Brexiteers hit out at Labour after reports that Britain will have to pay to join a European Union defence fund. The UK and the EU are set to sign a wider security deal at a summit in London next month as part of Sir Keir Starmer‘s Brexit “reset”.
But a second agreement will reportedly be required before British companies are able to bid for the new €150 billion EU defence fund. Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice said: “This just confirms what we have known all along – Labour can’t be trusted to strike a deal with the EU that puts Britain first.
“We’ve got a government stuffed with Remainers, led by a Prime Minister who tried to overturn Brexit and ignore 17 million voices.
“Britain is a global arms powerhouse – yet at a time when European peace hangs by a thread, the EU is more interested in chasing our cash than standing with us. That tells you everything.”
Tory Shadow Armed Forces Minister Mark Francois added: “If there is a defence announcement at the UK/EU Summit on 19 May, we will judge it on its merits when we see the details.
“However, the risk is, Labour will use it as ‘camoflague’ to try and mask a surrender on both fish and food. Starmer Remains a Remainer – and he always will.”
EU diplomats and officials told the Financial Times that the UK would be expected to pay a fee to access the fund.
One said: “The pact is a nonbinding instrument. The more difficult hurdle is going to be a bilateral agreement that would include a financial contribution.”
A second added: “To get your industry in the game, you need a second agreement. The commission will negotiate that, and will first look at what each country has to offer.
“Of course, the French will try to complicate it for the Brits. I imagine that there will be some form of [financial] contribution involved.”
A third EU diplomat said: “The actual effective association to the programme requires a specific arrangement. We need to discuss the rules, what contribution and so on.”
A senior European Commission official confirmed that the UK would be required to pay, but it was unclear if this would be a small administration fee or something larger.
It comes after the Prime Minister welcomed European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to Number 10 on Thursday ahead of the UK-EU summit on May 19.
A Downing Street spokesperson described Thursday’s meeting as “long and productive”, covering areas including Ukraine, energy security, the global economy and defence.
Brexiteers have also been left furious over reports that Sir Keir has made concessions on fishing rights in order to strike the defence deal.