Reform MP Richard Tice says he is expecting a “full on surrender” to the EU at today’s post-Brexit summit.
Keir Starmer is aiming to secure a new deal between the UK and the EU, but Tice fears he will cave on “three big, critical issues”.
He explained: “It looks like they are going to surrender on reintroducing freedom of movement. They rebadged it as youth mobility which sounds nice and cuddly but in reality, if it’s 18-30 or 35 year-olds, that was the bulk of the freedom of movement that the British people voted against in 2016 and then just a few weeks ago expressed a clear view against mass immigration by voting in huge numbers for Reform UK.
“Last week the prime minister said he was going to reduce immigration, not if you surrender to more freedom of movement.
RIchard Tice campaigned passionately for Brexit, but fears Starmer is funnelling Britain back into the bloc
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“The second big surrender is becoming a rule-taker under dynamic alignment, we will have to accept all EU regulations. We don’t want that. We want to reduce the regulations. We want to be able to reduce the cost of business and living, that would be complete foolishness.
“The third surrender is on the very important issue to my constituents in Boston and Skegness of fishing, we want to get back control of our fishing waters.
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“The Tories did a pretty average deal a few years ago but it seems like Keir Starmer is willing to sacrifice that on the altar of trying to cosy up to the bumbling bureaucrats in Brussels.”
Tice questioned the logic in “handcuffing” Britain to a bloc with many of its key players in a precarious financial situation.
“This is a prime minister who basically wants to get us back into the EU via the backdoor”, he said.
“Let’s remember when people ask ‘what’s wrong with their rules?’, Germany is in a recession. Most of the EU is in recession or flatlining.
Richard Tice spoke to Eamonn Holmes and Ellie Costello on GB News
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“We’re struggling, but we’re doing a bit better. Why tie yourself to an economic model which is failing and making people poorer?
“We need to break away from the shackles of the EU. We need to make sure Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom and not tied into EU rules and regulations.
“We need to break away from net stupid zero to give us the opportunity to grow again.”
No 10 believes a new veterinary deal will be one of the biggest prizes of the reset, removing barriers to trade in food such as fresh meat, cheese and olive oil. This is expected to lower supermarket bills and boost the economy.
Keir Starmer and Ursula von der LeyenPAA Whitehall source told The i Paper that securing improved trading terms on food would be one of the "biggest wins" from the deal, giving confidence to businesses and consumers.
British holidaymakers will be allowed to use their passports at EU e-gates, cutting passport queues at airports. However, insiders cast doubt on whether this would come into effect in time for the summer holidays.
Europe minister Nick Thomas-Symonds confirmed the government had been pushing for British citizens to be able to use EU queues at airports once again, saying: "I am sure we can all agree that would be sensible."
Another area of the deal is a new youth mobility scheme, allowing young people to live and work freely between the UK and EU member states for a limited period. Both sides agree it should be capped and time-limited, though final details are still being negotiated.
Polling by JL Partners found Britons were "warm to the idea" of such a scheme, particularly appreciating its reciprocal nature.
The new agreement will also see Brussels and London agree to a security and defence pact, allowing British defence companies to bid for contracts under the EU's new €150bn (£128bn) re-armament scheme. This is part of Sir Keir's broader strategy to strengthen ties with Europe while boosting economic opportunities for British businesses.
Both Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and Reform UK's Nigel Farage have already described the deal as a "surrender", despite the details not yet being fully known. They have indicated they would tear it up if they came to power.
Badenoch has expressed concerns that the youth mobility scheme would involve a return to free movement "by the back door", while Shadow Cabinet Office minister Alex Burghart said there were "very limited circumstances" in which the Tories would support such a scheme.
Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds, who is leading the Government's Brexit reset work, suggested the UK would be prepared to align with EU rules in some areas "to make sure we get far easier trade", describing this as "a sovereign choice".
"We know we've had lorries waiting for 16 hours, fresh food in the back not able to be exported because frankly it's just going off, red tape, all the certifications that are required, we absolutely want to reduce that," he said.
