Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said the public will expect the Government to grab "with both hands" the opportunity to boost economic growth through closer trade ties with the EU. He defended plans to accept a new agreement with Brussels on food and farming while attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua.
Prime Minister defends EU agreement plans
Asked if he believed it was acceptable for the UK to have its rules on food trade made by the EU without any input, Mr Burnham told broadcasters: "What's facing me two weeks on Friday is a UK-EU summit where I have the opportunity to add to UK growth."
He said it is estimated there could be up to 0.4% extra on GDP, adding: "I think people in Britain would expect me to take that with both hands, given where we've been in recent times, and that's what I'm doing."
Details of the proposed agreements
The Prime Minister said the UK is not in the EU and therefore has to work with it in a different way, but if the deal can get growth, help farmers, and remove red tape from British businesses, most people would expect him to negotiate the best deal possible.
Earlier, Mr Burnham told the Economist magazine that the Treasury had confirmed in recent days that agreements under negotiation ahead of a summit later this month could raise GDP by 0.4%, up from the previous estimate of 0.3%.
Summit scheduled for November 20
Mr Burnham wants to lock in deals on food and drink, emissions trading, and a youth mobility scheme at a Brussels summit on November 20. In a sign that a food and agriculture deal is almost finalised, a draft text has been circulated among the 27 EU members, the BBC reported, along with similar documents on the emissions trading and youth mobility plans.
