UK Government will not ignite Brexit ‘battles of the past’, says minister

A UK Government minister has pledged not to reignite “the battles of the past” in UK-EU negotiations.

Asked about the Government’s red lines on Thursday, Nick Thomas-Symonds vowed that his colleagues would not take Britain into the customs union nor return to freedom of movement.

Labour pledged in its 2024 general election manifesto to “reset the relationship” with Brussels and “seek to deepen ties with our European friends, neighbours and allies”.

Speaking at the Lord Mayor’s Banquet earlier this week, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer denied he would have to “choose between our allies”.

He added the “national interest demands that we work with both” the European Union and Donald Trump’s America, once the US president-elect takes office early next year.

Trade barriers

At the despatch box, Conservative shadow Cabinet Office minister Mike Wood asked: “We all support efforts to remove unnecessary trade barriers, but we must also be clear with our European partners as to just what we cannot accept, so what is the Paymaster General prepared to say is off the table?

“Dynamic alignment? British fishing rights? Or maybe asylum burden sharing?”

Mr Thomas-Symonds, the Paymaster General, replied: “We will not go back to the battles of the past.

“We will not return to the single market. We will not return to the customs union. We will not return to freedom of movement.

“What we will do is negotiate with the European Union to make British people more secure, to make British people safer, so that we have closer law enforcement co-operation, and we will negotiate to reduce trade barriers to make the British people more prosperous.”

Youth mobility scheme

Sarah Olney, the Liberal Democrats’ Cabinet Office spokeswoman, called for a youth mobility scheme with the EU, similar to visa arrangements for young adults which are in place between the UK and Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

Ms Olney suggested a scheme would “provide a return on investment in the form of soft power”.

Mr Thomas-Symonds said in response: “We will of course listen to what the EU has to say, but we have no plans for a youth mobility scheme, and we will not return to freedom of movement.”