BREXIT betrayal fears erupted last night as Labour said it wants a permanent food and drink pact with Brussels.
The Government would like a deal nailed down within 18 months to replace a stop-gap which scrapped border checks on EU fruit and veg.
2
That temporary fix, which covers tomatoes, grapes and peppers, means lorries can roll straight into Britain without extra fees or paperwork.
But it is set to expire on January 2027.
Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds will today tell a Spectator event in London that aligning with EU standards will boost growth and cut bills at the checkout.
But the Tories warned it risks dragging Britain back under Brussels’ rules.
Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel said: “Once again Labour are trying to justify their EU surrender – but the British public simply won’t buy this betrayal.
“Keir Starmer is dragging us back into Brussels’ arms, and looking to once again make this country a rule taker rather than a rule maker, having sold off our fishing communities in the process.
“The Conservatives will never stand by and let Labour undo the democratic will of this country. We will fight them at every step.”
In May, The Sun revealed how a Brexit sellout had erupted after a top EU boss claimed the bitter row over fishing rights was “over”.
Downing Street refused to deny Britain had agreed to hand Brussels greater long-term access to UK waters – insisting only that talks were “ongoing”.
The comments fuelled concerns Sir Keir Starmer may have caved in to EU demands as part of a major UK-EU security pact.
Fishing terms under the current Brexit deal were due to expire in 2026 – meaning fresh negotiations were always on the cards.
But France was pushing for continued access for its trawlers, rather than annual talks – a move critics say would leave Britain permanently tied to EU fishing rules.
Brussels’ foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas added fuel to the fire by declaring the fish row all but settled.
2
