Starmer ally says UK could get 'close' to rejoining EU single market
Keir Starmer could take the UK 'very close' to rejoining the EU single market, an ally has suggested.The PM's biographer Tom Baldwin said Sir Keir had opened 'possibilities' for the future by suggesting he wants closer ties.The comment comes amid rising concerns about what concessions the premier might make for his Brexit 'reset'.There is speculation that Brussels could demand a ban on gene-editing of crops, as well as big financial contributions and a youth 'free movement' pact.Legislation expected as soon as next month could sign the UK up to EU rules on food standards, the electricity market, animal welfare and pesticide use.That has been billed as implementing a deal agreed last year, but Sir Keir has already made clear he wants to go further - while stressing that fully rejoining the customs union and single market are off the table. Keir Starmer could take the UK 'very close' to rejoining the EU single market, a close ally has suggested. Pictured, the PM with EU commission president Ursula von der LeyenMr Baldwin - a former adviser to Ed Miliband who campaigned for a second referendum - said Sir Keir's recent hint at closer alignment to the single market 'opened up a whole range of possibilities'.'At the low end, this is a pragmatic choice by a PM who doesn't want to be forced to choose between Europe and America,' he told Politico.'At the upper end, it suggests Labour may seek a second term mandate at the next election by which the UK would get very close to rejoining the single market. 'That would be worth a lot more in terms of economic growth and national prosperity than the customs union deal favoured by the Lib Dems.'Brussels sources have been making clear the government will have to 'pay to play' if Labour wants to remove more barriers. The Times said demands to maintain a level playing field could also scupper the provisions of the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023.That was intended to make it easier for farmers to produce crops that have had their genetic code edited to enhance traits - such as vitamin-rich tomatoes.It is a separate technology from genetic modification (GM), where genes from other species are inserted. The EU has much more restrictive rules, although the bloc has been mooting a loosening. Sir Keir sparked a storm at the weekend by telling the BBC that he was looking at better access to the single market.'I think we should get closer and if it's in our national interest to have even closer alignment with the single market, then we should consider that,' he said. 'If it's in our interest to do so, we should take that step.'The EU is pushing for a 'youth' free movement deal that could mean large numbers of people coming to the UK to work. Before Christmas the government announced it is paying £570million to rejoin the Erasmus student exchange programme.On an annual basis the sum is double what Boris Johnson rejected as too expensive in 2021. Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds recently struck an Erasmus deal with the European Commission's Maros Sefcovic (pictured together in April)It is equivalent to roughly a fifth of the entire EU funding envelope for Erasmus+, although the government insists a chunk of the money will go on travel for British youngsters.Worryingly, Brussels has already signalled that a 30 per cent 'discount' will not be repeated, meaning the cost could hit £810million a year in future. Students from Turkey will be eligible to come to the UK in 2027, as the country is an 'associate' member of the scheme. And Brussels has declared it wants to expand the arrangements to cover countries such as Egypt, Algeria and Morocco.
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Starmer ally says UK could get 'very close' to rejoining EU single market amid claims Brussels will demand ban on gene-editing of crops as well as huge payments
