Keir Starmer ‘secretly plotting to lock’ UK to EU in Brexit betrayal | Politics | News | EUROtoday

Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of “secretly plotting to lock” Britain to the EU as a part of his Brexit reset. Critics stated taxpayers might be pressured to stump up “billions” of pounds if the UK pulls out of a future pact with Brussels. The warning comes as the Prime Minister continues cosying up to the bloc by signing Britain up to more European schemes.

Fears are mounting that Sir Keir could agree to termination payments with Brussels to get the deals done. These would force the UK to pay significant costs if we ever decided to pull out. EU minister Nick Thomas-Symonds has refused to rule out “termination clauses” in any new agreements with the bloc, and insisted they had been customary follow.

Shadow Foreign Secretary Dame Priti Patel stated: “Keir Starmer, the arch-Remoaner, still hasn’t gotten over Brexit. That’s why he is cooking up a Brexit Reset Bill to take us closer to the EU and hand over our sovereignty to Brussels.

“This golden handcuff could end up costing us billions. Once again Labour are selling out British taxpayers, just as they have done with their shameful £35 billion Chagos Surrender Bill.

“Rather than producing this pathetic display, Starmer should show some backbone and confront the real issues facing this country. Only the Conservatives will get welfare spending down, cut taxes and deliver a stronger economy, stronger borders and a stronger country.”

Mr Thomas-Symonds described termination funds as “routine”. He said: “The details of any agreements, including specific clauses, are subject to ongoing negotiations with the EU.

“We will not provide a running commentary on the progress of those negotiations, although I would note termination provisions are routine in international agreements.”

Mr Thomas-Symonds was responding to a query from Shadow Cabinet Office Minister Mike Wood, who stated: “Keir Starmer is secretly plotting to lock our country into his new deal with the EU.

“By agreeing to ‘poison pill’ payment terms, he will try to make it as difficult as possible to reverse the damage he does.

“That means more red tape, more power for unaccountable foreign bureaucrats and more disdain for the will of the British public. It’s the same old Labour Party.”

But a Labour supply branded the claims by the Tories as “bogus”, saying: “They let the welfare bill spiral, they crashed the economy and took inflation to 11% and Priti Patel was the Home Secretary who introduced the open borders experiment. They are unable to come to terms with their own record.

“They can not come to phrases with the very fact their Brexit deal bought out British companies – we’re delivering a brand new deal that may get rid of crimson tape, make commerce simpler and profit British billpayers and shoppers alike.

“They want to rip that up because they cannot bring themselves to have any relationship with Europe at all.”

It comes after reviews that the EU was demanding a so-called “Farage clause” as a part of an agricultural deal between Britain and Brussels amid fears a future authorities might renege on the pact.

But Reform UK chief Nigel Farage final week vowed that he wouldn’t honour such funds.

He stated: “Even if they put in Farage clauses and all the nonsense they’re talking about, we will reverse it.”

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The Prime Minister is pushing for deeper ties with the bloc as he pursues his “reset” of post-Brexit relations, sparking accusations that Labour is rowing again on Brexit.

In a speech in Germany over the weekend, he known as for Britain to maneuver nearer to the one market.

Sir Keir stated: “We are already aligned with the single market in some areas to drive down the prices of food and energy. We are trusted partners. And as the Chancellor of the Exchequer said this week, deeper economic integration is in all of our interests.

“So we should take a look at the place we are able to transfer nearer to the one market in different sectors as properly the place that may work for either side.”

Mr Thomas-Symonds insisted in an interview with the Sunday Express that termination clauses are “simply customary and nothing that’s peculiar to specific negotiations right here”.

It comes as the Government has made a series of moves to strengthen ties with the bloc, including a youth mobility scheme which is expected to be finalised in time for a joint summit later this year.

Britain will also rejoin the Erasmus scheme for students to study abroad at a cost of £570 million for next year.

The Daily Express is calling for the UK to make the most of the EU exit with our “Give Us a Proper Brexit” crusade ahead of the 10th anniversary of the 2016 referendum.

The campaign is looking for Britain to depart the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), slash crimson tape for companies and implement a 12-mile exclusion zone across the UK for British fishing vessels solely.