Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said the practical deals being agreed with the EU will pay off for families across the UK, insisting that a summit later this month will not mark the end of the government's ambition for closer ties with the bloc.
Speaking to the Mirror, Mr Burnham said cutting red tape that went up after the 2016 Brexit vote would ease pressure on prices amid the cost-of-living crisis. Deals on food and farming, emissions trading and youth mobility are already on the table ahead of a summit in Brussels on November 20.
Red tape and price pressures
Mr Burnham argued that closer ties with the EU are key to bringing down prices. "It pays to have a good relationship with your neighbours, and the practical deals we are agreeing with Europe will pay off for families across the UK," he said.
"Cutting red tape on food coming in and out of the country will ease pressure on prices at the supermarket, while making life easier for farmers and food producers. This summit will show what we can achieve when we work together, but it doesn't need to be the end of our ambition."
The areas currently being discussed would see an end to the red tape caused by Brexit checks on products such as sausages, flowers and leather goods. A 200-page draft deal on removing checks on food and agriculture exports has been handed to EU nations, which the government believes could add up to £5.1 billion a year to the economy.
Emissions and immigration tools
Under an agreement on emissions, the UK will pay the EU billions of pounds to avoid a cross-border carbon tax, which comes into place next January. This could spare manufacturers additional carbon border charges and reduce trading friction between the EU and UK. It is predicted to add up to £3.1 billion a year to the economy.
On immigration, when Britain left the EU it lost access to tools such as fingerprint databases, showing whether someone arriving in a small boat had already claimed asylum, as well as real-time data on criminals who may be moving through Europe. Government sources say while deals have been reached with neighbouring countries, an agreement to restore access to these tools could help tackle migration crime.
Ambition and warnings
Mr Burnham previously expressed hopes of rejoining the EU in his lifetime, and said he wants an "honest discussion" about the possibility of a return to free movement. Speaking last month, he said: "I've said I'm going to be honest and say in my lifetime I would like to see that [rejoining the EU] happen, but I am not going to move ahead of the public. I am not going to dictate in terms of my own opinions here."
However, the EU's former Brexit negotiator warned the PM he will not be able to rejoin its single market "a la carte". Speaking to the BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, Michel Barnier said: "I said very, very often during these negotiations, the Brexit, there is no cherry picking. There will be no possibility to have one freedom and not the other. The four freedoms are the four conditions to be in a single market."
A government spokesman said: "We are building an ambitious, close relationship with the EU that will strengthen our economy, protect British industry, and create more opportunities for young people across the UK."
