Starmer prepares Brexit ‘reset’ bill to align UK with EU law

Sir Keir Starmer is preparing a bill that would give ministers powers to bring Britain into line with EU laws as part of a bid to cut paperwork and boost growth in the UK.

The bill, to be put forward this year as part of the government’s Brexit reset, would give ministers sweeping powers to bring the UK into line with EU law in certain areas such as food standards, animal welfare and pesticide use, a process known as dynamic alignment.

It is understood that the new powers could be used to implement agreements reached with the EU, such as agreements to harmonize electricity and carbon markets or plant and animal standards.

Ministers argue the dynamic alignment will have little material impact as UK food producers have largely complied with EU rules since Brexit, but it is hoped it will reduce expensive and time-consuming paperwork for suppliers looking to export to the single market.

But there are concerns the UK will surrender control over its own laws.

When the UK was a member of the EU, the government had the right to vote on new laws previously accepted by Brussels. But now Britain will need to pass legislation without a vote if it wants to remain in dynamic alignment with the trading bloc.

Both Conservative and Reform UK MPs are expected to oppose the plans; The Conservative Party accuses the prime minister of “surrendering our freedom” and trying to “undo” Brexit to appease Labor backbenchers.

However, a Labor Party source argued that “all international agreements contain common rules”.

The Liberal Democrats, meanwhile, are calling on the government to go further and negotiate a customs union with the EU, accusing it of being “too timid” in its goal of establishing closer ties with Brussels.

Although the government rejects such a plan, MPs sympathetic to Labor may rebel and vote with the Liberal Democrats.

Sir Keir has recently faced pressure from his own supporters to change course on the customs union; Nearly 13 Labor MPs backed proposals that would pave the way for such a regulation in a House of Commons vote last month.

When he became prime minister, Sir Keir vowed to reset Britain’s relationship with Brussels and restore ties with the bloc after years of tension and distrust under the Conservatives.

And over the weekend the prime minister signaled that the government would be ready to move even closer to the EU single market if that move was in the national interest.

Sir Keir insisted the UK must “go further” in strengthening post-Brexit ties with Brussels following the trade deal reached earlier this year.

But he appeared to throw cold water on suggestions that Britain should rejoin a customs union with the bloc after health secretary Wes Streeting said the arrangement provided “tremendous economic benefits”.

speaking to the BBC Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg At the weekend Sir Keir highlighted steps already taken to align more closely with the EU on agriculture and food, adding: “This is the sovereign decision we have taken.

“I think we need to get closer, and if even closer alignment with the single market is in our national interest, then we should consider that, we should go that far.”

He added: “I think it is in our national interest to go further.

“I can say this about the customs union: I have defended the customs union with the EU for many years, but now a lot of water has flowed under the bridge.

“Why do people ask, ‘Wouldn’t it be better if we went to the customs union?’ I understand what you say. In fact, I think that we have now made agreements with the USA that are in line with our national interests, and agreements with India that are in line with our national interests; “I think it would be better for us to look at the single market rather than the customs union to achieve greater harmony.”

The prime minister insisted that freedom of movement – a fundamental principle of the EU single market – was off the table, as he faced questions about what concessions he was willing to make in return.

A Labor source said: Independent: “The bill will give us the power to share rules with the EU. All international agreements contain common rules. This is their nature.”

“We are confident in advocating for specific trade-offs where there are clear benefits for businesses and consumers.

“Kemi has a short memory – it wasn’t long ago that he was making similar arguments when he lit the Brexit bonfire of EU regulations in the name of pragmatism and what works in the real world.

“Yet the Conservative Party and Reform are keen to preserve the broken status quo and want to break our agreement in the name of petty ideology.”