PM embraces Brexit divisions as he seeks closer ties with Europe

PM embraces Brexit divisions as he seeks closer ties with Europe 17 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleHenry ZeffmanChief political correspondentGetty ImagesWe already knew Sir Keir Starmer wanted a closer relationship with the EU. It was part of his 2024 general election platform, albeit in fairly unspecific terms.We have also known since the first annual UK-EU summit 11 months ago that the UK is negotiating deals with the EU on food and drink standards, carbon emissions and electricity.We knew, too, that the government wanted not only to follow EU rules as they stand now in those three areas, but to continue to follow them over time as they change.There will be a vote on all this in Parliament when the government introduces legislation later this year. But as the government updates UK rules to match European rules over time, there may not necessarily be further votes - that process is known as secondary legislation. Secondary legislation was also used in various ways when Conservative governments pursued divergence from EU rules.The government acknowledging today that this will be the parliamentary process has provoked anger from the Conservatives and Reform UK.But the real meat of the disagreement here is not about parliamentary process. It is about much more profound questions of Britain's sovereignty, economy and place in the world which have been animating our politics for more than a decade now. And what is so striking is the prime minister's relatively newfound enthusiasm for embracing this debate.UK could adopt EU single market rules under new legislationUK will seek closer ties with EU in light of Iran war, Starmer saysAndrew Griffith, the Conservatives' shadow business secretary, said the government's plans would mean "Parliament reduced to a spectator while Brussels sets the terms", and that this was "exactly what the country rejected" in 2016.Reform UK's Nigel Farage made a similar argument. "...