Keir Starmer today championed his drive to secure closer ties with the European Union, even as signs emerged that Brussels is already leveraging its position to demand financial contributions. The Prime Minister is in Armenia for a meeting of the European Political Community, where he is engaging with counterparts including French President Emmanuel Macron.
Arriving at the summit, Sir Keir expressed his desire for the UK to participate in the EU's £78 billion loan package for Ukraine. He described this as a 'very important' step towards 'resetting' relations post-Brexit, with crucial negotiations anticipated this summer. However, there are mounting concerns about the concessions the premier might make to deepen links with the bloc.
Sources told The Times that there is no prospect of the UK 'cherry-picking' access to the single market, pointing out that Switzerland pays hundreds of millions of pounds annually for such access. Given that the UK's economy is roughly four times larger than Switzerland's, its annual contribution could exceed £1 billion.
Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel criticised the move, stating: 'Starmer is unpicking Brexit and planning another undemocratic hit job on British taxpayers by signing us up to a £1 billion annual payment to the EU. Once again, this weak Prime Minister goes to the negotiating table, comes home empty-handed, having fleeced hard-pressed taxpayers with his terrible judgment.'
A Government spokesman declined to comment on ongoing negotiations. The King's Speech is expected to propose legislation allowing ministers to adopt EU single market rules without requiring a parliamentary vote each time. The government is evaluating which sectors could benefit most from aligning with Brussels rules, focusing on chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and automotive industries.
Speaking to media at the European Political Community (EPC) summit, Sir Keir said: 'In relation to the EU loan that we are discussing participating in, that is very good for Ukraine, because it will give Ukraine capability that is desperately needed in year five of this conflict. It's very good for the UK, because of the capability that leads to jobs in the United Kingdom. And it's very good for UK-EU relations, which is very important as we go on to the various discussions.'
In an article for The Observer yesterday, Sir Keir reiterated his desire for closer EU ties, stating of Brexit: 'It has damaged our economy and there's no doubt in my mind where the national interest lies. Britain must be at the heart of a stronger Europe on defence, on security, on energy, and on our economy.'
At the summit, Sir Keir and Mr Macron co-chaired a meeting on Ukraine, with attendees including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Polish Premier Donald Tusk, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Vice President Kaja Kallas, and European Council President Antonio Costa. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, the first leader of a non-European country to attend the EPC, also participated.
Sir Keir will tell allies that Britain seeks closer cooperation to ensure Kyiv receives the military equipment needed to continue its fight against Russia. The UK will also impose further sanctions on Russian companies later this week to disrupt military supply chains, according to Downing Street. Access to the loan initiative could create opportunities for British defence firms to compete for contracts under the scheme. The bid to participate in the scheme comes after the EU recently approved it, following Viktor Orban's defeat in Hungarian elections, which ended a long-running impasse.
