Britain to adopt single market rules without parliamentary vote as part of UK-EU reset<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nBritish ministers are planning to fundamentally reshape Britain’s relationship with the EU with new legislation that could result in Britain signing up to EU single market rules without a normal parliamentary vote.<\/p>\n
In a major development from Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s call for closer ties with the continent after the Iran war, British ministers are preparing to face opposition to “dynamic alignment” with the EU who “scream treason” at powers in the new EU-UK reset bill.<\/p>\n
Starmer’s government is looking to improve diplomatic and economic ties with the EU, Britain’s biggest trading partner, after a “reset” deal was announced following the first UK-EU summit last May and both sides agreed a “strategic partnership” aimed at closer ties. <\/p>\n
Earlier this month, Starmer said Britain would seek a deeper partnership with the EU on trade and defense because of the instability created by Trump’s war with Iran, adding that Brexit would “deeply damage” the UK economy.<\/p>\n
Weeks after Donald Trump’s war with Iran has exposed the fragility of Britain’s damaged relationship with the US, ministers argue the move would add billions of dollars to the UK economy, help defray the costs of the conflict and boost lagging productivity.<\/p>\n
The move is possible under so-called Henry VIII powers, named after a 1539 law that allows the king to rule by decree, allowing ministers to approve laws without full scrutiny from Parliament using secondary legislation.<\/p>\n
The Bill will enable deals the government is negotiating on food and drink and emissions trading and allow it to comply with future EU changes in these areas.<\/p>\n
Ministers say the move will boost trade without breaking government red lines on rejoining the customs union, the single market or returning to freedom of movement, but critics argue it could amount to “integration with the EU by stealth” without the voting or veto rights conferred by membership of the bloc.<\/p>\n
“Changes to UK rules should be debated in Parliament and rejected by politicians,” said Professor Anand Menon, director of the think tank UK in a Changing Europe. “The reality of it is that we are signing an agreement with the EU that commits us to follow their rules, whether we like it or not. The danger is that you are integrating with the EU by stealth.”<\/p>\n
A new bill, which will implement the food and drink trade agreement with the EU, will include powers to enable the government to engage dynamically with Europe in areas where it already has agreements in place.<\/p>\n
Additionally, it would also allow the UK to quickly implement devolved single market rules if it determines it is in the national interest, without having to face full parliamentary scrutiny each time.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n