In 2018, I was elected on a campaign to improve the UK-EU relationship, and under a Labour government, that promise has been fulfilled.

I welcome the UK-EU deal signed earlier this month, which delivers for local businesses and working people and fulfils the Labour Government’s promise.

Under the deal signed by the UK and EU, significant red tape faced by businesses will be cut, trade will be made easier for farmers and fishers, and investment in jobs across food and drink, defence, and the North Sea will be encouraged. The food trade (SPS) and energy (ETS) agreements are worth up to £8.9 billion annually in 2040 UK GDP terms.

The SPS agreement will see the nightmare of food rotting in lorries stuck in 16-hour queues disappear, reducing the burdensome cost and ultimately reducing the cost of food for British people. Businesses such as Salmon Scotland are welcoming this deal. The electricity arrangements secured will bring down electricity bills for households across the country. British steel jobs will be protected by restoring how much we can export tariff-free to the EU, so more UK steel can be exported to the EU. The agreement opens the door to the UK defence industry, which will soon be bidding for £150bn worth of export contracts in the defence procurement project. The UK is one of the largest exporters of defence equipment in the world, and in 2023, the UK won defence orders worth £14.5bn.

With increased cooperation on law enforcement between the UK and EU, this will improve the police’s ability to track down rapists, murderers, drug lords and criminals, plus access to EU facial image data meaning the increased capability to catch people smugglers.