The Government could fast-track European Union rules into law without giving Members of Parliament a vote under legislation brought forward in the King's Speech. Ministers have been attempting to forge closer ties with the continental trade bloc since coming to power in 2024 and have set the stage for a series of co-operation deals this summer.
European Partnership Bill
Britain and Europe hope to agree on a new alignment regarding food, energy emissions, and youth mobility when negotiators gather in Brussels for the second annual UK-EU summit. The European Partnership Bill, set out in the King's Speech, will provide a framework that allows these deals, along with other future agreements with the EU, to be swiftly implemented, according to officials.
While the Bill is set to give Parliament a say in the new agreements, critics have expressed fears in several media reports that the powers outlined in the legislation will enable ministers to bypass a meaningful vote by MPs. Negotiators in Brussels have acknowledged that the legislation could prove controversial, especially among Brexit-supporting politicians and media outlets.
Economic Benefits
The Government is keen to highlight the benefits of allowing ministers to quickly adopt EU rules into UK law. The new food and drink deal could provide a benefit of £5.1 billion to the UK economy, officials believe. When combined with the emissions trading deal, the impact could be up to £9 billion.
The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) stated that the deal will help lower prices of household goods for shoppers. William Bain, head of trade policy at the BCC, said: “A permanent deal with the EU can’t come soon enough for UK firms. In the talks ahead, ministers must deliver a deal that truly unburdens business and cuts costs. Consumers will then reap the benefits in their shopping baskets. Making trade with the EU quicker, cheaper and simpler is crucial to boosting economic growth in the years ahead.”
Parliamentary Input
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman insisted that Parliament would have some kind of input into the Bill after being asked whether it would give ministers sweeping powers to bypass MPs. He stated: “Firstly, we have always been clear that Parliament will have a say on this Bill and it will progress through in the usual way; secondly, Parliament will have a say on the agreements this Bill will be used on; and thirdly, Parliament will have a set of new EU laws applying in the UK. The Prime Minister has been very clear: closer alignment with the EU means greater security and stronger growth at home. The benefits are indisputable: Our food and drink deal will slash red tape and some routine checks and paperwork at the border, ending lengthy lorry queues, allowing UK businesses and farmers to sell certain products back into the EU.”
The Bill’s passage is expected to follow after the UK-EU summit this summer. On Monday, in a speech aimed at moving on from last week’s devastating election results, Sir Keir Starmer said his Government would be defined by steps to place the UK back “at the heart” of Europe. He talked up plans for the ambitious youth mobility scheme, which will allow young people from Britain to travel, work, and live in Europe with ease, and vice versa.
The Prime Minister was also asked by reporters if he would rule out including membership of the single market or customs union in the next Labour manifesto and appeared to leave the door open to both, which were key planks of Brexit. The EU-UK summit will be a “big leap forward”, he said, adding it “will then be a platform on which we can build as we go forward.”
