Sir Keir Starmer is set to agree to European Union food standards in what is being described as the most significant reversal of the Brexit process to date.
As part of a deal with Brussels expected on Monday, the UK will adopt EU regulations on plant and animal health, easing trade barriers but prompting accusations of backtracking on the promises of the 2016 referendum.
Nick Thomas-Symonds, the minister responsible for EU relations, confirmed the Government would “align on common standards to make sure we get far easier trade,” signalling a shift towards closer regulatory ties with the bloc.
The move, aimed at securing smoother access to EU markets, is likely to anger Brexiteers who view “dynamic alignment” on food standards as a betrayal of the UK’s sovereignty and a potential route back into the EU by stealth.
UK Faces Backlash Over Dynamic Alignment with EU in Food Standards Deal
Alex Burghart, the shadow Cabinet minister, has warned that the UK is on the verge of a “major capitulation” as the Government prepares to accept EU rules on food and goods regulation.
Speaking to The Camilla Tominey Show on GB News, Burghart said: “The Government appears poised to sign up to what’s called dynamic alignment. That means we will have to follow the EU’s rules on trade, goods, fishing, and food — but without having any say in how those rules are made.
“That’s not what the British people voted for in 2016. They voted for independence and sovereignty, and this looks like a complete rollover.”
Critics argue that dynamic alignment would bring the UK under the influence of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in key regulatory areas and risk future trade deals — particularly with the United States, which is unlikely to agree to EU-aligned standards for agricultural products.
Labour, however, has defended the move, saying the agreement would ease trade frictions, reduce border checks, and lower the cost of imported goods — benefits it claims will be felt directly by UK consumers.
On Monday, Sir Keir Starmer will meet with Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, in London to finalise discussions on a deal that has been in the works for several months.
Negotiators have reached a series of agreements covering defence policy, trade, and regulatory alignment, following months of talks.
European diplomats were expected to meet in Brussels on Sunday to review the final terms of the deal ahead of its announcement.
Among the key outcomes is a provision allowing British holidaymakers to use e-gates at EU passport control, easing travel through European airports.
The deal will also include an agreement on sanitary and phytosanitary standards, aimed at cutting the volume of checks required on food imports and exports between the UK and EU — a move set to streamline cross-border trade.
