Sir Keir wants to deliver improvements that will ease red tape when exporting British food and make it easier for British workers to work in Europe. By REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett
Labour has scrapped plans to quickly renegotiate the Brexit trade deal after it was rejected by the European Union.
Sir Keir Starmer has quietly abandoned his ambitions to deliver an overhaul of the pact when it comes up for debate in 2025, The Telegraph has been told.
EU sources said he was now taking a more «realistic» approach after after Brussels warned him it would not reopen the agreement.< /p>
The Labor leader criticized the deal struck by Boris Johnson in 2019 as “too thin” and said he would renegotiate it to boost economic growth.
In September he spoke of a planned review of how the 2025 pact was working as an opportunity to make changes.
He told the Financial Times: “Going into 2025 we will try to get the UK a much better deal . I think more can be achieved across the board.»
Nick Thomas-Symonds, Labour's shadow cabinet minister, insists the review will still be an «important opportunity» for both sides to discuss potential improvements. .
Sir Keir wants improvements that would ease red tape on UK food exports and make it easier for British workers to work in Europe.
But the EU Commission has privately warned him that it is generally happy with the agreement and does not intend to reopen its terms.
Mr Thomas-Symonds told The Telegraph: “The deal this government has agreed with the EU means the Trade and Cooperation Agreement is due to be renegotiated in 2026 — this will be an important opportunity for both sides to see how improvements can be made.
“A Labor government will seek to use the TCA to improve our trade and security relationship with the EU, including through a veterinary agreement and a UK-EU defense and security pact that will complement NATO and strengthen European security.”
«These commitments will be — firmly — within Labour's red lines: no return to the single market, customs union or freedom of movement.»
«Improvements and adjustments»
EU insiders told The Telegraph that senior Labor officials have conceded in recent talks that there will be no serious talks in 2025.
“What Labor has done since September is that it has tried to better understand what is in the realm of possibility,” the source said.
“There is no desire among member states to reopen the trade agreement. . The 2025 review is about testing how this works in practice.
“Labour now understands how it all works. They have learned more and improved.»
An EU diplomat reiterated that «no one is talking about a complete change in relations» when the agreement is reviewed in 2025.
They expressed hope that relations cross-Channel warming under Labor government but warn Sir Keir against over-ambition on trade.
Ruling out a major renegotiation, they said: «Much of the substance can be built on what we already have, through improvements and adjustments.»
The diplomat also warned that Sir Keir's promise to secure a veterinary deal and cut food bureaucratic red tape may prove difficult to negotiate.
“The challenge you will immediately face is dynamic reconciliation,” they warned, adding that improvements in the relationship “will not all be immediate «.
Senior Labor Party figures have noticeably backed away from talk of a 2025 review. from their public statements on Brexit over the last few months.
Unrealistic and self-defeating.
During an interview with The Sun last week, Sir Keir made no mention of the review when asked about his plans to improve relations with the EU. EU.
“I still think we could get a better deal, I think we should be able to trade more freely with Europe,” he told the newspaper.
One insider told the FT that trade commitments for 2025 were «a little high». «a red herring» and the party has turned its attention to securing a defense deal.
Labour is already drawing up detailed plans for a potential security pact with Brussels that it hopes will usher in a new era of closer cooperation. cooperation.
Senior figures hope such an agreement would mark the start of a long-term overhaul that would pave the way for improved trade relations.
But they were warned that Emmanuel Macron may seek to block any deal due to… over fears it would open French arms companies to British competition.
EU sources also warn that Sir Keir's pledge to negotiate a return of asylum deal with the bloc is unrealistic and self-defeating. .
One diplomat said: “Nobody is thinking about a return agreement, neither the EU nor national governments. This is not in the cards and Labor knows it.”
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