EU chief slaps down Sir Keir Starmer’s hope of rewriting terms of Brexit deal
SIR Keir Starmer has been told the price of a new Brexit deal would be rejoining the European Union’s Single Market.
The Labour leader’s talk of rewriting the divorce terms got short shrift from the EU’s former chief negotiator, Michel Barnier.
Sir Keir has boasted of achieving a “much better” deal if he wins power from the Tories at the election next year — while staying out of the common market and customs union.
But Mr Barnier, who led the exit talks with Britain for Brussels, said renegotiation was not an option without a major climbdown from the UK and it had to decide to be in or out.
He told ITV’s Peston show: “I always said during all the negotiations from day one to the last day, there is no room for any kind of unravelling of the single market.”
Mr Barnier did say there was room for amendments to improve some elements of the deal, such as veterinary arrangements to facilitate the export of animals or vegetables.
The landmark tariff and quota-free Trade and Cooperation Agreement with the EU signed by Boris Johnson has a review pencilled in for 2025.
Sir Keir has previously said: “We need a better Brexit deal to ‘make Brexit work’.”
Last night a Tory spokesman said: “The answer to every question for Sir Keir Starmer is more Europe. Now we see the price of his renegotiation would be copy and pasting from the past and re-joining the single market and customs union.”