Brussels has sparked fury by stepping up demands for Britain to pay into the EU’s budget for the first time since Brexit as part of Sir Keir Starmer’s ‘reset’ deal.
The Prime Minister and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen struck a new agreement in May that Sir Keir claimed would ‘move on’ from past spats.
The wide-ranging deal included agreements on food standards and the bloc’s carbon border tax, but it later emerged how the UK would have to cover ‘relevant costs’.
The Financial Times has now reported that EU member states were due to further discuss on Friday how Britain could be made to pay as the price of the ‘reset’.
It said EU nations want the UK to contribute to a regional levelling up fund in return for dropping checks on animal and plant products and allowing cheaper energy trading.
One EU diplomat made the argument that Britain should pay into Brussels’ coffers as Norway, Switzerland and other partner nations do.
‘Third countries that want access to the EU internal market pay,’ they said. ‘You can’t have the benefits of membership when you are not a member.’
Any potential payments by Britain to the EU will risk claims of a Brexit betrayal, after Leave campaigners pledged to ‘take back control’ of UK borders, money and laws.
Dame Priti Patel, the Tory shadow foreign secretary, said Sir Keir had paved the way for an ‘outrageous hit job’ on British taxpayers with his ‘reset’ deal.
The Prime Minister and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen struck a new agreement in May that Sir Keir claimed would ‘move on’ from past spats
‘Today we are seeing the first fruits of Keir Starmer’s weak post-Brexit reset,’ Dame Priti told the Daily Mail.
‘What Starmer claimed would be in Britain’s interests has turned out to be an outrageous hit job on British taxpayers, with demands from the EU for billions of pounds from our country.
‘Starmer doesn’t have the backbone to stand up to Brussels, with their attempt to extort cash from us as a punishment for having the foresight to leave the EU.
‘Starmer is so desperate to ingratiate himself in the EU club and undo Brexit by the back door that he concedes to every request.
‘When Labour negotiates, Britain loses. Only the Conservatives will protect British interests at home and abroad.’
EU diplomats were said to have questioned the ‘good faith’ of Britain as negotiations to finalise Sir Keir’s ‘reset’ deal also stumble in other areas.
The PM’s agreement also paved the way for the UK’s return to the Erasmus university exchange programme.
And it set out hopes for the creation of a youth mobility scheme to allow young people access to the EU for work, study or travel.
Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, the former Tory business secretary, told the Daily Mail: ‘The EU is always after our money and never deals in good faith. We must not give it another brass farthing.’
Naomi Smith, chief executive of pro-EU lobby group Best for Britain, said: ‘It’s high time both sides delivered on the promises made at the summit in May.
‘From defence to agrifood, but chiefly, by giving young people across the continent the unparalleled opportunities of living, studying and working across borders.’
A Government spokesperson said: ‘We are working together with the EU to implement the package agreed at the UK-EU Summit.
‘We will only agree deals that provide value to the UK and the UK industry.
‘Nothing has been agreed, and we will not give a running commentary on ongoing talks.’
The European Commission said: ‘At the summit the EU and the UK marked the beginning of a new chapter in their relationship with agreements on a number of ambitious accords that will promote prosperity on both sides of the Channel and strengthen co-operation on common priorities.’
