Sir Keir Starmer has thrown down the gauntlet to Nigel Farage as the Prime Minister braces for a new Brexit battle with the Reform UK leader.
The Prime Minister, who campaigned for a second referendum as Jeremy Corbyn’s Remain-supporting Shadow Brexit Secretary in 2016, hinted yesterday that the UK is looking to pursue greater access to the EU’s single market.
Despite promising voters Labour would not rejoin the single market or customs union, Sir Keir said there are other areas beyond the deals the UK is negotiating on food, agriculture and energy market alignment that he will consider on a sector-by-sector basis.
Labour strategists hope a new Brexit battle will help Sir Keir take on Mr Farage, with opinion polls suggesting a shift in support for rejoining the Brussels bloc.
No10 insiders also believe the Reform UK leader is vulnerable on the economy and foreign policy.
However, Sir Keir was dealt a blow yesterday after a new Merlin Strategy poll suggested Mr Farage is the most trusted to run the economy.
The Prime Minister might look to kick-start negotiations for a closer relationship with the EU in an upcoming UK-EU summit.
Speaking to the BBC yesterday, Sir Keir said: “If it’s in our national interest to have even closer alignment with the Single Market, then we should consider that, we should go that far.”
Sir Keir has hinted that the UK is looking to pursue greater access to the EU’s single market
|
PA
“We’re already aligning on energy, reconnecting to energy in Europe on emissions, but I think the single market further alignment, as I say, if it’s in our interest to do so, we should take that step.”
Mr Farage has previously argued such a pivot is “breaking faith with his manifesto pledges on the EU”.
Dame Priti Patel said Sir Keir is “surrendering our freedom” in a “desperate” bid to appease his backbenchers with closer alignment with the EU single market.
The shadow foreign secretary said: “Labour’s Brexit betrayal is becoming clearer by the day.
Anew Merlin Strategy poll suggested Mr Farage is the most trusted to run the economy
|
PA
“In a desperate bid to appease his backbenchers, Keir Starmer is pursuing alignment with the single market – surrendering our freedom to cut regulation and strike our own trade deals.
“Only the Conservatives will hold Labour to account for trying to undo the democratic decision of the British people.”
It is not the first time in recent weeks the Prime Minister has been accused of “betraying” Brexit.
The Government last month announced it would rejoin the EU’s Erasmus student exchange scheme, costing around £570million for one year of membership.
EU relations minister Nick Thomas-Symonds said the breakthrough “is a huge win for our young people”, who will be able to study, train or gain work experience under the EU scheme from January 2027.
The UK left the scheme under Boris Johnson, who argued it did not offer value for money.
Downing Street insisted it is “a good deal”, while declining to deny reports the UK had pushed for a larger reduction in fees, saying only that negotiators, “as with every area of international engagement, pushed for the best deal for the British people”.
Dame Patel accused ministers of “throwing away billions of pounds of hard-pressed taxpayers’ money on rejoining Erasmus” as they “continue to betray Brexit”.
Sir Keir will face his first test on January 16 as anti-Brexit Labour MPs look set to vote in favour of a Private Members’ Bill demanding the UK rejoins the EU’s customs union.