Pressure on PM for closer ties with the EU

The Independent reports that Keir Starmer is under pressure to re-examine the UK’s relationship with the European Union, as a new group of MPs from across the political spectrum has formed to urge the prime minister to forge closer ties with the bloc.

The paper says that the group, which aims to “discover areas of mutual co-operation and interest” and probe the UK-EU relationship, held its first meeting on Tuesday:

The group will seek to “foster positive relationships with colleagues across Europe”, as well as “encouraging an open and honest dialogue for politicians of all stripes”, co-chair Dr Rosena Allin-Khan said.

The meeting was attended by multiple prominent Labour backbenchers including Dawn Butler, Yasmin Qureshi and Marsha de Cordova.

Former Labour MP Rosie Duffield, who now sits as an independent after quitting the party, was also in attendance, as well as Liberal Democrat, SNP and Green MPs.

Sir Keir has faced criticism for his decision to disband the European Scrutiny Committee after Labour won the last election, with MPs now forming their own group to fill the democratic void.

The first meeting of the new All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Europe, chaired by Dr Allin-Khan and Tory peer Lord Kirkhope, saw multiple parliamentarians express their dismay that there wasn’t another avenue for discussion and scrutiny on European issues since the axing of the committee, sources in attendance told The Independent.

At the time, the decision was dubbed a “disgrace” by Sir Bill Cash, the former Tory MP who chaired the committee for 14 years before standing down at the last election.

But Dr Mike Galsworthy, Chairman of the European Movement - which is supporting the APPG - said the new group would bring in a “fresh new era of European engagement.”

It comes as Sir Keir attempts to pursue a “reset” with the EU, pledging to “make Brexit work” by renegotiating the deal agreed upon by Boris Johnson and the Tories.

Joe Meighan, public affairs manager at the European Movement warned the prime minister against running a “covert charm offensive with Europe”, saying it “risks any advancements being labelled as undemocratic”.

“Our exit from the EU and removal from its apparatus should give cause for deeper parliamentary scrutiny, not the opposite. If Starmer’s great reset is to be fair, equitable and democratic, it must be one routed through the House of Parliament and not Labour HQ”, he said.

Meanwhile, Lord Kirkhope told The Independent the new group is “crucial” following the decision to abolish the European Scrutiny Committee.

“It will allow us to assess policies as they evolve and apply a positive, pragmatic approach to our relationship with Europe.

“We’ve bilateral ties with many European countries, but what’s been lacking is a broader, strategic view of our relationship with the EU as a whole”, he said.

This new group is very welcome but it doesn't bode well for Labour's so-called reset that Starmer's first act in this direction on becoming PM was to abolish the European Scrutiny Committee.