Keir Starmer's plans for future of EU relations branded 'journey with no destination'
GB News
The EU-UK summit this summer should see the first deals put into action
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Keir Starmer's plan to "backtrack" the Brexit deal has been accused of “suffering from a lack of direction, definition and drive”, MPs have warned.
The House of Commons foreign affairs committee disputed Sir Keir Starmer's proposed UK-EU “reset”, branding the government’s strategic objectives with EU relations unclear, considering work on this began last May.
Tuesday saw the delivery of the Spring Statement in the Commons by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who pledged to make closer trade ties with Europe as a key part of the UK's revamped growth strategy.
The entire statement has come under fire for its hollow nature, with little detail revealed regarding plans for the future prosperity of the British economy.
Labour chair of the committee, Dame Emily Thornberry, said: “It feels as though we are on a journey with no clear destination", claiming that the government has failed to provide timelines, milestones or priorities and does not appear to have an "ambitious strategic vision" for the UK’s new relationship with the EU.
The EU-UK summit this summer should see the first deals put into action, where agreements on how the relationship with the EU will develop will be finalised.
Schemes of interest include a new youth mobility scheme and the removal of trade barriers covering food and agricultural products and energy trading.
With little intricacies revealed so far, the Chancellor claimed to be preparing an updated statement in the coming weeks, which will detail the nuance her speech yesterday lacked.
A key goal is to strengthen global relationships, “breaking down trade barriers and deepening alliances with our European partners for a more secured and connected economy”.
The foreign affairs committee said it was still unclear what this new relationship would look like, but Ms Reeves has talked about "closer UK alignment with EU rules".
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The stress on repairing relations damaged by Brexit is part of an attempt to gain closer access to the single market, which Britain left in 2020.
European allies remian opposed to the idea of non-member states “cherry picking” access to the single market, so negotiations of such a deal would be tough - something the Labour Government are aware of.
MPs have called on the government to end its secrecy over EU matters and set out exactly what it plans to do in the next phase of negotiations "in a white paper”.
A Government spokesman said: “Our priorities are clear - working in the national interest to deliver a strategic shift in our relationship with the EU through improved diplomatic, economic and security co-operation.
“We are stripping away the costly bureaucracy and red tape that acts as a drag on growth, backing British jobs and putting more money in people’s pockets across the country".