Renewed ties with EU needed to boost UK security and economy, says Starmer
The economic and security benefits of a closer relationship with the EU are “simply too big to ignore”, Keir Starmer has told parliament as the British government prepares for more rapid alignment with European rules.Updating MPs on the Iran conflict and his visit to the Gulf last week, the prime minister was explicit about what he argued was the need for renewed ties with Europe given the chaotic global situation and Donald Trump’s unpredictable US administration.The Guardian revealed that ministers were planning to use so-called Henry VIII powers to dynamically align with EU rules by default, including the adoption of changed EU single market rules without full parliamentary scrutiny each time.Setting out what he said were the lessons of the Iran crisis, Starmer said that after Brexit, Covid and the Ukraine war the idea of a global shock to UK living standards was no longer “a novel experience”, and that lessons should be learned.This time, he argued, the response “must and will be different to reflect the changing world that we live in”, saying this included efforts to reduce energy bills.
He went on: “Looking forward, it also means a closer economic relationship with our European allies, because Brexit did deep damage to the economy, and the opportunities we now have to strengthen our security and cut the cost of living are simply too big to ignore.”In his Commons statement, Starmer condemned as “wrong” continued Israeli strikes on Lebanon after a ceasefire was agreed over the USand Israelwar on Iran, while warning that Iran’s blockading of the strait of Hormuz was “causing untold economic damage”.The UK would play no part in planned attempts by the US to mount a counter-blockade of the strait, he added.Questioned by MPs about Trump’s pre-ceasefire threat last week that that Iran’s “whole civilisation will die” if Tehran did not comply with his demands, Starmer condemned the US president’s words.“Could I really be clear with this house that that was wrong,” he said.
“A threat to Iranian civilians in that way is wrong.These are civilians, let’s remember, who suffered immeasurable harm by the regime in Iran for many, many, long years.”Starmer’s very clear call for closer EU links has opened up a greater divide with the Conservatives and Reform UK, who have both condemned the plans for alignment-by-default, details of which will come in a bill to be presented in next month’s King’s speech.The Conservatives’ shadow business secretary, Andrew Griffith, said Starmer was unable to accept the decision of the 2016 referendum, with parliament “reduced to a spectator while Brussels sets the terms”.Speaking at a press conference in Westminster, Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, said Starmer wanted to create closer links with “a declining part of the global economy”.
Asked about the plans, Farage said: “To tie ourselves ever closer to it makes no sense in economic terms.In democratic terms, it is a total betrayal of the Brexit vote 10 years ago, and it is also a complete breach of the Labour manifesto and a further devaluation of parliament.”But speaking to the BBC on Monday morning, Starmer argued that opponents of the plans needed to recognise that the world had changed.“I think it’s also a sense, 10 years on from the Brexit referendum, that we’ve got to look forward now, not backwards,” the prime minister said.“Let’s not just have all the old arguments of the last decade.
“Let’s go forward and recognise that a stronger, closer relationship with Europe is in the UK’s best interest, particularly in a world that is as volatile as it is.”Under the proposed bill, ministers are planning to argue that the move will add billions to the UK economy, temper the cost of the Iran conflict and boost sluggish productivity.The Guardian understands that if the bill – expected to be introduced before the summer – is passed, negotiators could seek to adopt EU rules on everything from cars to farming using secondary legislation.Parliament can either approve or reject secondary legislation but cannot amend it, which would probably mean MPs will “rubber-stamp” new deals rather than debate and vote on every one.Any blocking votes would be likely to cause issues with the EU, and could prompt retaliatory action.
A source said: “We are clear parliament will have a role for new deals and on new EU laws applying under those deals.”New polling for More in Common has found many Britons are reconsidering the UK’s relationship with the EU in light of the Iran war.The research found a clear majority supported closer UK–EU ties across most areas tested, with two-thirds supporting a closer relationship on trade (66%) and on security and defence (63%).The polling of 2,009 people found that if there was a referendum on EU membership tomorrow, half would vote remain, 27% would vote leave, 12% would not vote, and 11% did not know how they would vote.Brexit would only win among over-75s and nearly a quarter (23%) of past leave voters would support a referendum on rejoining.
UK’s armed forces are in a sad state – and they have only themselves to blame
George Robertson, Tony Blair’s first defence secretary, a former Nato secretary general and an author last year of the latest in a series of evasive strategic defence reviews, accused Keir Starmer on Tuesday of a “corrosive complacency towards defence”. He said the prime minister was not willing to make the “necessary investment”.Lord Robertson could have directed his fire elsewhere. He must know that no government department has been so complacent in the face of years of devastating evidence of waste, profligate contracts, and policy decisions that have avoided confronting new but increasingly clear security threats to Britain and other western countries.Mandarins in the Ministry of Defence and successive defence secretaries have failed to confront the armed forces’ top brass – senior military figures who have a vested interested in preserving the status quo and continuing to fighting the last battles, reluctant to accept new geopolitical realities and new technologies
Reform activist suspended over racist and antisemitic comments remains election agent
A Reform UK activist in the Gorton and Denton byelection who was suspended over racist and antisemitic comments has been named as the election agent for three of the party’s candidates in Manchester ahead of polls on 7 May.Adam Mitula, an interim campaign manager in the Tameside area, confirmed in February that he had been suspended as a party member “pending investigation”.It came after evidence was published that appeared to show he posted a highly offensive racial slur aimed at black people, and also made what appeared to be a derogatory remark about Jewish women.A notice of election document published last Thursday shows that Mitula is now the election agent for Reform candidates standing in three wards in the Tameside area: Aron Webb, Audra Murray and Daniel Bennett.Mitula also appeared to have agreed with a Holocaust denier that the number of Jewish people murdered by the Nazis had been exaggerated
Starmer’s ‘corrosive complacency’ on defence has put UK in peril, says ex-Nato chief
The government has shown a “corrosive complacency towards defence” and put the UK in peril, according to a government adviser, in fierce criticism of Keir Starmer’s military policy.George Robertson, the former Nato secretary general and author of the government’s strategic defence review, believes Starmer is “not willing to make the necessary investment”, the Financial Times reported.In addition, Lord Robertson will warn in a lecture in Salisbury on Tuesday that the Iran war “has to be a rude wake-up call”.The former general Richard Barrons, who co-authored the defence review with Robertson, echoed his concerns. “It is a mark of how serious it is that someone who has been a Labour party activist for more than 60 years and was a Nato secretary general has now had to say it in these terms today,” Barrons told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme
Renewed ties with EU needed to boost UK security and economy, says Starmer
The economic and security benefits of a closer relationship with the EU are “simply too big to ignore”, Keir Starmer has told parliament as the British government prepares for more rapid alignment with European rules.Updating MPs on the Iran conflict and his visit to the Gulf last week, the prime minister was explicit about what he argued was the need for renewed ties with Europe given the chaotic global situation and Donald Trump’s unpredictable US administration.The Guardian revealed that ministers were planning to use so-called Henry VIII powers to dynamically align with EU rules by default, including the adoption of changed EU single market rules without full parliamentary scrutiny each time.Setting out what he said were the lessons of the Iran crisis, Starmer said that after Brexit, Covid and the Ukraine war the idea of a global shock to UK living standards was no longer “a novel experience”, and that lessons should be learned.This time, he argued, the response “must and will be different to reflect the changing world that we live in”, saying this included efforts to reduce energy bills
Nige and Zia set out plan to send ‘Boriswave’ traitors to the gulag | John Crace
The Reform UK press conference began a little behind schedule. Time in which Nigel Farage had gathered Zia Yusuf and a few others into a circle for a two-minute silence. A moment to reflect on the sad news from Hungary that Viktor Orbán’s 16 years as prime minister had come to a premature end. Orbán had had so much more to give the world. There would be no one left in the EU to block the €90bn loan to Ukraine
Shabana Mahmood says Southport inquiry report exposed ‘systematic failures across multiple public sector organisations’ – as it happened
In the Commons Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary, is making a statement on the first report from the Southport inquiry, published today.Mahmood says she will be not using the name of the perpetrator, or dwelling on what happened.She says the report has exposed systemtic failings.double quotation markThe findings of the inquiry are unsparing. Sir Adrian [Fulford] has uncovered systematic failures across multiple public sector organisations
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