On Tuesday 27th May 2025 – in a change to our advertised event ‘Everyday Extremism’ – Politics in Pubs Manchester met at The Welcome Inn (https://politicsinpubs.org.uk/groups/prestwich-north-manchester/) to discuss the implications of the new 2025 UK-EU agreement.

Introduction

An introductory video outlined how the 2025 UK-EU agreement represents a concerted effort to mend and enhance bilateral relations post-Brexit. However, differing interpretations and domestic political considerations have led to varying emphases on the agreement’s provisions. While the UK government focuses on economic benefits and pragmatic cooperation, critics highlight concerns over sovereignty and regulatory autonomy. The EU, on the other hand, emphasises regulatory alignment and integration, expecting the UK to conform to certain standards without formal decision-making power.  EU fishing rights in UK waters have been extended for a further twelve years.

These discrepancies underscore the complexities inherent in UK-EU relations and suggest that while the agreement lays a foundation for cooperation, its implementation will require careful navigation of differing expectations and priorities. Is this a Brexit betrayal or the start of a pragmatic bright new future with our closest neighbours in Europe?

Highlights of the 2025 UK-EU agreement

• Trade and Economy: The agreement aims to reduce trade barriers, streamline customs procedures, and enhance market access, potentially adding nearly £9 billion to the UK economy by 2040.
• Energy Cooperation: Both parties will explore the UK’s participation in the EU’s internal electricity market, promoting closer integration and energy security.
• Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures: Efforts will be made to establish a Common SPS Area, facilitating smoother trade in agri-food products.
• Environmental Standards: The UK and EU will work towards linking their carbon markets, aligning climate goals while respecting each party’s regulatory autonomy.
• Mobility and Youth Exchange: Plans include developing a balanced youth mobility scheme and exploring the UK’s association with the Erasmus+ programme.
• Security and Law Enforcement: The agreement enhances cooperation in criminal matters, including data sharing and joint operations to combat serious crime and terrorism.

Public response

During the EU referendum in 2016, 17.4 million people and 406 parliamentary constituencies voted to the leave the EU (compared to 16.1 million people and 242 parliamentary constituencies which voted to remain).  From the public’s point of view, it was a clear win for leave.  And at odds with MPs – 486 of whom preferred to remain in the EU with only 160 preferring to leave, highlighting the vast disconnect between voters and their parliamentary representatives.

There has been a lot of coverage in the media with arguments made on both sides of the debate. We recommend reading Dan Salt’s excellent blog “Politically Homeless” for his take on the key components of the agreement and an analysis of the political fallout in his article Labour has no deal. As Dan highlights in the following table from YouGov polling, whatever your own view is, the public is split along predictable party lines:

Source: YouGov

Discussion

MPs have always been opposed to Brexit but it is good that Starmer and the establishment have shown their true colours, wanting the UK to be a rule-taker for the EU.  The only concrete aspects of the UK-EU agreement are ones which the UK will have to pay for.  It represents lots of pain for little gain.

There were always advantages to remaining in the EU such as trade benefits, sending parcels, food standards etc.  So this agreement might be a good thing.

The lure of the UK being allowed to bid for defence projects is not contained within this agreement – it is an aspiration not a concrete offer.

The trade agreement means there will be less paperwork at the border.  However, organisations and businesses have spent a lot of money on systems and personnel needed for post-Brexit processes which might now be wasted.

There is no doubt we will be rule-takers – EU inspectors will be able to inspect UK food processes on UK territory.  The carbon-trading and energy market arrangements will result in the cost of energy rising even further for UK consumers.  Giving away our fishing rights for another twelve years is an abject defeat for the UK fishing industry.

Freedom of movement for students and the young will also be extended to their dependents at a time when the UK’s immigration policy is already putting services and infrastructure under great strain.

This agreement is an absolute Brexit betrayal brought about by a lack of decent negotiators, and Davos-loving politicians with a deep contempt for the people they are supposed to represent.  The agreement is the opposite of being a sovereign, self-governing nation-state.

Some people believe they used to have EU citizenship because of their EU passports.  But there is no such thing as EU citizenship.

Restoration of e-gates matter for British people travelling abroad so this will be seen as a positive result of the agreement.  As will pet passports and the Erasmus scheme.

The UK is treated as a third country at other EU borders but this is often an advantage because the queue is shorter than the EU passport queue.

At source, we never really left the EU because of opposition to Brexit from Parliament and the establishment.  Theresa May’s surrender deal was expedited by Boris Johnson – he is to blame for not actioning the referendum result properly.  The UK has never really been out of dynamic alignment with the EU since we supposedly left.  The European Court has been over-ruling our decisions about deporting criminals because of their right to a family life.

The elite and powerful are not answerable to the demos.  EU officials are appointed not elected.  Starmer is a technocrat.  But people are getting wise to it and they won’t be fooled for much longer, especially when the freedom of movement for students and their dependents exacerbates the effects of existing mass immigration to the UK.

Mass immigration was caused by the West in the first place e.g. the bombing of Libya and Iran.  And by destabilising and unfair trade practices, instead of expanding wealth outwards.

Politicians called for the bombing, not ordinary British folk.  Besides, lots of immigration comes from countries that have not been bombed by the West.

When we are a rule-taker, the European Court of Justice will be able to rule over us again.  We will not be a sovereign nation-state.  We will not be part of the EU club but we will have to pay and follow their rules.

Remainers are unhappy we left.  Leavers are unhappy that we didn’t leave properly.

For Starmer this agreement is good for the same reason the Common Market was good for Ted Heath – because both lost control and failed to govern the country in its best interests and the only way to stay in power is to hand the difficult decisions over to someone else.  However, the world has moved on since 2016: the world order is changing and the EU is floundering.  Starmer is in danger of handing over the UK’s fate to a failing organisation.

Starmer will be able to blame the EU for the UK’s decline in the same way ministers deflect failure onto QUANGOs and supra-national bodies like the WHO.  The agreement may even allow the EU to direct the British army.  It is sinister that Starmer wants to be our PM but does not want to take responsibility for governing the nation and being honest with the British people.  Even seasoned journalist Andrew Neill recently accused the PM of lying to, and gaslighting the nation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvEgx-lfCKI

Being pro-EU isn’t the same as being internationalist.  Food standards shouldn’t have to rely on EU membership.  It’s about taking decisions for ourselves and being accountable.  Unfortunately after being run by Brussels for all that time, our processes for self-government have proved to be flabby and weak, with we are lacking in negotiation skills.

Leavers didn’t like the EU.  Remainers didn’t like the EU either but they disliked Brexiteers more, which stopped them from accepting the democratic result and moral authority of the referendum.  Even if the 2016 result does not carry a legal authority there will be a political price to pay for betraying its result by cynically taking us back into the EU via this agreement.

Not all EU rules are bad but as a sovereign nation we are free to keep the good rules and ditch the bad.

Globalism is the problem – patriotism and re-building the nation-state are the solution.  We can only be internationalists as a sovereign nation-state.

Mainstream political parties are not representing their people.  Smaller parties like Reform and AFD are tapping into the fact that working class people’s wages are being undercut by immigrant workers.  The salaries of middle class workers like doctors, GPs and computer programmers are also being affected, while the British taxpayer picks up the tab for extra demand on housing and public services.  It is a vicious cycle.

There is a lack of quality in our MPs and a disconnect with the public.  Local party branches should be choosing their candidates – if they are parachuted in by head office, then representation breaks down.  The public needs to learn how to vote better in order to get better politicians.

There is an upswell of grassroots activism which will improve the situation by snapping at the heels of the establishment and hopefully it will restore the UK as a sovereign nation-state.  The future of the UK is in our hands and we must make a success of it.  Even within this meeting tonight, several folk present have stepped forward as electoral candidates, others are involved in campaigning and taking direct action on various issues, or attending groups like this to exchange ideas and points of view.  Agency, activism and organisation are exactly what is needed to improve the UK’s lot.  Hats off to all of you who are already doing this.

The documents forming the agreement

Here is full text of the new agreement from the official documents released following the summit:

• The UK-EU Summit 2025 Joint Statement outlines the high-level political commitments made by both parties.
• The Common Understanding on a Renewed Agenda details sector-specific cooperation, including energy, digital trade, youth mobility, and environmental standards.
• The Security and Defence Partnership formalizes enhanced collaboration on defence, intelligence sharing, and law enforcement.

Thank you to everyone who attended for this discussion.  Thank you also to our wonderful hosts at The Welcome Inn.  Cheers all!

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