LIVING standards will not improve if an EU reset ties Britain to Brussels’ rules, warns a former Brexit adviser.
Labour’s plans to align with EU standards would “severely constrain” the UK’s ability to cut costs for families, trade consultant Shanker Singham says.
His stark intervention comes after a leak revealed Brussels’ demands to raid British fishing waters, bring back free movement for under-30s, and hand power to European judges in exchange for softer goods checks and a security pact.
Mr Singham told The Sun: “The new Government’s mission is to increase household income and decrease household costs. Their success will depend on this.
“The Government should therefore look at the EU reset in the wider context. They should ask whether any potential change negatively affects their ability to improve the UK’s regulatory system in goods and services to generate greater household income.”
Mr Singham warned that EU rules could harm the UK’s position in trade blocs such as the CPTPP — membership of which is considered a major Brexit dividend.
He said: “Dynamic alignment or an agreement that required it would make it difficult to do a deal with the US to avoid Trump tariffs, or even to remain a member of the CPTPP.”
He suggested a better move would be to unilaterally recognise EU standards in areas such as food and medicine, while letting manufacturers make different products to export elsewhere.
Labour insists its bid to reset ties will not mean having to rejoin the EU.
