00:07My guest today is Nick Thomas-Simmons, the UK's Minister for European Union Relations.
00:13We speak just ahead of the 10th anniversary of the Brexit referendum,
00:18and as the UK and EU prepare for a July summit,
00:22where they're expected to close a series of deals on agri-food exports,
00:27electricity and a youth experience scheme.
00:31We discuss the geopolitical and economic consequences of Brexit
00:36and about the challenges facing the Prime Minister Keir Starmer
00:40as his government looks like it's on increasingly fragile ground.
00:46Minister Nick Thomas-Simmons, thank you so much for speaking to Euronews.
00:50It's been 10 years since the UK voted to leave the European Union,
00:55and as we speak, Brexit is back at the heart of UK politics.
01:00I'd like to ask you first, do you think that your government is making Brexit work for the UK?
01:05Well, first of all, it's great to join you.
01:08And yes, we are making it work, and that's been my job
01:12as the UK's lead negotiator with the EU over these past two years,
01:17but also the work I did before that when we were in opposition.
01:20We delivered last year the common understanding in May,
01:25the very important security and defence partnership,
01:28complementing that foundation stone of our security and defence policy, NATO.
01:34But also, I was particularly delighted to have signed the reaccession
01:38to Erasmus+, just before Christmas.
01:41But also, we have the package that we want to agree at this year's UK-EU summit.
01:48But on the economic relationship, do you think you've been moving quick enough on this,
01:54because there are recent studies that show that perhaps Brexit has taken a hit
01:58of up to 6% to 8% on GDP per head, for example.
02:02Have you moved quick enough to restore those economic trade ties?
02:06We are certainly moving very quickly.
02:08And I would also say that I inherited a status quo that wasn't working.
02:16There's no doubt about the damage that the previous government's handling of Brexit did.
02:22And that's exactly been my role, looking at changing that trading relationship,
02:28building a closer UK-EU relationship.
02:30Let me just say why that is so important,
02:33because we do live now in a very changed world to the one of 10 years ago.
02:39We live in a world of trading blocs.
02:41And it is so important that, whilst respecting the result of the 2016 referendum
02:47and acting on the mandate we have from the 2024 general election,
02:52but not going back to freedom of movement, the customs union or the single market,
02:55of course we respect those.
02:57We are delivering on our mandate from 2024.
02:59But that closer UK-EU partnership in this world of trading blocs
03:05is a fundamental part of our foreign policy as well.
03:08I must ask you, Minister, because your government is on fragile ground.
03:12There is an imminent leadership contest, some would say.
03:15And one of the challenges of former Health Secretary West Streeting
03:18has described Brexit as a catastrophic mistake,
03:21saying that the future of Britain is in the European Union.
03:25Do you, to an extent, agree with him?
03:28I don't think this is the moment to rerun the arguments of 2016.
03:33I think this is a point to look forward, not back.
03:37And I think in looking forward, what we are doing is building,
03:42and I am building week by week that closer UK-EU relationship,
03:48and doing so in the international context that we find ourselves in.
03:52So it has a number of dimensions.
03:54Working more closely on security and defence,
03:57absolutely fundamental with our European partners.
04:00Working on energy security, and that's why I've been, in recent weeks,
04:05I've formally, together with Mara Stefcovic,
04:07opened negotiations on UK participation in the internal electricity market.
04:12And I'm doing that so that we are able to deliver that energy security going forward,
04:16but also to try to bear down on bills as well.
04:20But also on trade and food security.
04:23These are fundamentals of our policy going forward,
04:26delivering for people in the UK, but also it's in the EU's interest as well.
04:30There is polling, Minister, that suggests that the public perception,
04:34opinion on Brexit has shifted,
04:36that a majority of people now would support rejoining the EU.
04:40And this is coming up in the public debate.
04:43And do you think there is a case to be made for that,
04:46especially given the situation you've just described
04:49of trading blocks, of geopolitical friction and so on?
04:53Well, I think that public opinion is not far from where the government is, actually.
04:58I think the government's position is broadly supported by public opinion.
05:01And I don't detect, and I've been up and down the country campaigning over many years,
05:06a desire to rerun arguments that took place between 2016 and 2019-20 in the UK.
05:13I want to ask you about your talks with Mara Stefcovic, the EU's trade chief.
05:17I know you've been in very close touch with him over the past years.
05:22And you are seeking closer alignment with the single markets,
05:25but you're keeping those red lines.
05:27No entry into the single markets or the customs union or freedom of movement.
05:31How faithful are you this approach will work?
05:35Well, it has been working.
05:37It's delivered the common understanding last year.
05:40It's already delivering benefits.
05:42And I'm very confident it will continue to deliver benefits
05:46for the British people across this parliament.
05:48And let me just give some specific examples,
05:50because let's talk about the food and drink agreement.
05:52Now, those who oppose the work I am doing are saying to businesses
05:57in the agricultural and agri-food sectors
05:59that the situation we have at the moment where we've had to have
06:02over a million export health certificates, up to £200 a time,
06:07issued to UK businesses, UK exporters since 2023.
06:11I've held one of these.
06:13I've been presented with one of these by a business.
06:16Pages and pages, dozens of wet stamps all over it.
06:20I want to take away that red tape.
06:22I want to take away that cost from businesses.
06:25Those who oppose what I'm doing will have to explain to those businesses
06:28why they want to reimpose them.
06:31You mentioned you're negotiating a series of new deals.
06:33You sound very positive on the SPS, on the agri-food exports,
06:36as well as the carbon emissions trading system.
06:38I want to ask you about the third aspect of this,
06:42which is youth experience or youth mobility.
06:45How is this going?
06:47Because you officials have been telling me
06:49that it is tough to close this deal by the summer.
06:53What are the bones of contention here?
06:55I think with the youth experience scheme,
06:57it's very important that we do have both the limit, the cap,
07:02but also particular time limits as well.
07:05And I've always seen the youth experience scheme
07:07in the context of the UK's 13 existing youth mobility schemes.
07:14But listen, of course we will have,
07:16over the period left before we have this annual summit,
07:20we are going to have, of course,
07:23pressures to close final bits of the negotiation.
07:25I'm very, very used to that.
07:26But we shouldn't lose sight of the bigger picture here
07:28because the youth experience scheme
07:31will have real opportunities in it.
07:35Of course, for young Europeans,
07:37but for young Brits as well,
07:38who are going to be able, as we've always seen it,
07:41to have a very broad scheme around study,
07:44around work and around travel.
07:46But when I reflect on the last 10 years,
07:49you know, post-Brexit,
07:51consequences of what the previous conservative governments did,
07:55it was opportunities for young people
07:57that was one of the things that really bothered me,
07:59that opportunities that previously existed no longer did.
08:02And I am very proud of what we are now going to be put forward to young people.
08:05And I think the youth experience scheme is going to be a really positive part of that.
08:08Can I ask you what type of caps are you looking at?
08:10What type of limits for young youth citizens coming to stay, work in the UK?
08:16What are the numbers?
08:16Well, listen, I have to give you the government minister answer here,
08:19which is, of course, that these are ongoing negotiations at the moment.
08:23But in terms of the parameters of the youth experience scheme,
08:26they're written down in the common understanding we signed last year.
08:28And are you confident that the Brussels attaches as much importance to this
08:34as you do as a government?
08:35Because some would say the time is on their side.
08:37They're not in a rush.
08:38I really do.
08:40And I say that because,
08:41not just because of my relationship with Mara Sefcovic,
08:44but as you can imagine,
08:45I've got to know the lead officials in the Commission very, very well
08:49over the past two years or more.
08:51And I could never fault the amount of time and urgency
08:56that they have given to this,
08:57and certainly to me over the past couple of years.
08:59That's never been an issue.
09:00And, Minister, how confident are you that this will be wrapped up?
09:04I am very confident of closing this deal.
09:08Of course we will get moments,
09:11as you always do,
09:12moments of difficulty in the final parts of the negotiation.
09:14But I am very confident of closing this deal
09:16and delivering a very successful 2026 summit.
09:19We know that Reform UK, the party of Nigel Farage,
09:22is topping the polls.
09:23That is the reality.
09:25Does that mean that you're looking to Farage-proof,
09:29let's say, these deals,
09:30to make sure that a prospective, future,
09:33anti-European government here in London
09:36does not undo the important work,
09:38as you say, that you've been doing?
09:40Well, first of all,
09:42if a party at the next general election
09:44wants to put the costs back on businesses
09:47that I propose to take off
09:48or take away the opportunities to young people
09:50that this government has delivered,
09:52I would relish that debate.
09:53But the point is this.
09:54When you talk about durability of arrangements,
09:57in any international context,
10:00durable arrangements that last for many years
10:03are because they deliver for both sides.
10:05And the best thing to make any deal durable
10:08is to ensure that it's delivering for young people,
10:11it's delivering for businesses,
10:12it's delivering for, in this case,
10:14obviously the British public,
10:15but also Europeans as well.
10:16And I am very confident that we are going to do that.
10:19Finally, Minister, final question.
10:21I want to come back to the situation
10:23of the Prime Minister, Keir Starmer.
10:26Brexit has emerged as one of the issues
10:29that could define a potential leadership contest.
10:33I know that you work very closely with him
10:37in your role in restoring EU ties.
10:40Do you think at this point
10:43there should be a slight shift in his strategy?
10:47Does he need to be a little bit more ambitious,
10:50more bold in calling for even more collaboration
10:54with the European Union?
10:56Is that the way to go?
10:57Has he been too hesitant, too careful,
10:59not to alienate those red-wall traditional Labour voters
11:03that support Brexit?
11:04He has been ambitious.
11:06And indeed, throughout this calendar year,
11:09we've been talking not just about delivering the summit,
11:11but how we want to deliver beyond the summit as well.
11:15And I think the Prime Minister
11:16has been both ambitious on UK, EU,
11:19and just look, you're interviewing me here
11:22as we speak in the Cabinet Office.
11:24I'm right next door to the Prime Minister.
11:27This agenda is so important to this Prime Minister.
11:30I've always had his personal authority
11:33to do this job right at the centre of the government.
11:35And that's been the case since July 2024.
11:39So this has always been a top priority
11:41for the Prime Minister.
11:42Second, he's always shown not just ambition,
11:45but also shown that he and this government can deliver.
11:49And it's that delivery that's the most important thing.
11:52OK. Minister Nick Thomas-Symons,
11:54thank you for speaking to us.
11:55Thank you.
11:57Thank you.
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