Border checks relaxation is welcome: now the hard work begins

The u-turn this week on winter fuel payments will appease the Labour Party faithful. But the most skilful manoeuvres have concerned international trade, where Keir Starmer has (among others) secured an Indian trade deal, navigated Donald Trump’s tariff war with minimal damage, and “reset” EU relations in a way that promises benefits for farmers, suppliers, retailers and shoppers. And the EU deal was achieved without inciting Brexit voters, a diplomatic challenge as treacherous as Trump’s trade war games.

But there are real concerns over the timings for the welcome relaxation of the SPS measures for fresh produce suppliers, for example. And there are worries as to whether ‘carve-outs’ Defra has identified can be secured in areas of competitive advantage, such as gene editing and novel foods. The UK seems unlikely to get them all.

So there’s all to play for. And now come the hard yards: lobbying and feeding in technical views in areas like pesticides, organic food, environmental standards, sustainability marketing and food safety, to ensure regulations made in Europe can work for UK farmers, retailers and suppliers.

Trust issues

That won’t be easy with the UK still outside the EU. A skilful game of diplomacy will therefore be required to find allies among EU member states. But it’s also the case that Defra needs to resource this properly.

Despite a huge increase in its size and budget since Brexit, there has been no investment in building the detailed, technical, unglamorous policy expertise Britain’s exit from the EU and now tentative realignment requires.

Indeed, while the EU has adjusted its regulations in areas like sustainability reporting, food safety and deforestation law, the UK has stalled. In short, it will require well argued, detailed technical assessment – and continued efforts to restore trust and rebuild broken bridges on its return to Brussels – to avoid being sent straight to the tradesman’s entrance.