Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has accused the Conservatives of making “wild promises” over Brexit that were left unfulfilled and continue to hamper the UK. Speaking at the annual Guildhall speech in central London, Starmer condemned the implementation of Brexit by the Tories and insisted the UK must make its relationship with the European Union work.
Starmer stated: “The Brexit vote was a fair, democratic expression, and I will always respect that. But how it was sold and delivered was simply wrong. Wild promises were made to the British people and not fulfilled. We are still dealing with the consequences today.” He also criticised an “inward-looking attitude” that he said proposed choosing between allies, leaving the European Convention on Human Rights, or even leaving Nato, calling it a “fatal misreading of the moment”.
The Prime Minister also defended his courtship of China, describing the absence of engagement with the world’s second-largest economy as “a dereliction of duty”. He said the UK needs a China policy grounded in “strength, clarity and sober realism”, rejecting the “binary choice” of a golden age or an ice age. He acknowledged that China poses national security threats but argued that protecting security is non-negotiable while enabling cooperation in other areas.
Starmer is attempting to reset relations with the EU by negotiating a deal to make importing food and drink cheaper, as well as a youth exchange scheme. However, an attempt to join the EU’s £132bn rearmament fund failed after the deadline passed. The Government has also partly blamed the Brexit deal, along with austerity, Liz Truss’s mini-Budget, and Donald Trump’s tariffs, for the poor state of the economy.
