Sir Keir Starmer's plans for a UK-EU defence body risks being undermined by France, as Emmanuel Macron is said to be prepared to push back against the plans.
The Labour leader is seeking to secure a security pact with the EU if he wins the next election, amid growing instability at the bloc's doorstep.
The proposed UK-EU body would see cooperation on operations and procurement of weapons.
But an EU official told the Telegraph that France is likely to "push back" against the plans. They claimed Paris had been annoyed by Labour’s focus on agreeing a new bilateral defence pact with Germany.
Sir Keir Starmer's plans for a UK-EU defence body risks being undermined by France, as Emmanuel Macron is said to be prepared to push back against the plans
PA
Speaking at the Munich Security Conference in February, Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: "It’s absolutely fundamental that the United Kingdom and Europe have the closest of relationships and the Brexit era is over, the situation is settled."
He said Britain and France combined makeup around half of Europe's military capabilities, adding that the sharing of intelligence through the Five Eyes alliance means an EU security deal is important.
Lammy said: "It’s a pact that is effectively built on the fact that we obviously have war here in Europe.
"Russia will continue to be a threat to Europe for months, years, perhaps a generation more. We now need a U.K.-EU security pact."
In December, Shadow Defence Secretary John Healey explained: "We would look to put in place systematic cooperation and a defence and security pact with the European Union.
"We would begin work directly after the election."
Speaking after following a visit to NATO headquarters in Brussels, he added: "If we win the election ... we must rebuild relationships with key allies and with the European Union.
"Relationships that were badly damaged, sometimes deliberately so, during the Brexit process."
A Labour insider this week told the Telegraph: "There’s a wide acceptance that European allies are going to have to do more and, if EU allies are to pick up more of the slack, an UK-EU security pact helps".
Starmer has also proposed an EU-wide returns agreement for asylum seekers who arrive in Britain if they win the next election.
But former Home Secretary Suella Braverman dismissed the plan, warning that it would "let Brussels decide who comes to the UK".
"Relationships that were badly damaged, sometimes deliberately so, during the Brexit process."
A Labour insider this week told the Telegraph: "There’s a wide acceptance that European allies are going to have to do more and, if EU allies are to pick up more of the slack, an UK-EU security pact helps".
Starmer has also proposed an EU-wide returns agreement for asylum seekers who arrive in Britain if they win the next election.
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Labour's plan to stop the boats also involves the expansion of laws used to target serious criminals, terrorists and drug traffickers.
But former Home Secretary Suella Braverman dismissed the proposals, warning that it would "let Brussels decide who comes to the UK".
