- The EU expresses a willingness to work with a UK Labour government on veterinary agreements and student mobility.
- Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds welcomes the EU’s constructive attitude towards improving trade relations.
- The UK Government maintains its stance against reintroducing the free movement of people.
The Irish Prime Minister, Simon Harris, announced that the European Union is keen to engage in closer cooperation with Sir Keir Starmer on UK-EU relations. He emphasized that Europe would be open to negotiating veterinary agreements and enhancing student mobility with a UK Labour government, should the British government express such interest.
EU Open to Enhanced Collaboration with UK Labour, Irish PM Reveals
In response, Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds appreciated the EU’s constructive stance and saw it as an opportunity to boost trade between the UK and the EU. He noted that shared standards could facilitate increased exports of products like whiskey and salmon. However, Reynolds made it clear that the UK Government does not intend to revisit the issue of free movement of people.
Harris’s comments were made during an interview on Sky’s Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips. He highlighted the EU’s openness to exploring opportunities for improved UK-EU relations, emphasizing that the willingness to collaborate exists within the European community. This comes at a time when both sides are looking to strengthen their post-Brexit relationship.
Jonathan Reynolds, the UK Business Secretary, welcomed this positive outlook from European partners. He emphasized the potential benefits for UK businesses, particularly in exporting goods like whiskey and salmon to the EU market. Reynolds highlighted the alignment of standards between the UK and the EU as a significant advantage for enhancing trade.
Despite this cooperative tone, Reynolds made it clear that the UK Government remains resolute on the issue of free movement of people. He insisted that there would be no reopening of discussions on this matter, reflecting a firm stance on maintaining current immigration policies.
The European Union’s openness to collaboration with a potential UK Labour government signals a promising avenue for enhanced UK-EU relations, focusing on practical agreements and trade opportunities while maintaining existing immigration policies.
“Is there space to have a veterinary agreement, is there space in terms of student mobility, is there space to work closer together on issues? I think there absolutely is.”
– Simon Harris, Irish Prime Minister
