in Germany, if you want to see a hard-right party, go to Germany. If there were an election tomorrow, the AfD would have more seats in the Bundestag than the Social Democrats and the Christian Democrats combined.
"Every opinion poll in France, no matter who she's up against, Marine Le Pen wins next year's presidential election. And, of course, Italy already has the populist right.
"Six or seven countries by this time next year will be run by right or pretty hard-right governments. That's a different Europe."
Growth comparison
Mr Neil added: "Our growth rate is nothing to write home about, but our growth rate every year since Covid has been higher than the growth rate of the three biggest European economies - Germany, Italy and France.
"We've grown more every year than they have. Not by a lot because nobody's growing by a lot, but Europe is stagnant.
"I don't for the life of me understand how you can say things will get better if we join the single market and the customs union because we're already growing more quickly than the three biggest economies."
Lib Dem response
Lib Dem Josh Babarinde had called for closer ties with the EU earlier in the show.
He said: "I was on the protests, I did not want to leave the EU, I voted to remain, and I want to see us at the heart of Europe again.
"Why is that? There are many reasons, but a key one is an economic reason. Our economy has been flatlining for years, and so many of our businesses used to have thriving trade with EU countries, but now just struggle; there are so many barriers in place.
"A way that we can get our hands back on that cash that is in the European market is by cutting through those barriers."
