Labour plans to fast-track EU rules into UK law without full parliamentary votes
European Union single market rules will be imposed on Britain without a full vote in Parliament under plans being developed by Labour.
The Government will introduce legislation that means once a trade deal has been arranged with the bloc, any further rule changes can be approved by MPs without debate.
Ministers have already started negotiations on trade deals covering food and drink, net-zero rules, and access to the EU’s electricity market.
However, Sir Keir Starmer wants to go further and said earlier this month that he wanted to start talks on an “ambitious” set of new deals, which could include cars, robotics, life sciences, and climate technology.
It is the latest step in the Prime Minister’s “reset” with the EU, under which Britain aims to align its trading rules more closely with those of the single market despite the Brexit vote.
A bill to restrict MPs’ right to vote on EU regulations will be unveiled as part of next month’s King’s Speech, which comes the week after the local elections and will lay out the Government’s legislative agenda for the coming year.
‘Direct Brexit betrayal’
However, opposition parties said that denying votes to MPs threatened to undermine the Brexit vote.
Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, said: “This is a back-door attempt to drag Britain back under European Union control. Accepting their rules without a vote is a direct betrayal of the Brexit referendum and a total breach of the Government’s manifesto promises.
“The British people didn’t vote to become rule-takers, and we will fight this every step of the way.”
Andrew Griffith, the Conservatives’ shadow business secretary, said: “Parliament reduced to a spectator while Brussels sets the terms is exactly what the country rejected.”
On Monday, Sir Keir insisted MPs would have an initial vote on legislation but did not deny that single market rules could then be imposed indirectly.
The Prime Minister told BBC Radio 5 Live: “This is being done by legislation which needs to be voted on in Parliament. So this only happens if Parliament passes the legislation, so that’s the first point.”
Sir Keir argued that in a world of “great uncertainty”, there was a need to move on from “the old arguments” of the Brexit referendum and establish closer ties with the EU.
Kemi Badenoch, the Tory leader, claimed Sir Keir’s approach amounted to “the worst of both worlds.”
Mrs. Badenoch told LBC’s Nick Ferrari: “We’re not in the EU, where we can have a say, but we’re still taking the rules and we’re not using our sovereignty. That’s the worst of both worlds.
“We have to do what’s right for the British national interest and what I can see is Keir Starmer doesn’t seem to have any ideas. They came in with their Lefty campaigns… all sorts of stupid things, half of which they’ve had to reverse anyway.”
The Government has started negotiations on three trade deals with the EU, including food and drink.
Ministers say that MPs will still have a vote on primary legislation to implement each deal as it is signed.
But once these deals are agreed, any changes will be enacted not through primary legislation but by a piece of secondary legislation called a statutory instrument. This will give MPs far less say. There will not automatically be a vote on each of the rules, and they will be unable to propose amendments.
The bill will state that the new rules will initially apply only to the three deals currently being negotiated.
A government spokesman said: “Any new treaties or deals with the EU will also face parliamentary scrutiny, and Parliament will have a role in approving new EU laws required under those deals via secondary legislation.”
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