Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who backed remaining in the EU, has bet that securing smoother access to Europe for UK visitors and trade will drown out the cries of “betrayal” from Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage when he agrees to closer EU alignment at a summit in London.
The reset follows U.S. President Donald Trump’s upending of the post-war global order, which has forced governments around the world to rethink ties on trade, defence and security, and brought Starmer closer to France’s Emmanuel Macron and other European leaders.
“It’s time to look forward — to move on from the stale old political fights and to find common sense, practical solutions that improve the lives of British people,“ Starmer said on X.
On fishing, British and EU vessels will have access to each other’s waters for 12 years - removing one of the UK’s strongest hands in any future talks - in return for a permanent reduction in paperwork and border checks that has prevented many small food producers from exporting to Europe.
In return, it has agreed to the outline of a limited youth mobility scheme, with the details to be hammered out in the future, and it is discussing participation in the Erasmus+ student exchange programme.
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It helped trigger one of the most tumultuous periods in British political history, with five prime ministers in office before Starmer arrived last July, and poisoned relations with Brussels.
But the prime minister and French President Emmanuel Macron have struck up a solid relationship over their support for Ukraine, and Starmer was not tainted with the Brexit rows that went before, helping to improve sentiment.
Britain struck a full trade deal with India earlier this month and secured some tariff relief from the U.S., while the EU is seeking to forge trade deals with India and deepen partnerships with Canada, Australia, Japan and Singapore.
Removing red tape on food trade will require Britain to accept EU oversight on standards, but Starmer is likely to argue that it is worth it to help lower the cost of food.
Agreeing a longer-term fishing rights deal will also be opposed by the industry, by Farage, and by the opposition Conservative Party who negotiated the original Brexit deal and who labelled Monday’s event as the “surrender summit”.
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