Closing summary
Thank you following along today. This blog is now closing. Below is a roundup of some of today’s story.
Downing Street have secured a deal between the UK and EU to remove checks on food exports which it said will add £9bn to the UK economy and lower food prices. The last-minute agreement was secured early on Monday morning.
Keir Starmer has rejected claims that he has sold out fishing sector after securing a deal with the EU. He called the deal is ‘good for fishing’ and sakd the principles behind today are about bills, jobs and borders.
The TUC welcomed deal but said it should be 'just the beginning' of boosting links. Paul Nowak, general secretary of union, said: “Today’s summit represents an important first step towards securing a much-needed closer relationship with the EU. Ministers have made the right call by protecting jobs in key industries, such as steel, from being hit by carbon border taxes.”
To see the full breadth of our coverage today, scroll through the key events tab.
Rachel Reeves says she is 'listening' to winter fuel allowance concerns
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has told LBC that she is “listening” to concerns over the winter fuel payment.
The change to the benefit, which was removed from about 10 million pensioners after it became means-tested, was seen as a major contributor to Labour's drubbing at the local elections earlier this month.
When asked whether she was considering raising the threshold at which pensioners become eligible for the payment, Reeves said: “We're always listening to these things”
‘Is there any real listening going on?’
— LBC (@LBC) May 19, 2025
@ShelaghFogarty gives Chancellor Rachel Reeves pushback on winter fuel cuts amid growing rumours of a U-turn on the policy. pic.twitter.com/9sKOpUEUOW
Keir Starmer has issued a joint statement with leaders of France and Canada condemning Benjamin Netanyahu's "egregious" actions in Gaza, warning that the UK and allies will take "concrete actions" unless he changes course.
The statement, made alongside Emmanuel Macron and Mark Carney called Israel’s expansion of military operations in Gaza as “wholly disproportionate”, adding that the “level of human suffering in Gaza is intolerable”.
We will not stand by while the Netanyahu Government pursues these egregious actions. If Israel does not cease the renewed military offensive and lift its restrictions on humanitarian aid, we will take further concrete actions in response.”
It describes the Israeli government’s “denial of essential humanitarian assistance” as “unacceptable” and says it risks breaching international humanitarian law. In addition, it condemns the “abhorrent” language used by Israeli politicians threatening civilians to relocate from Gaza.
Keir Starmer has arrived in parliament to meet backbench Labour MPs.
They could be heard clapping as the prime minister entered the meeting with home secretary Yvette Cooper.
Asked by reporters whether he was pumped for the meeting, Starmer replied: “Always.”
The prime minister is currently under pressure over proposals to cut disability benefits.
Updated
Tory plan to reverse EU deal would be 'bad for jobs, bills and borders', says Labour
At her press conference earlier Kemi Badenoch said the Conservatives would “reverse” the government’s EU deal (although she was not specific about how, and she admitted that there were parts of it that met with her approval).
On the basis of that, the Labour party issued a statement saying:
Kemi Badenoch’s posturing would leave our country poorer, less safe, and cowering on the world stage.
The Tory leader failed to land deals with the US, India and EU when she had the chance as trade secretary.
Ripping up our EU deal would be bad for jobs, bills and borders.
That is all from me for today. Sammy Gecsoyler is taking over now.
There will be a Commons vote on at least one aspect of the deal, my colleague Jessica Elgot points out on Bluesky.
One remarkable thing which shows how far we have come. There will be a vote in parliament on the agrifoods deal with the EU.
Once, that would have been the top line of every news story. Starmer is first PM in more than a decade who doesn’t have to worry about that vote at all.
Jess also points out that today’s was a rare example of the government talking openly about the economic damage done by Brexit.
The second most remarkable thing is that the government issuing its own press releases about just how much damage Brexit has done to trade and our economy. How many years of pretending that wasn’t happening?
Julia Kollewe is a Guardian financial reporter.
Stephen Phipson, who runs Make UK, the manufacturers’ organisation, has welcomed the government’s “pragmatic approach to improving relations with the EU, still our largest trading partner”.
Commenting on the deal, he said:
Removing trade frictions on GB food imports and exports is a priority and will help bring an end to the spectre of food exports bound for the EU lying rotting in British ports while awaiting customs clearance. And confirmation that the UK and EU will look to strengthen and cooperate on food standards (SPS) arrangements will bring much needed clarity to the sector.
The agreement that the UK and EU will link their carbon markets to avoid taxes on carbon-intensive goods like steel and cement travelling between the UK and EU is also welcome news as is the proposed youth mobility scheme, which will allow young talent to flow between the UK and the EU once again.
According to Jessica Parker, the BBC’s Berlin correspondent, on social media, in Brussels there is some mild ‘we told you so’ gloating going on in private.
There is a *bit* of gloating going on in Brussels about #UK / #EU deal.
One diplomat writes: “The deal is balanced—arguably with favourable terms for the EU—and simply shows that splendid isolation is not an option in today’s climate.”
David Henig, UK director of the European Centre For International Political Economy, a trade thinktank, has a useful thread on the deal starting here. And here are some of his conclusions.
My initial impressions - probably more balanced than I was expecting with UK clearly prioritising Home Office issues. But less detail - talks on individual issues are going to be really difficult. There will need to be a strong political layer to maintain progress.
This is a reasonable start to the normalisation of UK-EU relations away from the fantasies we see from the Conservatives and Reform. But that’s all it is, a start, and both sides have much more to do to turn this into a productive partnership.
So there’s a big gap between the obviously modest trade deals the government is doing, which don’t particularly prioritise growth, and the half-baked narrative that claims these are going to deliver great results. But at least actions are mostly sane.
Formally now time to welcome the UK to a Swiss-style relationship of permanent negotiation and multiple deals with the EU.
Simon Usherwood, an academic and Brexit specialist, has posted this chart on Bluesky summing up what is in the deal agreed today. It highlights the point that, while some aspects have been firmly agreed, others are still being negotiated, or are just matters for discussion.
Usherwood has also got a thread on Bluesky summing up his assessment. Here are some of his conclusions.
However, all this has landed probably at the better end of where UK govt might have hoped:
- noises off as expected, but weakened by the rejections made w/o even waiting for the texts
- mild surprise at extent of the list of topics under discussion
In sum, a reasonable place to start, but very much a marathon, not a sprint
Updated
Starmer's EU deal will repair just small fraction of damage done by Brexit, says Plaid Cymru
Like the Green party (see 4.43pm), Plaid Cymru has described today’s deal as a step on the right direction. But it says the government should go much further and rejoin the single market and the customs union.
This is from Liz Saville Roberts, Plaid’s leader at Westminster.
It is welcome that we are finally beginning to move beyond the illusions and false promises that characterised the Brexit years. Today’s EU ‘reset’ marks a step in the right direction, but the UK government must go much further. Keir Starmer has an opportunity to show bold leadership by facing economic reality: rejoining the single market and customs union is clearly in our economic interests.
For Wales, stronger ties with our European neighbours mean a stronger economy, thriving communities, and restored opportunities for our young people. The numbers speak for themselves – today’s deal adds just 0.2% to UK GDP by 2040, a fraction of the 4% loss to GDP inflicted by Brexit, as estimated by the Office for Budget Responsibility.
How deal will allow UK and EU to link emission trading schemes
Fiona Harvey is a Guardian environment editor
Companies covered by UK carbon trading regulations may be able to trade their greenhouse gas emissions allowances with their European counterparts again under a resolution in the UK-EU summit agreement to link up the UK’s system to the bigger EU market.
The EU’s carbon trading system, which has been running for 20 years, covers energy generation, heavy industries, aviation and shipping. Companies within these sectors must pay for allowances to cover the carbon emissions they are responsible for, and can trade these among themselves to encourage efficiency.
After Brexit, the UK split off its carbon trading system, creating a minor administrative headache for multinational businesses, and arguably creating more volatility. The UK’s carbon prices have been significantly lower than those in the EU, meaning less of an incentive for companies to clean up their operations.
Allowing some form of link between the systems could also help the UK government introduce a long-awaited green tariff. Treasury officials have been poring over a potential “carbon border adjustment mechanism” (CBAM) for years, but the idea has been brought forward and put back by successive chancellors of the exchequer.
A CBAM would penalise imports of high carbon goods, such as steel, from countries with high greenhouse gas emissions or an over-dependence on coal, such as China and India. This would both level the playing field for heavy industries in the UK, which are currently forced to compete on international markets with products from countries with lax regulatory regimes or that subsidise their own industries, and create an incentive for other countries to clean up.
But CBAMs are complex and controversial, and bitterly opposed by some developing nations. The UK’s proposal for a CBAM is still embryonic, with no firm details and no decision on when or how it could be implemented. The EU’s is more advanced, and covers goods such as iron and steel, cement and fertilisers, but it is still not fully operational. No penalties are scheduled to come into force until next January, when in theory exporters to the EU will have to buy carbon credits under its emissions trading system to cover the carbon emitted in the production of their goods.
If the UK were to join the EU in a CBAM, it could cut down on the problem of “carbon leakage” – companies exploiting the fact that some countries have few controls on emissions, and moving production to where it is cheapest.
Energy UK, the industry body, has welcomed the agreement. (See 1.58pm.)
TUC welcomes deal with EU, but says it should be 'just the beginning' of boosting links
Paul Nowak, general secretary of the TUC, has welcomed the deal with the EU. He said:
Today’s summit represents an important first step towards securing a much-needed closer relationship with the EU.
Ministers have made the right call by protecting jobs in key industries, such as steel, from being hit by carbon border taxes.
And they have made important progress on removing trading barriers to boost British jobs and deliver greater opportunity for young people to work and study in the EU.
The Conservatives’ botched Brexit agreement set workers and business back at home and abroad. That’s why a reset with the EU is common sense – especially in an increasingly volatile global economy.
We are clear – today is just the beginning. Governments on both sides of the channel must continue with an ambitious approach, including a shared commitment to strong employment rights and collective bargaining.
Much of what has been agreed today is what the TUC was calling for in a statement issued earlier this year saying a closer trading relationship with the EU was “more important than ever”.
Green party welcomes EU deal as 'definitely step on right direction'
The Green party has welcomed today’s UK-EU deal as “a step in the right direction”. In a statement, Carla Denyer, the party’s co-leader, said:
Today’s reset is being broadly welcomed by businesses and is good news for UK consumers faced with the cost of living crisis. There is also hope for young people who want to live, work, study and form friendships freely across Europe.
The Green party would like to see an even closer relationship between the UK and EU starting with re-joining the customs union and full freedom of movement across the continent.
But today’s agreement is definitely a step in the right direction and moves us forward from a place where Reform and the Tories would like us to stay stuck. Their Brexit betrayal rhetoric shows they are willing to disregard the damage inflicted on the country through Brexit and ignore the fact that the vast majority of the UK public now believe the UK was wrong to leave the EU.
Julia Kollewe is a Guardian financial reporter.
Commenting on the impact of the UK-EU trade deal, economists at the Dutch bank ING said:
Monday’s European deal with Britain is a positive first step, but it won’t massively boost the economy, nor help avoid tax rises in the autumn. Further regulatory alignment might do that and would help boost sterling. But existing UK and EU red lines make that a daunting task.
While Kemi Badenoch was holding her press office, the Labour party press office sent out a list of questions for her. Here are some of them that indicate why the Conservative party’s pledge to reject the deal could be a liability the time of the next election.
Labour says:
Linking UK and EU carbon markets would help bring down energy bills in the future and enable businesses to avoid the £7 billion costs of the EU’s carbon border tax. Kemi Badenoch previously supported linking the markets and even introduced legislation to enable it when she was a Treasury Minister.
With the Tories pledging to repeal the deal, would she reintroduce the £7bn of carbon border taxes on business?
Kemi Badenoch says she will reverse the deal that the Labour government has just negotiated.
Does she accept that will mean the Conservatives would put higher tariffs on British steel exports?
This morning, the shadow chancellor said: “What we [the Conservatives] do want is greater access for our services particularly financial services and our legal services.”
Isn’t this an admission that the Conservatives want a closer relationship with the EU, and that their Brexit deal wasn’t good enough?
And this is from the FT’s Stephen Bush on Bluesky on the imagery used by Boris Johnson and Daniel Hannan to convey their feelings about the EU deal. (See 4.06pm.)
Call me Andrea Dworkin, but I just think it’s corrosive that there are quite so many references to sexual acts in the British right’s response to this deal.
Trade body for Scottish salmon industry hails EU deal as 'breakthrough'
Severin Carrell is the Guardian’s Scotland editor.
Salmon Scotland, the trade body which represents the fish farms behind the UK’s largest food export, said the EU trade deal would “slash red tape” and cut export costs.
The organisation estimates that post-Brexit food export rules cost exporters around £3m a year, with France the sector’s biggest customer. The sector sold £844m worth of farmed salmon overseas last year, with £462m sent to France alone.
Tavish Scott, the chief executive of Salmon Scotland and former leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, is at a reception to celebrate the deal in London later. He said:
We congratulate the UK government on securing this deal with the EU, which will slash red tape and speed up the delivery of our premium salmon to market.
This breakthrough eases the burden on our farmers, processors and the communities they support, and we welcome efforts to implement it at pace. The withdrawal of physical checks is particularly welcome. It means lower costs and quicker deliveries for our customers.
Boris Johnson denounces deal with EU, calling Starmer 'orange ball-chewing manacled gimp of Brussels'
The final question at the press conference was about Boris Johnson’s response to the deal. Kemi Badenoch said Johnson uses language to get attention, but she did not express a view on his language.
The question referred to this social media post, in which Johnson echoed his fellow Tory and former Telegraph colleague Daniel Hannan (see 2.51pm) in resorting to BDSM imagery to denounce Keir Starmer. Johnson said:
Two-tier Keir is once again going back on his promises to the people of this country - by making us non-voting members of a two-tier European Union …
Two-tier Keir is the orange ball-chewing manacled gimp of Brussels. He has sacrificed UK fishing interests, handing over our seas to be plundered again - when under the current Brexit agreement we are on the point of taking back full legal control, next year, of every fish in our waters …
This deal is hopelessly one sided. It combines the vassalage of Chequers with the surrenderism of Chagos. Starmer promised at the election that he would not go back on Brexit. He has broken that promise as he broke his promise on tax.
Commenting on the Johnson comment, which is now the lead headline on the Telegraph’s website, Robert Shrimsley posted this on Bluesky.
Entirely predictable reaction from Britain’s maga media. But makes you think, if they were going to react like this anyway what was the cost to Starmer of going bigger.
Q: Do you see any benefit at all from a youth mobility scheme?
Badenoch says she loves youth mobility schemes. The UK has ones with countries like Australia and Canada.
But she does not support uncapped, unlimited migration.
She goes on:
We’ve got to be a little bit more realistic and a lot less naive.
In Germany people can get citizenship after three years. That person would then be able to come to the UK, she claims.
She claims that Keir Starmer does not understand this. “When Starmer negotiates, Britain loses,” she says.
(In fact, she has been saying it throughout the press conference.)
UPDATE: Badenoch said:
There is a big difference between an 18-year-old from France who’s coming for a gap year and a 30-year-old with several children who’s coming from a much poorer EU country like Bulgaria, Romania.
What we wanted to do was have youth mobility schemes with specific countries. That is not what we will get with what this Government is negotiating.
Updated
Q: Do you accept the need to reduce trade barriers with the EU?
Badenoch says trade deals should reduce barriers to trade.
But she says she does not approve of the way the EU linked different issues.
Priti Patel, the shadow foreign secretary, says she does not see why the EU was allowed to link issues like defence and fishing.
Updated
Badenoch says she is not persuaded by the government claim that this will be worth £9bn. She says the UK is a services economy. This deal does not help with services, she says.
She says she never signed a deal as business secretary that took the UK backwards. She was willing to walk away.
But Keir Starmer is never prepared to walk away, she says.
Q: Liz Truss said she did not know if Emmanuel Macron was a friend or a foe. What is your view now?
Badenoch says she does not want to get into that. Every side negotiates in its best interests. She says her complaint is with Starmer, not Macron.
Q: Farmers back this deal. Why are you opposed to it?
Badenoch says she does not think anyone thinks the government is on the side of farmers.
Victoria Atkins, the shadow environment secretary, says the Tories would welcome improvements in trade.
But there are no details in this deal, she says.
Badenoch says this deal will make it harder to get a trade deal with the US.
The UK does not have a trade deal with the US – just a small tariff deal, she says.
Badenoch is now taking questions.
Q: Will you reverse this?
Badenoch says, although there are some positive things in the deal, overall it is problematic.
Anything that brings back European court of justice jurisdiction is unacceptable, she says.
She says she ended ECJ jurisdiction. She cannot believe it is coming back.
Badenoch claims Starmer's EU deal has broken all five of her tests for it to be acceptable
Kemi Badenoch says she set five tests for Labour’s reset negotiation with the EU.
They were that the deal should involve: “1) no backsliding on free movement or compulsory asylum transfers; 2) no new money paid to the EU; 3) no reduction in our fishing rights; 4) no rule taking, dynamic alignment or European Court jurisdiction; and 5) no compromise on the primacy of NATO as the cornerstone of European security.”
She claims that all five of the test have been broken.
Julia Kollewe is a Guardian financial reporter.
Mike Cohen, chief executive of the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations, has described the UK-EU deal was “very, very disappointing” and a “big blow” to Britain’s fishing industry.
He told the Guardian:
It falls a long way short of what we’d hoped for. It makes the situation worse.
“To do a 12-year deal in return for nothing is very unusual,” he added, noting that the UK negotiates annual fisheries deals with Iceland, Norway and the Faroe Islands. He said the UK should have secured restrictions, such as exclusive control of the territorial waters within 12 miles off the coast, where non-UK vessels may have access under certain conditions.
Cohen warned that the agreement can also affect the UK’s marine management, making it “far easier” for the EU to start trade disputes. He pointed to the EU’s recent legal challenge against a ban on fishing for sand eels in UK waters, which will remain in place despite the EU taking the UK to court. The EU was supporting Denmark, which has the largest sand eel fishing fleet.
He said the agreement was positive for the food industry, but cautioned that it “isn’t going to filter down to producers”, while exporters and big retailers “will do better”.
Education sector welcomes move towards UK rejoining Erasmus+ and setting up 'youth experience' scheme
Sally Weale is a Guardian education correspondent.
There has been a warm response from the higher and further education sectors to a government commitment to work towards the UK associating with the Erasmus+ programme once again, and UK-EU co-operation on a future “youth experience scheme”.
After Brexit and the UK’s exclusion from the Europe-wide Erasmus+ student exchange programme, Boris Johnson’s government established its alternative Turing scheme which was intended to give more students from lower-income backgrounds the opportunity to take up international study placement globally.
While many have no doubt benefited from the Turing scheme, Erasmus+ remained deeply mourned. Welcoming today’s announcement, Vanessa Wilson, CEO of University Alliance ,which represents leading professional and technical universities, said:
The benefits of a reciprocal programme like Erasmus+ are the deep and long-term relationships it allows us to develop. For students, the opportunity to travel as part of their degree has significant benefits for their confidence, their skills and ultimately their employability.
As a former Erasmus student myself, I can attest to the transformational impact the programme had on my own life, and I am pleased that we have moved closer to young people having access to the same opportunities I had.
David Hughes, chief executive of the Association of Colleges (AoC), added:
I am very pleased to see today’s UK-EU summit work towards a youth experience scheme and association to the Erasmus+ programme. These are hugely positive steps opening up future opportunities for our young people.
AoC stands ready to support the UK government and European partners as discussions progress, and I hope developments can move forward quickly, allowing young people in colleges to benefit soon from the invaluable employability, vocational and life skills that international mobility generates.
Scottish government welcomes key parts of deal with EU, but says fishing industry has been betrayed
Severin Carrell is the Guardian’s Scotland editor.
Kate Forbes, Scotland’s economy secretary, has welcomed many of the key parts of the UK deal with the EU but accused Keir Starmer of “selling out” Scotland’s fishing communities, and failing to involve Scottish ministers in the talks.
In a statement, Forbes said agreements on agriculture, food and drink, energy and Erasmus “unpicks a small part of the immense damage that Brexit continues to inflict on our economy and living standards”.
She went on:
[But] it beggars belief that this agreement has been reached by selling out Scotland’s fishing communities. Labour promised fishing communities in Scotland that their interests would be protected in this process, but this deal shows those promise counted for nothing.
Given the importance of fishing to Scotland it is also astonishing that the Scottish government was giving no warning of this great betrayal of our fishing fleet. From Stornoway to Peterhead, fishing communities know that Labour’s promises mean nothing.
There is no deal that is as good for Scotland as being an independent member of the European Union – giving us unfettered access to the world’s largest single market. Every other nation in Europe is able to represent its own interests at the top table of crucial negotiations like this.
Starmer argues the deal on food exports makes it far easier and cheaper for fishers’ to sell their goods into the EU, with shellfish now able to trade freely again. A 12-year deal gives certainty, he said. Scottish Salmon, which represents fish farmers, is said to be very pleased.
Kemi Badenoch is holding a press conference at 3.15pm. But she has already set out her views on the PM’s deal with the EU in a video on social media.
This has been an amateur negotiation from the start, ending in a total sellout. pic.twitter.com/BwbhqiiGWE
— Kemi Badenoch (@KemiBadenoch) May 19, 2025
Andrew Griffith, the shadow business secretary, has been even more hyperbolic in his own message on social media.
Labour have surrendered our law making, our fishing rights and taxpayer’s money.
Keir Starmer’s ‘deal’ with the EU is putting Brussels, not Britain, first.
Griffith’s post includes this image.
For an even more unhinged and gruesome version of this attack line, this is what the Tory peer, Telegraph columnist and leading Brexiter Daniel Hannan posted on social media yesterday.
Starmer is turning Britain into the EU’s gimp, handing us over to Eurocrat control encased in shiny black leather and with a ball gag.
Updated
Von der Leyen ducks question about how much UK might have to contribute to participate in €150bn weapons fund
Jennifer Rankin is the Guardian’s Brussels correspondent.
A defence pact signed between the government and the EU has opened the door for the UK to access a €150bn (£126bn) European weapons fund, if it makes a financial contribution.
The European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said that an EU-UK defence and security agreement signed today was “the first step” towards British participation in a €150bn European loans scheme to buy military equipment.
The SAFE (Security Action for Europe) plan is part of a broader EU goal to increase defence spending by €800bn in response to Donald Trump’s signal that the US no longer wishes to underwrite European security.
In a sequenced set of decisions, EU member states agreed the internal rules of the SAFE fund on Monday, as they approved the EU-UK agreements.
The signing of an EU-UK security and defence partnership means that British firms will be treated as European, so not restricted from benefiting from defence procurement under the scheme. The EU already had such arrangements for Norway and Ukraine.
If the UK wants to access loans with EU member states it has to sign another agreement. EU officials suggested this would require a contribution to the EU budget, but von der Leyen did not respond when asked about this point at the press conference. (See 1.36pm.)
She said:
This security and defense partnership opens the door towards joint procurement. We need another second step [for UK access], but this joint procurement we’ve discussed will increase our readiness, will close military gaps that we have, and will increase - that is of most importance - our interoperability when our armed forces are going on missions together.
The loans programme is expected to be in force from late May; EU member states then have six months to make proposals for use of the EU-backed loans.
'Genuine progress' - business groups welcome deal with EU
Julia Kollewe is a Guardian financial reporter.
Many business organisations have welcomed the deal with the EU.
Tina McKenzie, policy chair of the Federation of Small Businesses, said while the deal “does not solve every challenge overnight”, it set a “very welcome new tone”. She said in a statement:
This agreement marks genuine progress by untangling the rules for small exporters of plant and animal products. If British goods can reach European markets with fewer setbacks, that marks real progress.
Today’s agreement brings us a step closer to reducing the burdens for SMEs by clearing the bottleneck at the border, trading fresh produce and more efficient supply chains.
We also welcome conversations on business mobility and the mutual recognition of qualifications across borders, and hope that small firms are given a seat at the table as plans take shape.
The CBI said in a statement the alignment on sanitary and phytosantiary (SPS) rules was “a significant win for business”.
The Food and Drink Federation was also pleased by the announcement of a much closer UK-EU trading relationship, saying it will have “clear benefits for consumers and businesses”.
And Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality, the trade body for the hospitality industry, said the agreement was “positive news” for hospitality businesses and consumers. She welcomed in particular the commitment to co-operate further on a youth experience scheme.
These schemes are beneficial for those already working in hospitality, tourism and other cultural sectors to live and work in either the UK or EU. Not only does it provide economic benefits, but it also provides new opportunities for critical cultural exchange, which ultimately delivers richer experiences for customers.
I urge both parties to pursue a model with maximum flexibility, and mirroring existing schemes with Australia and New Zealand is a sensible approach.
Energy sector welcomes deal with EU, said it could save billions over course of this parliament
Jillian Ambrose is a Guardian energy correspondent.
For Britain’s energy industry the wide-ranging reset of UK-EU relations marks a breakthrough few in the sector had dared to hope for in the wake of the Brexit referendum
Under the new agreements Britain will effectively rejoin the single market for electricity and follow EU regulations, with oversight from the European Court of Justice, in a move which could save consumers billions of pounds over the length of this parliament.
In simple terms it will make cross-border flows of electricity, gas and carbon emissions permits more efficient by removing costly barriers to trading which have been in place since the UK’s departure from the European Union.
Dhara Vyas, chief executive of Energy UK, which represents the industry, said in a statement:
This agreement will remove barriers to growth, lowering energy prices, and clearing the way for a shared future powered by clean energy.
Adam Berman, a policy director at Energy UK, told the Guardian that the European Commission’s concession on electricity and carbon trading could hold “substantial cost savings” for the UK. He explained:
The agreement is a meaningful concession from the European Commission which will make energy trading less burdensome and save up to £370m a year in the near-term. These savings could grow by an order of magnitude by the end of the decade under the government’s plans to become a net exporter of green electricity. I would say the savings could eerily more than double from today, even using conservative assumptions.
Earlier I said we were likely to get a ministerial statement in the Commons on the deal with the EU. In fact, we are not getting one today. Presumably Keir Starmer will give a statement in the Commons tomorrow.
But we are going to hear from Kemi Badenoch, who is holding a press conference at 3.15pm.
Q: When will these agreements enter into force?
Starmer says he thinks both sides have worked quickly to get to this point.
Work on the summit started in earnest last autumn. It was achieved in six months. That is real progress at pace, he says.
And he says both sides told their negotiating teams to go “at pace” to finalise what has been agreed.
Q: How much will the UK have to contribute to enter the EU defence procurement agreement?
Von der Leyen says this has been agreed by all sides. It is ready to go, she says. It should be finalised within the next few weeks, she says.
And that’s the end of the press conference.
Q: Are you close to a deal with Spain on Gibraltar?
Costa says he thinks they are not very close to a deal.
After Starmer intervenes, Costa corrects himself and says he thinks they are not very far from a deal.
Q: Under Erasmus+, will EU students studying in the UK pay the same fees as UK students?
Starmer says there is no change to the current rules on tuition fees.
Von der Leyen says they have agreed to work towards Erasmus+. That will be good news for young people, she says.
Q: Last year the European Commission took the UK to court over non-implementation of parts of the previous agreement relating to the rights of EU citizens in the UK. Will you implement those agreements?
Starmer says his is a government that sticks to what it has agreed.
Von der Leyen says, when new rules are agreed, sometimes the commission has to take action to get legal clarity about what they mean.
Q: [From Christopher Hope from GB News] The Scottish Fishermen’s Federation says this is worse than Boris Johnson’s deal. (See 11.47am.) Have you been stitched up like a kipper?
Starmer says the supermarkets have welcomed this deal because it will cut prices.
Under the Johnson deal, fishing access would have been renegotiated every year. There would have been no stability.
And he says fishing communities will get a £360m transformation fund.
Q: [To von der Leyen] What do you say to the Tories who say they will reverse this?
Von der Leyen says good neighbours work together. She says she thinks this will bring positive results. She urges Hope to ask the question again in a few years’ time when people have had the chance to see the benefits of the deal.
Q: [To Costa] Do you want to see the UK rejoin the single market and the customs union in your lifetime?
Costa says the two sides have agreed an ambitious road map. But it is not about rejoining the single market or the customs union.
Q: What is your message to Brexit supporters who will view this with suspicion?
Von der Leyen says this will benefit people in Britain. It is “a new beginning for old friends”, she says.
Q; [From Beth Rigby from Sky News] You have given the EU 12-year access to UK fishing waters, and you have agreed a youth mobility scheme that you ruled out last year. Isn’t this backsliding on Brexit.
Starmer says this delivers on all three of his principle: driving down costs, driving up jobs and ensuring control of borders.
He says the Scottish salmon industry has already come out in favour.
Most of those criticising the deal came out against it before they had read a word for the agreement, he says.
Q: Do you accept that what is happening in Gaza is genocide. Can you say you have done all you can to stop this?
Starmer says the situation in Gaza is intolerable and unacceptable. He says he is working with allies to address his.
Updated
Q: Do you view this as the start of further integration?
Von der Leyen echoes what Starmer has just said about the deal being ambitious.
And she says there is “a lot of work still ahead of us”.
She does not really address the question about whether this is the start of further integration.
Costa says this is a new partnership.
Updated
Q: [From ITV’s Robert Peston] Isn’t this the worst of all worlds? The UK is again aligned with the EU, but gaining only a twentieth of the economic benefit we lost.
Starmer rejects this. He says this is very good for the country. The deal is “hugely ambitious”, he says.
And the security and defence partnership is important too, he says.
The emissions trading changes will be very welcome for business, he says.
He mentions steel, fish, shellfish, and e-gates, saying for some people that will be what they notice. And the law enforcement measures are important too, he says.
He says it shows that if you focus on “deliverables”, you can make a big difference.
Starmer rejects claim he has sold out fishing sector, saying deal is 'good for fishing'
The leaders are now taking questions.
Q: [From the BBC’s Chris Mason] Haven’t you sold out the fishing sector?
Starmer says the principles behind today are about bills, jobs and borders. The SPS changes will take away a lot of red tape.
Over 70% of seafood goes to EU. This will help them, he says.
The length of time for the agreement provides stability.
Annual negotiations on fishing would have generated uncertainty.
Shellfish can be sold back into the EU, he says.
He end saying this is “good for fishing”.
Updated
Starmer says British firms will save £800m from emissions trading deal
Keir Starmer is speaking now. He starts:
Ladies and gentlemen, Britain is back on the world stage, working with our partners, doing deals that will grow our economy and putting more money in the pockets of working people.
In the last two weeks alone, we have delivered trade deals with India and the US, and that means jobs saved jobs, creating more growth and a huge vote of confidence in this country.
And he says today’s deal is a landmark one, a “win-win” for both sides.
It gives us unprecedented access to the EU market, the best of any country outside of the EU or Efta, all while sticking to the red lines in our manifesto about not rejoining the single market, the customs union, and no return to freedom of movement. So this deal is good for both sides.
Starmer says the SPS deal will make food and agricultural trade with the EU easier and cheaper.
After a long absence, it will allow burgers and shellfish and other products to be sold again in the EU.
The defence deal will open up opportunties for the defence manufacturing sector.
Cooperation on emissions trading will spare British firms having to pay £800m on EU carbon taxes, he says.
British steel will be protected from EU tariffs, he says.
Fishing rights are being protected, he claims, and he says there is £360m for the fishing sector.
And travellers will benefit from the change on e-gates, he says.
UPDATE: This is what No 10 says about the £800m savings.
Closer co-operation on emissions through linking our respective emissions trading systems will improve the UK’s energy security and avoid businesses being hit by the EU’s carbon tax due to come in next year – which would have sent £800m directly to the EU’s budget.
Updated
Von der Leyen says the agreement on SPS rules means “more certainty, more stability for farmers and food producers”.
And the agreement on fishing will mean more “long-term stability and predictability” for the fishing sector.
Von der Leyen says the deal affects people, and the “millions of friendships” between people in the UK and the EU.
She says she is very glad that they have agreed Erasmsus+, and for the a “youth experience scheme”. (See 11.59am.)
Turning to the decision to explore the UK’s participation in the EU’s electricity market. She says:
It’s good for the stability of energy flows. It is good for our common energy security, because we know that a bigger market will also be good for lowering the energy prices, and it will attract more private investment because of the regulatory stability and predictability that is there to tap into the vast potential that the North Sea offers, specifically for renewable, cheap and homegrown energy.
Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, is speaking now.
She says the UK and the EU are “turning the page”.
She says the security and defence partnership covers lots of topics. It will boost defence cooperation, she says.
It is the first step towards the UK’s participation in the EU’s €150bn joint procurement programme.
UK and EU agree to hold regular summits every year
Costa says the UK and the EU are “stronger when we stand together”.
That is the message from today’s summit, he says.
From on, the UK and the EU will hold a summit every year, he says.
At the press conference Costa talks about the areas where the UK and the EU have worked together, particularly supporting Ukraine.
He says the UK and the EU will increase pressure on Russa via a new package of sanctions, to bring Vladimir Putin to the table.
Starmer, von der Leyen and Costa hold press conference
The post-summit press conference is starting.
António Costa, the European Council president, goes first,
He says this is the start of a new strategic partnership.
The two sides have worked to rebuild trust, he says.
UK-EU summit deal published
The UK government has published two documents about the deal:
A nine-page common understanding paper
UPDATE: And the third document is on the MoD website.
Updated
Meat industry welcomes deal, saying Labour has achieved 'what previous government promised originally but didn't deliver'
The British Meat Processors Association has issued a statement strongly welcoming the deal with the EU. It says that, making access to the EU market easier for meat exporters, Keir Starmer has “managed to achieve what the previous government promised us originally but didn’t deliver”.
The association has also dismissed claims that the deal will mean the UK being a “rule taker” because it will aligned with the EU on sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) rules. It says:
A common misunderstanding is that an SPS agreement will mean Britain becomes a ‘rule taker’. In reality, we must comply with the rules of any of our trading partners if we want to export to them – just like America must comply with British rules if they want to send us their products. This means we have been aligned with EU rules and standards all along. The difference this new deal will make is that Britain, unlike their other third country trading partners, will benefit from true, un-fettered access to their market and massively reduced trade friction. It will boost trade and make us more competitive.
Under the existing arrangement we have had to produce a mountain of paperwork to prove we comply, costing business a fortune but with no added value. This extra cost had to be absorbed somewhere in the supply chain, either through lower margins or higher prices, driving food price inflation and rendering UK businesses less competitive.
Starmer says he wants to move on 'from stale old debates' of Brexit with EU deal
Keir Starmer has said that today’s deal with the EU is about moving on from “stale old debates” of the past. He said:
It’s time to look forward. To move on from the stale old debates and political fights to find common sense, practical solutions which get the best for the British people.
We’re ready to work with partners if it means we can improve people’s lives here at home.
So that’s what this deal is all about – facing out into the world once again, in the great tradition of this nation. Building the relationships we choose, with the partners we choose, and closing deals in the national interest. Because that is what independent, sovereign nations do.
Starmer is clearly referring to the way the discussion about relations with the EU continues to be framed by supporters of Brexit as a matter of either taking back control or surrendering. (See 11.15am.)
In other contexts, such as in his speech last week on immigration, Starmer is happy to talk about “taking back control”. But, on trade, he does not view negotiations in binary terms. In an interview in the Times published on Saturday, Starmer repeatedly said that he was not interested in “relitigating the arguments of the past”.
Deal with EU will make food cheaper and add £9bn to UK economy, says No 10
Downing Street has published its summary of the deal with the UK, and it claims that it will add almost £9bn to the value of the economy by 2040.
And here is Jessica Elgot’s story.
Severin Carrell is the Guardian’s Scotland editor.
A leading marine conservation group has said the row over the length of the EU fisheries deal is artificial and misses key facts about the British fishing industry, since many British trawlers are EU owned and increasingly controlled by very large firms.
Phil Taylor, director of Open Seas, a conservation charity, said:
The debate about the length of the fishing deal and the amount of access granted to EU boats is missing a key point, since some of the biggest UK fishing companies are EU owned, while a number of Scottish boats are still landing more than half their catch directly to the continent.
Despite UK law requiring fishing quota be distributed in ways that incentivise low impact fishing, the rights to most UK fishing quotas are handed freely to businesses. And those rights can be bought and sold, allowing access to this public resource to be consolidated by those with the deepest pockets with very few conditions, such as sustainability measures, put on its use.
Hall said the Scottish government’s complaints it had been ignored by UK ministers (see 8.51am), despite having policy responsibility for fisheries in Scottish waters, were also ironic. The Scottish government was now more than two years late delivering 22 fisheries management plans required after Brexit, he said. He went on:
It’s time that our national fisheries authorities invest the same level of energy in establishing a fairer system to distribute quota and sustainable management of the seas as they invest in the negotiations with the EU over rights of access in the first place.
Gwyn Topham is the Guardian’s transport correspondent.
The Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary, who has been a strong critic of Brexit, has said that it would be good for the UK to have a youth mobility scheme with the EU. (See 11.59am.) He said:
It would make a big difference, generally to hospitality, retail, agriculture over here, and particularly in the regions where a lot of the hotels are struggling for staff, if those sectors could bring in lots of Portuguese, Italian, Spanish kids to come over here, even on summer jobs, it would be very helpful for the UK economy. Get them over here. They’ll come here and work and pay tax. So what? What’s the issue?
Youth mobility scheme with EU to be called 'youth experience scheme', leak suggests
The UK government was very nervous about about agreeing a youth mobility scheme with the EU because it was nervous about the proposal being associated with free movement, even though youth mobility schemes are very different. For a long time ministers claimed they were not planning to agree a scheme of this kind.
Now it has been confirmed that they are discussing on. But the details have not been agreed and, according to the Telegraph’s leak of text of the deal (see 11.30am), they are going to call it a “youth experience” scheme instead. According to the Telegraph, the text says:
The European Commission and the United Kingdom should work towards a balanced youth experience scheme on terms to be mutually agreed. The scheme should facilitate the participation of young people from the European Union and the United Kingdom in various activities, such as work, studies, au-pairing, volunteering, or simply travelling, for a limited period of time. It should provide a dedicated visa path and ensure that the overall number of participants is acceptable to both sides.
Starmer's deal 'far worse than Boris Johnson's' for fishing sector, says Scottish Fishermen's Federation
Severin Carrell is the Guardian’s Scotland editor.
The leader of the UK’s largest fishing industry body has lambasted the EU fisheries deal, claiming it was worse for the sector than the original Brexit treaty.
Elspeth Macdonald, chief executive of the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation, said:
This deal is a horror show for Scottish fishermen, far worse than Boris Johnson’s botched Brexit agreement.
[Any] attempt by either the UK or EU to portray the new deal as a continuation of existing arrangements would be a lie, because in fact the trade and cooperation agreement paved the way for annual access negotiations from 2026.
At the weekend, Sir Keir said the deal would be measured against how much it would improve job prospects and allow our communities to flourish.
Giving away a national asset such as our rich and healthy fishing grounds for no discernible benefit not only fails both of these tests, but is a disgrace that will ensure the enmity of this proud industry for many years to come.
Scottish fleets land a significant majority of the UK’s catch, based in ports such as Peterhead and Lerwick, with 61% of the UK’s overall capacity. Many UK boats also land significant quantities in Norway.
The latest UK government landings data for 2023 found that UK vessels landed 719m tonnes of fish worth £1.1bn but the UK remains a net importer of fish, chiefly from China, Norway and Iceland.
Joe Barnes at the Telegraph has published what he says is the full text of the EU-UK deal being announced today. It does not seem to have impressed the paper’s bosses (the deal itself, that is – not Barnes’ scoop.) The Telegraph website is currently dominated by an enormous headline saying: “Starmer caves in.”
(The Telegraph is strongly pro-Brexit. See 11.15am.)
There are strong 2019 echoes in what the Conservatives, Reform UK and all other Brexiters are saying about the deal today. This was evident in Andrew Bowie’s interview on the Today programme this morning (see 9.12am), and also on the front pages of the pro-Brexit papers.
But it is worth point out that public opinion on Brexit has shifted considerably since 2019, which means this messaging is likely to be a lot less effective than it was when Boris Johnson was using it. According to YouGov polling published in January, Britons now believe that leaving the EU was a mistake by almost two to one.
Steve Bray, the anti-Brexit campaigner who still stages a regular, and noisy, protest outside the Houses of Parliament, has decamped to Lancaster House this morning. But he is not protesting today. He has been playing the Ode to Joy, and has told police that what he is staging is “more of a celebration”.
The Scottish Conservatives have issued a statement denouncing the fishing agreement. This is from Tim Eagle, fishing spokesperson for the Tories in the Scottish parliament.
This agreement is an absolute disaster for the Scottish fishing industry. Sir Keir Starmer and the UK Labour government have not just surrendered to the European Union’s demands, they have totally capitulated to them.
The deal is a shameful betrayal of our fishermen and will go down like a lead balloon in our coastal communities across Scotland. It is even worse than they feared.
Jennifer Rankin is the Guardian’s Brussels correspondent.
EU officials have hailed the agreements with the UK as starting “a new chapter in relations”.
The bloc’s most senior diplomats from all 27 member states met early on Monday to approve the three texts that are due to be signed later by Keir Starmer, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council president António Costa.
The three documents are: 1) a security and defence agreement; 2) a joint statement setting out common views on global challenges, such as the war in Ukraine; and 3) a common understanding paper – the key text pointing the way to further agreements including a youth mobility deal and veterinary agreement.
An EU official said:
We have entered a new chapter in our relations with [the] UK – a neighbour, an ally and a global partner.
The negotiation process in the run-up to this summit went until the last minute. But negotiations took place always in good faith on both sides, and the result is very positive for both.
Simon Clarke, levelling up secretary when Liz Truss was PM, former MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland and a leader Tory Brexiter, has described today’s deal as “a triumph of elite concerns”. He posted this on social media.
Today is a triumph of elite concerns - youth mobility, 5 minutes quicker through the airport in Tuscany in summer - over those of working class Britain.
It’s not these people, or their kids, who will miss out on jobs or have their wages undercut by EU labour. They don’t care about scarce fishing grounds being hoovered up by French or Spanish super trawlers. They don’t worry about whether British agriculture is stopped from innovating. And so it goes on.
We spent 4 years battling to leave the EU properly, to avoid the utter humiliation of leaving only in part, and becoming a ruletaker. That’s not only because of the practical consequences - it renders leaving largely pointless - but also because it’s the thin end of the wedge to take us back in (“why not go back and have a seat at the table?”).
Reporters were asking Keir Starmer “Have you sold out the fish?” as he arrived at Lancaster House. ITV News has the clip.
'Have you sold out the fish?'
— ITVPolitics (@ITVNewsPolitics) May 19, 2025
Keir Starmer arrives at Lancaster House ahead of major summit with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen after fishing deal reportedly agreed https://t.co/oWRiZ6kTWl pic.twitter.com/8Zbnvj7Ub8
All the key figures have now arrived at Lancaster House for the UK-EU summit.
As Eleni Courea and Lisa O’Carroll revealed in a Guardian story at the weekend, the deal will involve an agreement for UK passport holders to use e-gates across Europe – allowing British holidaymakers to get through airports more quickly.
In a post on social media, Joe Barnes from the Telegraph has a picture of what the text of the agreement says about this.
Steve Baker, the former minister and leading Tory Brexiter, says that, because there is no current legal ban on Britons using e-gates at EU airports (as paragraph 16 quoted above says), this does not amount to a “win” for Labour in the negotiations.
Ed Davey welcomes deal and urges Starmer to ignore 'naysayers and dinosaurs' in Reform UK and Tory party
The Liberal Democrats have welcomed news of the deal with the EU as a “positive step”. In a statement, Ed Davey, the Lib Dem leader, said:
These seem to be some positive first steps in rebuilding our relationship with Europe after years of a Conservative party that wrecked trust and broke our relationship with our closest allies.
The prime minister must ignore the naysayers and dinosaurs in Reform and the Conservative party and be more ambitious in getting the best deal in the national interest.
Lisa O’Carroll is a Guardian correspondent covering Brexit and trade.
It is understood the fishing deal will run for 12 years until 2038 with concessions for fishing industries such as processing that don’t have direct access to the seas.
This would mean fish processing can take place anywhere including in UK communities that ended up setting up complex and costly veterinary certification to comply with Brexit export health and safety rules
Tory claims about EU deal being 'surrender' are 'nonsense', says Conservative peer and supermarket boss Stuart Rose
Stuart Rose, the Asda chair and former Marks & Spencer boss who sits in the Lords as a Conservative party chair, has said that it is “nonsense” for his party to describe the today’s deal with the EU as “surrender”. (See 9.12am.)
In an interview with Times Radio, asked if agreed with the “surrender” claim made by the Tories, Rose replied:
No, it’s nonsense. I really am quite disappointed and sad that I live in a country – you know, I am a Conservative, although I am not a politically active Conservative, I’m not a politician. But to hear that the Conservatives are saying we must be rule givers and not rule takers. It’s about giving a bit, taking a bit, and understanding this is a very difficult, unpleasant world we live in.
And we’ve got to make sure that for the UK public and for the UK, we do our best. That’s what we elect our politicians to do. That’s what I expect them to do. And talking about small things like surrender is pathetic.
Rose, who was a leading anti-Brexit campaigner in 2016 (unlike those leading the Conservative party now), described the deal as a “win” for Britain.
Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, told business leaders in Downing Street this morning that the deal with the EU would be “about bringing more good jobs to our country, it’s about reducing prices in the shops for consumers, as your costs fall as businesses, and, crucially, it’s about our defence partnership with our allies”.
According to Natasha Clark from LBC, the government is going to announce extra money for the fishing industry.
Gov sources say new £360m extra for coastal fishing
Say the EU tried to tie fishing deal to business agricultural checks, but it’s been confirmed there won’t be a time limit on those
Unclear exactly what checks will be relaxed and how at the moment
Deal could lead to 'end of fishing industry', Farage claims
Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, has claimed that, if the EU retains access to UK fishing waters for another 12 years, as reported, that will amount to the “end of the fishing industry. He posted this on social media.
If true that will be the end of the fishing industry.
Minister says deal with EU shows Britain 'back on world stage'
Nick Thomas-Symonds, the Cabinet Office minister in charge of post-Brexit relations with the EU, has posted this on social media about the reset deal agreed today.
Historic day.
After months of negotiations, I can announce that the Labour Government has secured a new agreement with the EU.
Good for jobs
Good for bills
Good for borders
And more…
Britain back on the world stage, with a Government in the service of working people.
Here is the latest Guardian story on the reset deal, by Peter Walker, Jessica Elgot and Lisa O’Carroll.
And this is what they says about fishing.
According to EU sources, access to British fishing waters will be granted until the end of June 2038, an extension of 12 years. In return, the agreement on easier checks for food, animal and other agricultural products, known as sanitary and phytosanitary goods (SPS), is indefinite.
While the length of the fishing rights deal is likely to prompt criticism from the Conservatives and Reform UK, it is understood that Downing Street pushed back against EU demands for a time-limited SPS deal and a permanent arrangement on fishing.
'Total capitulation' - Tories attack deal on fishing, even though it extends concessions originally made by Boris Johnson
Andrew Bowie, the shadow Scottish secretary, had a difficult time on the Today programme when he was interviewed by Nick Robinson before 7am about the EU-UK deal. Robinson was already quite fired up, having spent a few minutes rowing with a Krelmin spokesperson who claimed Ukraine started the war with Russia, and he asked Bowie four times why the Conservatives were describing the deal with Brussels as “surrender”, using the language of war to discuss a trade agreement with allies.
Bowie eventually said that if the UK ended up being subject to EU laws, sending money to the EU, and allowing more EU fishing boats into UK waters, “then we will indeed have surrendered to the demands of the Europeans. Union”.
The encounter has not persuaded Bowie to tone down his language. Within the last hour, he posted this on social media.
If it is true that Labour has surrendered British waters to the EU until 2038, that is worse than a surrender, it is a total capitulation.
Other Scottish Tories are saying the same. This is from Harriet Cross, MP for Gordon and Buchan.
If this morning’s reports are true that Labour have given the EU access to UK fishing waters until 2038,
this isn’t a just a betrayal,
it’s a complete abandonment of our fishing fleets.
And this is from John Lamont, MP for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk.
The latest Starmer Sellout. The EU takes 7 times more fish by value from British waters than we take from theirs. So why is Keir Starmer giving European fisherman the same access to British waters for the next 12 years? Absolutely disgraceful!
Many people working in the fishing industry strongly supported Brexit because they thought it would allow them to regain some of the exclusive access to British waters they had before the UK joined the EU.
But they felt betrayed when Boris Johnson negotiated a post-Brexit deal with the EU that allowed EU fishing boats to retain much of the access they had when the UK was a member. This is how Toby Helm wrote it up for the Observer at the time.
It is worth pointing out that if, as the Scottish Tories claim, fishermen have been betrayed today, it is just an extension of the original betrayal they suffered at the hands of the last Conservative government.
Updated
Scottish government complains about not being consulted over deal with EU on fishing
Angus Robertson, cabinet secretary for constitution, external affairs and culture in the SNP Scottish government, has posted these on social media about the fishing aspect of the EU-UK deal
So the UK Government has just reached a 12 year deal on the devolved issue of fishing without any recourse, involvement or approval of Scottish Government and other Devolved Administrations. It follows cancellation of last three EFRA inter ministerial meetings by UK government.
UK Govt has agreed a fisheries (devolved) deal with EU in principle, without any recourse, involvement or approval of Devolved Admins. Scottish Government received no documentation or draft proposals in advance. I asked UK minister last week for this. Nothing received. Reset?
Updated
This is from Joe Barnes, the Telegraph’s Brussels correspondent, on the deal.
Brexit reset deal - Fishing access until 2038
SPS, no time limits on dynamic alignment
CBAM and ETS is dynamic alignment
No youth mobility deal, but a promise to revisit at a later under agreed parameters, including rejoining Erasmus.
CBAM is the carbon border adjustment mechanism and the ETS is the emissions trading scheme.
Brexit reset deal - Fishing access until 2038
— Joe Barnes (@Barnes_Joe) May 19, 2025
SPS, no time limits on dynamic alignment
CBAM and ETS is dynamic alignment
No youth mobility deal, but a promise to revisit at a later under agreed parameters, including rejoining Erasmus.
Q: Will the UK be able to influence EU rules on food standards under this deal, as Jonathan Reynolds implied? (See 8.27am.)
Kallas says the there have been extensive talks about food standards. But she says the UK decided to be outside the EU, and outside the EU it does not have the same influence as countries that are inside, she says.
Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign affairs chief, is being interviewed on the Today programme now by Anna Foster.
Foster asks her if she will confirm the 12-year fishing deal figure
Kallas says Keir Starmer, Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa will confirm the details later.
But deals have two sides, she says.
Reynolds refuses to deny report saying EU fishing rights in UK waters extended for 12 years under deal
Nick Robinson puts it to Reynolds that a 12-year fishing deal would be longer than anyone was expecting. The fishing industry, which believes the EU’s current access rights to UK waters are already too generous and wants them cut back, are bound to object.
Reynolds won’t confirm the 12-year figure. But he says there is a good case for moving away from having annual negotiations over fishing (which was supposed to be the process from 2026, under the original post-Brexit deal negotiated by Boris Johnson) to having a system with more “consistency”.
Updated
EU fishing rights in UK waters extended for 12 years under deal, BBC reports
Chris Mason, the BBC political editor, tells the Today programme that he has been told a fishing deal with the EU has been agreed for 12 years.
But he says the agrifoods deal that has been agreed, reducing checks on UK products going to the EU, is not subject to a time limit.
Mason says he has been told the details of the youth mobility scheme have still not been finalised.
Q: Will the UK now be subject to EU rules?
Reynolds says he would push back against that. He says UK and EU rules are currently aligned. If EU rules were to change, the UK would want a say in shaping them.
Q: How would that happen? Non-EU states do not get a say on EU laws.
Reynolds says parliament would want a say. He cites Norway as an example of a non-EU country that gets to have a say in the EU rules it has to follow.
Jonathan Reynolds is now being interviewed on the Today programme by Nick Robinson.
Q: Is it as simple as this – the UK wants to sell more to the EU, and they want to catch more fish in UK waters?
Reynolds says there is a bit more to it than than. But he says the deal is about making people better off, and improving market access.
And market access is important to the fishing industry too, he says. He says they sell 70% of their products to the EU.
Q: You are signing away fishing rights for 10 years?
Reynolds says the current fishing agreement, giving the EU access to UK waters, runs until 2026.
Q: After that talks were supposed to be annual. Have you extended the deal now for 10 years?
Reynolds ducks the question.
Robinson presses him again.
Q: Will EU trawlers have access to UK waters for another 10 years?
Reynolds says the previous government conceded the access point.
And he says having to renegotiate fishing rights every year would not be practical.
Updated
Reynolds suggests EU and UK have agreed youth mobility scheme with cap on numbers
In an interview with Times Radio this morning Jonathan Reynolds, the business secretary, did not deny a suggestion that the youth mobility scheme with the EU, that is expected to be part of the deal being announced today, might be capped at around 45,000.
When this figure was put to him, he replied:
I’m not going to confirm anything until that deal is officially done, because it’s obviously very sensitive.
But he said the similar youth mobility schemes that the UK has with other countries are capped. He said:
If you look at the 13 we already have, they are capped, yes. So I think the Conservative deal with Australia capped it at 45,000, but nothing like that number of visas is ever issued every year.
He also said these schemes were “fundamentally different to what we experienced when we had freedom of movement when we were in the EU”.
Downing Street sources are confirming that a deal has been done, Jessica Elgot reports. She says the EU has also dropped its demand for the extension of the current fishing deal (agreed by Boris Johnson as part of the original post-Brexit deal – and widely seen as generous to the EU) to be pegged to the length of the deal for agrifoods. (See 6.40am.)
Agenda for the day
Good morning. I’m Andrew Sparrow, picking up from Yohnannes Lowe.
Jonathan Reynolds, the business secretary, is giving interviews this morning saying that the post-Brexit reset deal between the UK and the EU has not been finally agreed (see 7.37am), but he’s just being pedantic. It all seems sorted. It just has not been formally announced yet.
Here is the timetable for how the day will unfold.
10.15am: Keir Starmer and other leaders arrive for the EU-UK summit at Lancaster House. On the UK side the lead participants are Starmer, David Lammy, the foreign secretary, and Nick Thomas-Symonds, the Cabinet Office minister in charge of post-Brexit relations with the EU. On the EU side, the lead partiicpants are Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, António Costa, president of the European Council, Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign affairs chief, and Maroš Šefčovič, the European commissioner responsible for post-Brexit relations with the UK.
12.30pm: Starmer, von der Leyen and Costa hold press conference.
After 3.30pm: A ministerial statement is expected in the Commons.
Updated
UK-EU reset deal still not agreed, business secretary says
As we have been reporting, the “core details” of a reset deal between the UK and EU were agreed in the early hours, though the final touches appear to still be being worked out.
The deal covers areas such as defence, trade, fishing, and a possible youth mobility scheme that could allow British and European 18- to 30-year-olds to travel freely around Europe under certain conditions.
In an interview with Sky News this morning, the UK’s trade secretary Jonathan Reynolds said the deal has not been finalised, with issues over agricultural products and e-gates remaining sticking points in the negotiations.
He said:
Nothing on these deals is sorted until it all gets sorted. There’s a deal to be done here, we’ve always said that.
There are real benefits to the UK which are on offer on sorting this out, because there are massive gaps that we have with the EU at the moment.
“There is not currently a deal agreed at this point,” Reynolds added.
Updated
What could be in the new security and defence pact that is likely to be announced today?
We expect an announcement on defence and security later today, which could see the UK get access to a £125bn EU defence fund - a boost for UK defence companies.
The fund has taken on a new sense of urgency since Donald Trump re-entered the White House in January as the US president has signalled that America will no longer be the primary guarantor of European security.
My colleagues Jennifer Rankin and Jessica Elgot have a little more detail about the fund in this story. Here is an extract from it:
The SAFE fund would allow EU member states to take out loans to buy up to €150bn of air and missile defence systems, ammunition, drones and other military kit.
It was proposed by the commission in March, as part of a drive to increase European defence spending by €800bn amid deep shock at Donald Trump’s rush to offer concessions to Vladimir Putin in a bid to end Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Reflecting the influence of the French president, Emmanuel Macron, the fund has a “buy European” rule meaning that components from non-EU countries can only make up 35% of the cost of any project.
That restriction is relaxed for Ukraine and any country with a defence and security partnership with the EU.
Updated
Updated
Breakthrough in EU-UK talks
Talks between the UK and EU over a significant reset to relations achieved a last-minute breakthrough overnight, believed to be about fishing rights. However there are still some steps to be taken, reports the Guardian’s political editor, Pippa Crerar.
The talks were taking place over the weekend ahead of a key summit in London hosted by Keir Starmer with EU leaders on Monday, which is aimed at resetting the UK’s relationship with the bloc five years after Brexit.
The talks were aimed at striking a deal to be signed at the summit and had gone down to the wire to resolve squabbling over long-standing issues, including fishing rights and a youth mobility scheme. It is understood a breakthrough was made over fishing rights. “The EU was insisting the government offer long-term access to British waters, beyond four-year deal proposed by UK, and was pushing for double-digit extension,” reports Pippa Crerar. “Brussels had linked fishing with agreement to drop checks and bureaucracy around sale of food, animal & other agricultural products, known as sanitary and phytosanitary goods (SPS). EU had suggested this should be pegged to same timescale as fish.”
An agreement would mark a symbolic step in turning the page on the animosity that followed Britain’s exit from the bloc in January 2020.
No 10’s decision to issue a press statement on Saturday presenting the summit as a done deal caused irritation in Brussels, prompting some to recall the mantra of Brexit negotiations: “Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed.”
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