SIR Keir Starmer last night claimed he could secure a better relationship with Brussels AND sign a trade deal with Donald Trump.
Faced with fresh attempts by the EU to bind Britain back under its yoke, the Prime Minister said he was “alive and aware” of the dangers to our future after Brexit.
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Sir Keir Starmer, above with Harry Cole of The Sun in Estonia, claimed he could secure a better relationship with Brussels and sign a trade deal with TrumpCredit: Ben o’Conner
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The Prime Minister has rejected accusations that he is on the verge of ‘betraying Brexit’Credit: PA
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Starmer with military personnel on board HMS Iron DukeCredit: PA
But he refused to rule out a closer rapprochement with the bloc in exchange for easing trade barriers ahead of formal talks next year.
Still, Sir Keir sought to allay mainstream fears that seeking closer ties with the EU would spoil any chance of a Brexit trade deal with a less regulated United States — as well as harming those already signed up, such as Australia and Japan.
In a direct plea to Sun readers to trust him, he insisted that everyone would be better off – and even improve public services – if he was given the chance to “reset” relations with the continent, as well as open up new trade routes with America.
And he rejected accusations that he was on the verge of “betraying Brexit”, instead saying he would follow Sir Winston Churchill’s lead and try to ride both horses.
But after the European Commission’s leaked negotiating documents revealed it would demand eye-watering concessions from the UK for a new security pact, the stingy Prime Minister refused to rule out putting some elements of our sovereignty back on the table.
Despite insisting he would not rejoin the bloc, he left the migration deal on the table and opened the door to further EU court rulings.
Speaking on board HMS Iron Duke during a visit to the Baltics, the Prime Minister said: “We have been really clear from the start that this is not about re-entering the EU, it is not about going back to the old rules, the single market, the customs union, freedom of movement, whatever.
“But within that we want to reset – I want to make sure we get a better deal for people, for your readers, to make them feel better, get better public services.”
“We can do it by resetting. It’s not a reversal, I’ve been very clear about that, however people voted in 2016, we’re not going back.”
Prompted by the EU’s demand that Europeans under the age of 30 should be able to work and travel freely in the UK, and vice versa, the Prime Minister opened the door to the deal, saying: “I have been clear from the outset that freedom of movement is a red line for us and there are no plans to with free movement at any level, but we enter into discussions.”
Brussels plans to force UK to GIVE UP sovereignty, secret documents reveal, as Sun launches campaign to stop Brexit betrayal
And in the face of criticism that closer ties with Brussels would mean taking on their rules again, the prime minister refused to rule out a dynamic alignment with the bloc.
Instead, he suggested that negotiations would be decided next year, saying: “There will be a process.”
He added: “We are only at the beginning of that process and I want a better deal for our country and for your readers, but we have clear red lines.
“We have them in our manifesto and I’ve been very clear in our discussions about that.”
But when pressed by The Sun that so-called dynamic alignment risked undermining the opportunity for greater global trade, the prime minister insisted he was “aware and alive to the fact that we have trade deals around the world, and of course we want to make the most of them and absolutely make sure that we don’t we only retain the existing trade agreements we have.”
And he insisted that he wants to make “additional trade agreements on top of that.”
It was really clear to us from the very beginning that it is not about re-entering the EU, it is not about returning to the old rules
Sir Keir Starmer
“So we have to strike a balance here, he added; “we have to make sure that we can grow our economy, that people feel better, and they will.”
But returning again to the prospect of concessions to Brussels, he said: “Anyone who trades with Europe will probably say, ‘look, we need to be able to trade more easily.’
Despite this, the Prime Minister insisted that returning to the EU would not have a negative effect on his hopes for a free trade deal with the United States.
He said: “Of course we want to talk to the US, of course we do.
“It’s not either or…Churchill didn’t say it’s either the US or Europe.”
And he vowed to reopen negotiations with the incoming White House as soon as possible after they were stalled by outgoing President Joe Biden two years ago.
Sir Keir added: “We have to strike a balance here.
“We’re in the early stages of any negotiations, but of course I want to make sure we have trade arrangements with the US and an agreement with the US.”
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The prime minister insisted that returning to the EU would not have a negative impact on his hopes for a free trade deal with the US Credit: Reuters
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Starmer talks to the crew as he tours HMS Iron DukeCredit: Reuters
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