Starmer is this morning kicking off the fourth European Political Community (EPC) summit at Blenheim Palace. He has billed it as a friendly “reset” of UK/EU relations combined with talks to co-operate on migration. Like having migrants sent over from EU countries…

Labour is now briefing hard that it is “nowhere near” a re-negotiation. David Lammy said that it would be silly to argue Labour was heading down the rejoin path because they were only two weeks into government. No attempt to say he’s not trying to reverse Brexit…

Minister for the Constitution and European Union Relations Nick Thomas-Symonds has been busy this week going for meeting with EU officials to push forward that very same “re-negotiation“. The government has strong commitments to “dynamic alignment” (rule-taking) with the EU on regulatory grounds while pushing for a defence pact that would destroy the current flexible ad hoc arrangement the UK currently enjoys. Cosying up is all well and good, soon enough the EU is going to start talking concessions…

Starmer and his Cabinet made their intentions to create closer ties with the EU clear during the election campaign, and it looks like (for once) Labour is already starting to deliver on their grim promise. Starmer is already boasting of strengthening the UK’s relationship with the bloc…

Speaking to hacks on his way to Washington DC, Starmer said he will “take full advantage of this opportunity” of the NATO 75th anniversary and European Political Community due to be held in the UK to “strengthen” ties with Brussels. He spoke of how bringing Lammy, Healey and Thomas-Symonds across the pond with him will help “double down” on “strengthen[ing] our relations with various of the Nato leaders and others obviously that are there, including EU leaders.” Hitting the path to rejoin the EU running…

Starmer said he wants a better deal with the EU, saying he’ll reopen the Brexit deal. He detailed that he’d like “a trading deal…a deal on research and development…and a deal on security and defence” with the bloc. Sounds like much closer ties to the EU…

Sunak hit back: “All the things he’s talking about involve accepting more migrants, free movement by the back door.”  Give and take means give and take…

Labour’s master plan under Sir Keir Starmer spells doom for the UK’s economic future unless they drag us back into the EU’s single market and customs union. Top economists and diplomats are sounding the alarm: Starmer’s promise of unparalleled economic growth is pure fantasy – unless the UK bends the knee to Brussels. An example of the constant pressure Starmer will be under from the remain lobby to push the UK closer to the EU…

Despite EU leaders making it clear there’ll be no “cherry picking” allowed, Starmer is still determined to “get a better deal with the EU”. Meanwhile, Labour are also thinking of realigning the UK’s carbon tax regime with the EU, potentially placing the determination of British corporate carbon taxes under Brussels’ control. The remain commentariat giving the game away on Starmer’s rejoin intentions…

Guido pointed out last week that Labour’s manifesto commitments will force the UK into “dynamic alignment” with the EU on rules concerning animal health, food safety, and plants. That would put the UK, for the first time since Brexit, back in the position of a lowly rule-taker. Now Rachel Reeves has gone further in letting the cat out of the bag by telling the FT that she wants a new “improved” deal if Labour gets in, which includes walking back from the “adversarial” and “regulatory divergent” post-Brexit position. These pre-election trails are designed to give politicians large wiggle-room to pursue their agendas. Regulatory alignment is necessarily a path to rejoining the bloc…

Grant Shapps is meanwhile warning that Labour’s simultaneous plan to organise a security pact with the EU risks giving decision-making initiative to Brussels and binding the UK to an explicitly protectionist EU defence strategy. Pushing away NATO…

Reeves says Labour is willing to “upset some people” by pushing for “greater mutual recognition” and “a new regulatory system” closer to the EU. Leading to more than a few Chequers-shaped alarm bells to go off…

UPDATE:

Sir Iain Duncan Smith tells Guido:

“You simply cannot trust who Starmer really is. He’s the man who called for a second referendum, then told us a Labour government wouldn’t re-enter the EU, then now we learn he wants to re-enter by the back door. You can’t trust Starmer, from pledges on tax to Europe. He is the original left wing leopard who hasn’t changed his spots.”

Labour have unveiled their manifesto, most of which was reported on before its launch. However, one key detail in it reveals Labour’s true plans to create ever closer ties with the EU:

“Instead, Labour will work to improve the UK’s trade and investment relationship with the EU, by tearing down unnecessary barriers to trade. We will seek to negotiate a veterinary agreement to prevent unnecessary border checks and help tackle the cost of food; help our touring artists; and secure a mutual recognition agreement for professional qualifications to help open up markets for UK service exporters.”

Labour’s plan to strike a veterinary agreement with the EU is a recipe for disaster. The UK will be forced into ‘dynamic alignment’ with the EU’s draconian rules on animal health, food safety, and plants. Reducing the UK to mere rule-takers, shackled to EU regulations without any say. Worse still, it will stifle Britain’s ability to adopt cutting-edge technologies like cultivated meat, gene editing, and GMOs. Kiss goodbye to new trade deals with global partners…

Matthew Lesh, Director of Public Policy and Communications at the Institute of Economic Affairs, said:

“This Labour manifesto commitment is a big deal for the future trajectory of UK-EU relations. It is difficult to imagine the UK getting a veterinary agreement with the EU without a commitment to ‘dynamic alignment’ with the EU’s regulations on animal health, food safety, and plants. This would turn the UK into a rule-taker, limiting our ability to embrace new technologies and sign trade deals. It would be handing significant powers back to the EU, with the UK expected to adopt rules and decisions without any input from Parliament.”

It’s no secret that the Shadow Cabinet is filled with die-hard Remainers. Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy said he wanted to reject the referendum result, while Starmer has long spoke of his desire to create closer ties with the bloc. This could be just the first step…