UK could adopt EU single market rules under new legislation

Sir Keir Starmer is planning a law which will mean that the UK government can adopt EU single market rules, without them being voted on in Parliament.

The measure is part of a bill aiming to align the UK with new European regulations in areas such as food standards.

A Labour source told the BBC: "It will lower costs for businesses and get rid of the Brexit paperwork tax that adds to the cost of the weekly shop."

The plans provoked strong opposition from the Conservatives and Reform UK.

The EU single market is an agreement which enables goods, service and people to move freely between members states, with countries applying many common rules and standards.

The UK and the EU are currently negotiating various deals, including one concerning food safety and standards for animal and plant health.

The parliamentary legislation to accompany some of them is expected later this year, and will include new powers allowing so-called "dynamic alignment" with Europe in areas where deals have already been signed.

This means that whenever Brussels approves a new rule MPs would only have limited opportunities to scrutinise them.

They would be put through using secondary legislation - which normally can't be amended, and is usually rubber stamped without a vote.

A government spokesperson said: "The bill will go through parliament in the normal way. 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."

"This will allow us to deliver a 'food & drink' trade deal worth £5.1bn a year, backing British jobs and slashing costly red tape for our farmers, producers and businesses."

While Labour has previously ruled out rejoining the EU single market or customs union, the new legislation could see the UK adopt some European regulations under British deals struck with the bloc.

"We're making a sovereign choice to agree deals to reduce trade barriers - where Parliament gets to have a say," a Labour source said.

But shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith said it would mean parliament is "reduced to a spectator while Brussels sets the terms".

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage vowed to oppose the legislation "every step of the way", calling the plans "a backdoor attempt to drag Britain back under European Union control."

Liberal Democrat MP Munira Wilson told the BBC's Westminster Hour: "We need a closer relationship with Europe, but we also need parliamentary democracy."

A UK-EU summit is expected later this year, after the two sides struck a deal last May on areas including fishing rights, trade, defence and energy.

Sir Keir said this year's summit "will not just ratify existing commitments made at last year's summit" but would be "more ambitious".