Leading Conservatives have launched a scathing attack on Sir Keir Starmer, accusing him of wanting to effectively “rejoin the EU” despite Britain’s departure. The Labour leader recently expressed his desire to renegotiate Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal, stating that it lacked depth and pushed for a closer trading relationship with the EU.
During a public forum, Starmer emphasized that he did not wish to deviate from EU standards, including environmental, working, and food standards. While Labour argues that this is not a new policy, the Tories seized on footage of Starmer’s comments, claiming it as evidence of his pro-EU stance.
The foreign secretary, James Cleverly, pointed out Starmer’s shifting positions on Brexit, from supporting Remain to backing a second referendum and now moving towards rejoining the EU. Similarly, Michael Gove, the levelling up secretary, accused Starmer of wanting to relive the Brexit turmoil.
These attacks highlight how Starmer’s bolder approach to Brexit will likely shape the upcoming general election. However, Labour’s spokesperson reaffirmed that the party does not support reentering the EU in any form and that decisions on standards will be made in the UK parliament, not dictated by the EU.
While Labour appeared to rule out dynamic alignment with EU rules, it clarified that it would still consider limited alignment in specific areas, such as a veterinary agreement. The UK parliament would need to approve any alignment on a case-by-case basis. Industry experts, like former UK Department for International Trade official David Henig, suggest that Labour could align closely in certain areas if deemed necessary.
Labour has expressed its intention to pursue a veterinary agreement with the EU to minimize the need for checks on animal and plant products. However, only a dynamically aligned deal, similar to Switzerland’s arrangement, would effectively reduce the most burdensome checks.
It is worth noting that the EU has negotiated veterinary agreements in the past without dynamic alignment, instead opting for reduced border checks and simplified export health certificates.
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