Michel Barnier obliterates Starmer's bid for EU deal in embarrassing hammer blow to Labour
Michel Barnier has obliterated Sir Keir Starmer's plan for an EU deal in an embarrassing hammer blow to one of Labour's key pledges
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Michel Barnier has obliterated Sir Keir Starmer's plan for an EU deal in an embarrassing hammer blow to one of Labour's key pledges.
The Labour leader had previously promised to secure a "much better deal" for the UK, when the Trade and Co-operation Agreement comes up for renegotiation in 2025.
Starmer said the 2025 renewal date is an "important" moment to reset relations with the bloc.
But last night, Barnier - who served as the European Commission's Head of Task Force for Relations with the UK from 2019 to 2021 - dismissed the idea, saying there is "no room for any kind of unravelling of the single market".
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He told ITV: "To be frank there is no room for any kind of renegotiation on the substance.
"As I always said during all the negotiations from day one to the last day, there is no room for any kind of unravelling of the single market.
"So that means if his point is very clear we can improve technical detail, for instance, veterinary relations, but we have to be out or in.
"Let me recall that the UK could have chosen to stay in the customs union or the single market as Norway.
"But the choice of the UK was to leave everything and it was the UK's choice, not our choice."
The Labour Leader said he wants a closer trading relationship with the bloc, dismissing the 2020 deal struck by Boris Johnson as "not a good deal".
Speaking about his plans for the deal, he told the Financial Times: "I do think we can have a closer trading relationship as well. That’s subject to further discussion."
Speaking about the current deal, he added: "I think there’s more that can be achieved across the board."
Starmer continued: "Almost everyone recognises the deal Johnson struck is not a good deal — it’s far too thin.
"As we go into 2025 we will attempt to get a much better deal for the UK."
Earlier this year, Starmer said he wanted to seek an EU-wide returns agreement for asylum seekers who arrive in Britain. This could involve the UK agreeing to a quota of migrants it will be forced to accept from the EU each year.
Suella Braverman dismissed the plan, warning that it would "let Brussels decide who comes to the UK".
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Earlier this year, Starmer said he wanted to seek an EU-wide returns agreement for asylum seekers who arrive in Britain
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But European diplomats dismissed the plans, dismissing the strategy as "delusional".
One EU source told the Times there is "absolutely no question of helping the UK" until the bloc has resolved its own issues with its "broken" asylum-sharing system.