Prime Minister Keir Starmer has told Parliament that the economic and security benefits of closer ties with the European Union are “simply too big to ignore”, as the government prepares to align more rapidly with EU rules by default. Speaking after his visit to the Gulf and amid the Iran conflict, Starmer argued that renewed relations with Europe are essential given global instability and Donald Trump’s unpredictable US administration.
The Guardian revealed that ministers plan to use so-called Henry VIII powers to adopt changes to EU single market rules without full parliamentary scrutiny each time. Starmer said lessons from Brexit, Covid, and the Ukraine war must be learned, and that the response to future shocks “must and will be different”. He emphasised efforts to reduce energy bills and strengthen the economy through closer EU links.
Starmer’s stance has widened divisions with the Conservatives and Reform UK. Shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith accused Starmer of ignoring the 2016 referendum, while Reform UK leader Nigel Farage called the plans “a total betrayal of the Brexit vote”. Starmer countered that opponents must recognise the world has changed, urging a forward-looking approach.
The proposed bill, expected before the summer, could add billions to the UK economy and temper the cost of the Iran conflict, according to ministers. It would allow negotiators to adopt EU rules on sectors like cars and farming via secondary legislation, which Parliament can only approve or reject without amendment. A source warned that blocking votes could prompt EU retaliation.
