What is the European single market and could the UK rejoin?
What is the European single market and could Britain rejoin under proposals made by Sir Keir Starmer?
Sir Keir Starmer has taken steps to realign the UK with Europe by allowing EU laws to be adopted without the British Parliament having a vote.
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The prime minister has moved towards legislation, which he has said will bring billions of pounds to the economy by streamlining trade processes.
Sir Keir wants to introduce the bill this year to make it easier to align with the EU on future rules in areas where the UK already has an agreement, like food standards and animal welfare.
However, Labour has battled criticism that agreeing closer ties with Europe will compromise the 2016 referendum, with health secretary Wes Streeting telling LBC there will not be a second vote on European Union membership.
“We’ve had the financial crash, we had years of Tory austerity, we had the catastrophe of Brexit, we’ve had the war in Ukraine, the war in Iran, the Covid pandemic. I think this country’s had enough chaos,” he told LBC’s Lewis Goodall.
Critics, however, have included Conservative shadow business secretary Andrew Griffin, who said Parliament would be "reduced to a spectator while Brussels sets the terms”.
This is what it might mean in practice.
What is the European single market?
The European single market guarantees the freedom of movement for goods, capital, services, and people, between 27 members, which are all European Union states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.
The United Kingdom was formerly a member but left in the wake of the 2016 EU referendum, where the majority voted to leave - but there is an agreement, as of 2020, to allow a borderless trade from the Republic of Ireland into Northern Ireland.
What is the UK looking to do now?
Under legislative powers, which are expected to be introduced later this year, ministers would have a fast-tracked route to pass through EU laws and standards.
This would allow the UK to participate in a common market in terms of trade for goods and services, and see MPs signing off deals instead of debating and voting on each one.
The government said peers would still have the power to scrutinise measures adopted under the bill, adding that this will cut red tape and, therefore, save money.
Sir Keir said: "We're in a world where there's massive conflict, great uncertainty. And I strongly believe the UK's best interests are in a stronger, closer relationship with Europe."