Richard Tice has has condemned a post-Brexit reset deal with the European Union as “just posturing”. Reform UK’s deputy leader insisted “the last thing” Britain needs is to “handcuff” itself to an EU in recession.
Speaking to Sky News ahead of the UK-EU summit, he said: “There’s a deal basically being done to surrender some of the opportunities from Brexit. It’s quite clear that a scheme dressed up as youth mobility will actually be a return to freedom of movement in all but name.
“That’s not what the British people want, and they confirmed that when they voted significantly for Reform just a few weeks ago.
“It’ll be a surrender of our ability to make our own rules, instead we’re going to go back to basically being a rule taker from the EU.”
Mr Tice added: “The last thing we want to do is handcuff ourselves to an EU that is in recession, we need to break free from that.”
Sir Keir Starmer has had a breakthrough in his bid to secure a new deal with the European Union ahead of a major summit with the bloc, it is understood.
After Government sources said talks were “down to the wire” on Sunday, it is understood there was late progress, although a deal is “not yet done” because there are still outstanding issues on both sides.
Ministers had appeared confident of securing an accord, with Number 10 saying on Saturday the Prime Minister would “strike a deal” at the first UK-EU summit on Monday.
The summit will see Sir Keir meet European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen for the second time in four days amid efforts to reach agreement with the EU on a range of issues.
That includes an expected announcement on defence and security, which could feature an agreement allowing British firms access to a 150 billion euro (£125 billion) EU defence fund.
Deals on allowing British travellers to use e-gates at European airports, cutting red tape on food exports, and setting up a youth mobility scheme with the EU are also thought to be on the table.
But reports suggest disagreements over fishing rights and youth mobility have presented last-minute stumbling blocks.
Government sources said “huge progress” has been made in agreeing “a mutually beneficial deal with the EU” that would “deliver for British working people”.
