Keir Starmer has introduced plans for new ties with the EU which promise to smooth out red tape for businesses and ease travel for holidaymakers, as he vows to leave the “stale old” Brexit debates in the past.
It’s been over four years since Boris Johnson secured the initial deal, but in a recent summit hosted in London, Mr Starmer presented his ideas for a post-Brexit update. His blueprint comes after various meetings focusing on defence, security, fishing rights, and the export of food products.
Is Starmer’s EU deal a turning point for the UK post-Brexit or will we become ‘rule-takers from Brussels’? Have your say in our comments section.
Under the freshly proposed terms, holidaymakers should enjoy faster airport experiences with expanded access to e-gates at airports across Europe to avoid long passport queues. Business-wise, lesser bureaucratic hurdles could see consumer costs dropping and predictions suggest a boost to the economy nearing £9 billion by 2040.
In a move that will delight British pet owners, the deal also lays out plans for feline and canine pet passports, opening doors again for British meat exports such as burgers and sausages into the EU market. Additionally, an understanding has been reached to allow 12 more years of reciprocal fishing rights for EU and UK fleets in each other’s waters.
Speaking at the summit, Starmer has championed Britain’s stride back onto the global stage, highlighting budding trade agreements with nations like India and America as engines for job creation and economic prosperity within the UK, as noted by the Mirror.
The Premier stated: “It’s time to look forward. It’s time to move on from the stale old debates and political fights to focus on delivering common sense, practical solutions which get the best for the British people. We’re ready to work with all our partners wherever it means we can improve people’s lives here at home.”
Expounding on the importance of the recent trade arrangement, he said, “That’s what this deal is all about – facing out to the world once again, in the great tradition of this nation. Building the relationships we choose, with the partners we choose, and closing deals in the national interest.”
It has come to light that there’ll be no changes to the existing fishing access rights or quotas for British or EU vessels. It’s understood that Brussels has stepped down from their earlier stance of tying food and farm product agreement lifespan to fishing privileges.
Recent shifts in the fishing industry are causing fresh Brexit strains. Conservative frontrunner Kemi Badenoch lambasted the latest development stating “we’re becoming a rule-taker from Brussels once again” while Nigel Farage condemned the entire situation calling it “abject surrender”.
The UK government has pledged a massive £360 million investment in British fishing and coastal communities courtesy of the new Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund to revive the industry.
Yet, Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF) Chief Executive Elspeth Macdonald vehemently criticised the strategy, affirming: “This deal is a horror show for Scottish fishermen, far worse than Boris Johnson’s botched Brexit agreement. It is clear that Sir Keir Starmer made the whole deal on the backs of our fishermen and coastal communities, granting EU vessels 12 years of continuous access to UK waters at the last minute in order secure other objectives.”
Meanwhile, Phil Taylor, Director of marine conservation charity Open Seas, weighed in by highlighting an often-neglected fact in the debate over fishing rights: “The debate about the length of the fishing deal and the amount of access granted to EU boats is missing a key point, since some of the biggest UK fishing companies are EU owned, while a number of Scottish boats are still landing more than half their catch directly to the continent.”
He encouraged lawmakers to widen their perspective in considering the implications of the deal: “The question politicians need to resolve is how this deal will actually deliver for our seas, and what conditions will be put on any fishing businesses accessing the public resource that is the sea – regardless of where they are from.”
Is Starmer’s EU deal a turning point for the UK post-Brexit or will we become ‘rule-takers from Brussels’? Have your say in our comments section.
