EU reset: Government face backlash on meat and dairy regulatory alignment
The government is facing a backlash over reported plans to align with EU regulations on meat and dairy products.
UK officials have suggested to European Union (EU) counterparts that Britain could be willing to accept alignment with EU rules on fresh meat and dairy, and to accept oversight of the European Court of Justice (ECJ), according to a report in Bloomberg.
It comes ahead of the first joint UK-EU summit which is set to be held in London on May 19, and is part of the Labour government’s so-called ‘reset’ with the European trading bloc under Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, more than eight years after the vote to leave the EU.
The UK and Europe are hopeful a deal can be struck on defence and security at the summit, which would permit UK access to the EU defence fund, also per a Bloomberg report, amid wider collaboration between the nations on efforts to support Ukraine against Russia’s war.
It would be a shift from the red line of the previous Conservative administrations which opposed ECJ oversight, and has already seen outcry over the proposals.
Closer ties to the EU could hamper UK efforts to secure trade deals with other nations, such as the USA, despite Starmer’s insistence the UK doesn’t have to choose between them, amid US President Donald Trump’s sweeping new global trade tariffs.
Discussions around a sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement on agri-foods could begin following the summit, and acceptance of EU food regulations could reduce import checks on agri-food from the EU at the border.
There are also ongoing discussions around the role of fishing quotas, and a report in the Independent over potential plans for a so-called ‘youth opportunity’ scheme.
Shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel posted on X, formerly Twitter: “Labour’s Brexit betrayal has begun.
“They spent every day in opposition blocking Brexit. Starmer and his government are sabotaging our Brexit freedoms and surrendering our sovereignty.”
She added: “They want to impose EU laws on us through the backdoor, make Britain a rule-taker and subject us to ECJ decisions.
“The Conservatives have set Labour five clear tests on Brexit. We will not let Labour surrender our freedoms. When Labour negotiates Britain always loses.”
While shadow business and trade secretary Andrew Griffith posted on the platform: “This is what was always hiding behind Labour’s Trojan Horse EU surrender Bill – a back door straight back into the EU.”
He added: “They tried 38 times to undo Brexit, and now they’re trying a 39th. It’s a blatant betrayal of British interests and freedom to make our own rules.”
It comes as US vice-president JD Vance told the website UnHerd on Tuesday that the US is “working very hard with Keir Starmer’s government” on negotiating a “great” trade deal.
Vance said: “The president really loves the United Kingdom. He loved the Queen. He admires and loves the King. It is a very important relationship.
“And he’s a businessman and has a number of important business relationships in [Britain].
“But I think it’s much deeper than that.There’s a real cultural affinity. And, of course, fundamentally, America is an Anglo country.
“I think there’s a good chance that, yes, we’ll come to a great agreement that’s in the best interest of both countries.”
He added: “While we love the Germans, they are heavily dependent on exporting to the United States but are pretty tough on a lot of American businesses that would like to export into Germany.”
Bloomberg quoted a UK government spokesperson as saying: “A closer, more cooperative relationship with the EU will improve the British people’s security, safety and prosperity.
“We will act in Britain’s national interest and we have been clear there will be no return to freedom of movement, the customs union or the single market.
“We will not provide a running commentary on talks.”