Another potential casualty of Starmer’s EU “reset” is the humble British oatcake. Labour is pushing to align with the EU’s food and agriculture standards, and under EU rules, mycotoxins found in oat-based products are restricted as they are classed as a “potential health concern” to humans. Literally taking the biscuit…
Tory MP Mike Wood asked whether the new proposed dynamic alignment with the EU will ban the sale of oatcakes in the UK. DEFRA minister Angela Eagle refused to say:
“As announced at the UK-EU Leaders’ Summit in May 2025, the UK and EU have agreed to work towards a common SPS Area. We have been clear that in some areas we will need to account for conditions specific to Great Britain; and on the importance of ensuring that the SPS Agreement delivers positive outcomes for businesses across the UK, while safeguarding our high standards.
Officials in Defra are actively engaging with industry representatives on this important issue, as well as with the Scottish Government.”
A non-denial. The EU’s ‘Made in Europe’ initiative has put extreme frighteners on UK trade officials. The protectionist policy would shut out huge swathes of British trade. The inevitable tragicomic result of Starmer’s ‘reset’…
Paul Ovenden, Downing Street’s Director of Political Strategy from the election to September last year, has levelled his guns at the potent pro-EU movement inside Labour. Which is currently at the peak of a comms wave aimed at putting Starmer on the path to rejoin…
Ovenden has popped up in the Times and now the New Statesman to settle scores. He says of the pro-rejoin cabal:
“You don’t need to be a psephologist to know that the vast bulk of Labour MPs and members would dearly love to rejoin the EU. I disagree with them but have never doubted the sincerity of their belief or their reasoning. However, the discussions swirling around the party about rejoining the customs union or re-entering the single market are the arguments of 2016, not 2026. They are false promises that will be exposed by reality.
Not only would Britain crawling back to the EU from a position of weakness diminish us, but there is also no reason to think the Union would even welcome us at a time when Eurosceptic parties lead many polls and France faces an era-defining presidential election. If your goal is to rejoin the EU – and let’s be clear, that is what these arguments are about – then at least have a plan to do it from a position that does not leave the UK locked outside the rooms where decisions on its trade and industry are made.”
This is an attack on Tim Allan, Number 10 Communications Director, as well as his outriders Tom Baldwin (Starmer’s hagiographer) and Alastair Campbell. They and others in government think putting Britain at the feet of the EU where it can be repeatedly slapped by the bloc is a good idea…
Labour’s experience of ever-closer union with the EU has so far been chastening for government figures paying attention to the high price the bloc is extracting for anything substantial. Like with everything else, ‘not being the Tories’ does not an improved position make…
Starmer is preparing an EU “reset” bill that would give ministers sweeping powers to deepen ties with Brussels, according to The Guardian. Minister will be able to go beyond what the UK has agreed so far…
The legislation is expected to be introduced in the coming months, alongside negotiations with the EU – meaning MPs are likely to vote on it before Starmer’s UK-EU deal is finalised. The bill would create mechanisms for alignment on agrifoods and electricity trading. In return the UK will become a rule-taker, accepting EU food standards and the European Court of Justice…
On Sunday, Starmer openly said he wants deeper access to the single market than previously agreed. Now government sources have said they’d be willing to send more money to Brussels in exchange for further sector-by-sector access. Expect resistance in the Lords. An opportunity for the Tories to mount some meaningful opposition here…
Starmer is planning to overrule yesterday’s Supreme Court ruling that EU habitat laws don’t apply to wetlands. Ministers have tabled an amendment to the planning bill to extend those rules to “Ramsar sites” – more than 70 designated wetland areas. Meaning spiders and birds can block future building applications…
Lord Banner KC said:
“It is hard to understand why a government that professes to be pro-growth and wishes to streamline planning regulation is proposing legislation that would significantly extend the reach of the habitats regulations to cover sites that are not protected by the EU Habitats Directive.”
Labour rejoin continues. As does Labour growth gaslighting…
Today marks nine years since the UK voted to leave the European Union. An event that came to be known as ‘Independence Day’…
The date has been celebrated since it occurred by Brexiteers and PMs alike. Remainer doomsaying on the economy has not come to pass. Some backbench Labour MPs are having fun with it. Nothing from the top of the party so far…
Starmer and his ministers have kept strangely silent on the anniversary of the historic vote. The PM campaigned for its reversal in opposition…
In government he continues to take steps to do so:
No wonder Labour has been instructed to keep schtum. They would rather Brits forget they ever voted Leave…
Co-conspirators will know that Starmer’s deal to provide “shorter airport queues this summer” with an agreement to open E-gate use for European countries is potemkin and useless on a practical level. The EU is digitising entry anyway for non-EU nationals from October under its EES system…
Under that system all non-EU entries will be photographed and fingerprinted. Shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith has taken up the issue and asked the government if the UK would be exempt from that EES system and got the reply from Nick Thomas Symonds: “UK national travellers will be required to register in the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES)… Implementation of the EES is a matter for the EU and its Member States, and subject to ongoing EU legislative processes.” Which formally confirms that the surrender deal does nothing to shorten queues…
There are no confirmed E-gate deals with member states for the summer and the EES is coming in the Autumn. Hey, at least we lose those fishing rights…
Speaking at his speech on how to achieve “progressive capitalism” Wes Streeting fired a dig and Andy Burnham:
“Bond markets are not bond villains and fiscal rules matter.”