A customs union with the EU remains a “red line” for the Government, Yvette Cooper has said, amid calls for the UK to deepen ties with Europe.
The Prime Minister will meet European Council leaders on Monday as he continues efforts to “reset” the UK’s relationship with the trade bloc.
The focus of the meeting is expected to be defence co-operation, but the Lib Dems have called for Sir Keir Starmer to begin talks with the EU which could pave the way for a customs union with the bloc.
The Home Secretary, however, insisted the Government would not pursue such a deal.
“We’ve always said that the red lines as part of that reset is no return to the customs union, to the single market, or to free movement, and that remains the case,” she told Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips.
The Government wants to “get rid of some of the bureaucracy” across borders, she added, but described a youth mobility scheme which would allow free movement between the UK and Europe for young people as “not the right starting point for us at all”.
As Donald Trump moves to impose tariffs on Mexico and Canada, Ms Cooper said the UK wanted “stronger trading relationships” with the US.
But she suggested the UK was not planning to choose between the US and Europe as the risk of a global trade war rises.
The Home Secretary said: “It’s why we’ve been working on resetting the relationship with our European neighbours so that we can improve the trade, so that we can improve law enforcement co-operation. We’re doing the same, for example, on tackling the dangerous small boat crossings.
“We need that stronger co-operation with France, with Germany, so, of course, we need to strengthen that co-operation and also look for stronger trading relationships with the US and other countries.”
Shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith told Sky News the UK needed to be prioritising the US over Europe.
“We have a trade deal with the European Union already, so, alongside that, a trade deal with the US would be a big win,” the senior Tory said.
Mr Griffith added the UK’s big opportunity “lies in Washington, with the US, our single largest trading partner”, and claimed “the Prime Minister should be rediverting his plane tomorrow”.
The Tory frontbencher’s boss, Kemi Badenoch, has meanwhile set five “tests” for the Prime Minister has he meets with European leaders.
Failing to meet the tests will suggest the Prime Minister is attempting to “undo” Brexit, the Conservative leader said.
They include a commitment to no “backsliding” on free movement or the compulsory transfer of asylum seekers; no new money paid to the EU; and no reduction in fishing rights.
The Tories also want Sir Keir to commit to not take any rules from the EU as he engages with the bloc, including dynamic alignment on trade standards, or allowing the European courts to have jurisdiction over UK law.
Nato must have “primacy” when it comes to European security, the Tory leader said in her final test for the PM.
Ahead of Sir Keir’s visit, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said the Prime Minister should “open negotiations” for a customs union with the EU.
“My challenge to Keir Starmer today is to go to Brussels tomorrow and open negotiations for an EU-UK customs union,” he told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg.
The path towards a deal could start with the UK joining the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean (PEM) Convention, an agreement which allows for tariff-free movement of some goods across the continent, Sir Ed said.
But he suggested a full EU-UK customs union could be reached “at the latest by 2030”.
Sir Ed has has written to Chancellor Rachel Reeves, calling on her to commission the Office for Budget Responsibility to assess the impact of a new customs union with the EU on the UK economy, according to the BBC.
Opening talks on a customs union could “turbo-charge” the EU-UK relationship, Sir Ed added.
