Fury as Starmer’s defence pact claims labelled ‘paper skinny’ and a ‘glorified speaking store’ | Politics | News | EUROtoday

Claims that Keir Starmer’s UK/EU post-Brexit settlement will enable Britain to entry an EU defence pact have been rubbished by MPs, because it emerges that the settlement merely permits negotiations on entry to start. Earlier as we speak, the Prime Minister introduced a sequence of preparations with the bloc that can essentially alter the connection between the 2 in areas corresponding to fishing, power and journey.

One of the highlights of the settlement was the power of British defence corporations to take part in a €150 billion EU rearmament fund, permitting them to compete for enterprise that in any other case would have been reserved for member states. However the settlement has been extensively criticised over the failure to make sure British entry to the fund, as an alternative permitting the UK to start dialogue over potential participation within the framework. Shadow defence minister and chair of the European Research group Mark Francois, advised the Daily Express: “This disastrous deal is an abject surrender to the EU, for virtually nothing in return.

“We have capitulated on fishing rights for an unbelievable twelve years – the ‘dirty dozen over fish’ – whilst accepting becoming a passive rule-taker on food standards, in return for a ‘defence pact’ with no figures which is basically a glorified talking shop.

“Starmer has betrayed Britain for a mess of pottage, without even a pot.”

His phrases had been echoed by Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge who mentioned: “Isn’t this the truth: we’ve surrendered our fishing grounds for at least 12 years, and we will become a passive rule-taker… and in exchange all we have is a glorified talking shop and not a penny of guaranteed defence funding?”

A doc revealed by the federal government within the wake of the announcement acknowledged: “The European Commission and the United Kingdom share the view that it is in the mutual interest of the EU and the United Kingdom to strengthen their cooperation on security and defence.

“The Partnership represents a framework for dialogue and cooperation on security and defence.”

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen described the deal as “the first step towards U.K. participation in Europe’s defence investment programme.”

Writer and commentator Eliot Wilson mentioned: “The long-awaited UK-EU defence settlement is extremely skinny. It’s mainly a sequence of guarantees by each side to speak to one another. Virtually no concrete commitments.”

Access to the EU’s Security Action for Europe (Safe) fund would enable the Government to take part in a scheme estimated to boost £127 billion from the EU’s finances to buy weapons from producers in collaborating nations.

Inclusion within the programme would enable British firms corresponding to Babcock and BAE Systems to bid for and win contracts throughout Europe.