Starmer wants closer ties with the EU
After initial steps last year, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer now plans concrete measures to bring the UK closer to the EU: new laws harmonising British regulations with those of the EU in many areas are to be introduced in 2026. The British press debates whether watering down Brexit is a good idea for the UK.
In danger of becoming a vassal state
The Spectator fears the EU will exploit the UK's overtures:
“Under Starmer's reset deal, things promise to be far worse than they were during Britain's EU membership. At least then Britain had a seat around the table when it came to determining the rules. Under Starmer's reset deal this will not be the case. Britain is not going to agree rules with the EU; it is going to have to agree to follow them whether it likes it or not. It will take Britain close to the 'vassal state' which Brexit negotiations by the Theresa May and Boris Johnson governments tried so hard to avoid.”
Red line on free movement
For the Guardian, the reset in relations with the EU announced by Starmer doesn't go far enough:
“Downing Street has become more confident in making a pro-European argument, not least because Nigel Farage and other prominent Eurosceptics look squeamish when defending a pet project that conspicuously failed. But Downing Street also refuses to consider reintegration with the single market to any degree that would require restored free movement of labour. That red line, drawn for fear of provoking opposition to higher immigration, curtails the ambition and the potential economic value of Sir Keir's programme.”