‘Hat-trick of trade deals shows Britain back on the world stage’ – Starmer

A “hat-trick of deals” with the EU, the US and India show the UK is “back on the world stage”, Sir Keir Starmer has told the House of Commons.

The Prime Minister claimed the latest of the deals agreed with the EU on Monday would drive down bills, drive up jobs, and strengthen the UK’s borders.

The agreement gives UK tourists in Europe easier access to passport e-gates, and frees up trade with the continent for farmers and food producers because of alignment on veterinary and plant standards.

The UK and EU will also work more closely together on defence and security, and will agree a “youth experience scheme” allowing young British people to travel and work on the continent.

But as Sir Keir updated MPs on negotiations, he faced accusations from Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch that he had not done more to support fishing communities when negotiating EU access to British waters as they do not vote Labour.

Elsewhere, Environment Secretary Steve Reed said he “would’ve liked if we got more” on fishing in the talks, which will see European trawlers gain a further 12 years’ access to UK seas.

Speaking in the Commons, the Prime Minister said the EU deal, as well as agreements with India and the US, are “a clear message sent across the globe that Britain is back on the world stage”.

At the despatch box, he told MPs: “The principles we took into the negotiations are clear and simple.

“Does it drive down bills? Does it drive up jobs? Does it strengthen our borders?

“And in each case, the answer is resoundingly ‘yes’.”

Sir Keir labelled the Government’s recent efforts on the world stage a “hat-trick of deals”, adding: “A trade deal with the world’s fastest-growing economy India, cutting tariffs for British industries, a huge boost for our whisky and gin distilleries, their only concern now is whether they can produce enough to sell.”

Mrs Badenoch accused the Prime Minister of “selling out our sovereignty, our businesses, and the public” with the deal.

Criticising the continued EU access to British fishing waters, the Tory leader said: “This is a Prime Minister who would pay to give away his family silver.

“Why is the Prime Minister selling our fishermen down the river? Is it because they don’t vote Labour?”

Sir Keir branded Mrs Badenoch “so unserious”, and insisted none of the fishing rights negotiated by the Conservatives in power had been removed by his deal.

The Prime Minister later claimed that supermarket workers were in the Government’s “mind’s eye” as the deal was hammered out.

Visiting a Lidl in north London, Sir Keir said the deal would “have a massive impact on reducing bills and the prices that people have to pay, and it will help jobs to thrive in businesses like this”.

Appearing at the Commons Environment Committee, the Environment Secretary was challenged about the Government making “no progress” on major asks from the UK fishing sector.

While he continued to defend the deal, Mr Reed said: “This was a negotiation so we of course pushed for more, but it’s a negotiation. I have to say I would’ve liked if we got more for them. We did push hard.”

The Environment Secretary also denied claims that fisheries were “traded off” for other areas in the negotiations after Environment Committee chairman Alistair Carmichael said the Government had invited that compromise by allowing them to be part of these negotiations.

Ministers claim the deal with the EU will boost the economy by £9 billion by 2040.

Other measures covered in the agreement include:

– British burgers and sausages will once more be allowed into the EU, and some routine checks on plant and animal products will be removed completely.

– Linking UK and EU emissions-trading schemes, which will mean British firms will not be hit by Brussels’s carbon tax next year.

– A commitment to work towards the UK associating with the Erasmus+ student exchange programme.

– British steel exports will be protected from new EU rules and restrictive tariffs, saving the beleaguered industry £25 million.