Sir Keir Starmer is under pressure to re-examine his relationship with the European Union, as a new group of MPs from across the political spectrum has formed to urge the prime minister to forge closer ties with the bloc.
The group, which aims to “discover areas of mutual co-operation and interest” and probe the UK-EU relationship, held its first meeting on Tuesday,The Independent understands.
The group will seek to “foster positive relationships with colleagues across Europe”, as well as “encouraging an open and honest dialogue for politicians of all stripes”, co-chair Dr Rosena Allin-Khan told The Independent.
The meeting was attended by multiple prominent Labour backbenchers including Dawn Buter, Yasmin Qureshi and Martha de Cordova.
Former Labour MP Rosie Duffield, who now sits as an independent after quitting the party, was also in attendance, as well as Liberal Democrat, SNP and Green MPs.
Sir Keir has faced criticism for his decision to disband the European Scrutiny Committee after Labour won the last election, with MPs now forming their own group to fill the democratic void.
The first meeting of the new All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Europe, chaired by Dr Allin-Khan and Tory peer Lord Kirkhope, saw multiple parliamentarians express their dismay that there wasn’t another avenue for discussion and scrutiny on European issues since the axing of the committee, sources in attendance told The Independent.
At the time, the decision was dubbed a “disgrace” by Sir Bill Cash, the former Tory MP who chaired the committee for 14 years before standing down at the last election.
It comes as Sir Keir attempts to pursue a “reset” with the EU, pledging to “make Brexit work” by renegotiating the deal agreed upon by Boris Johnson and the Tories.
But Joe Meighan, public affairs manager at the European Movement – which is supporting the APPG – warned Sir Keir Starmer of running a “covert charm offensive with Europe”, saying it “risks any advancements being labelled as undemocratic”.
“Our exit from the EU and removal from its apparatus should give cause for deeper parliamentary scrutiny, not the opposite. If Starmer’s great reset is to be fair, equitable and democratic, it must be one routed through the House of Parliament and not Labour HQ”, he said.
Meanwhile, Lord Kirkhope told The Independent the new group is “crucial” following the decision to abolish the European Scrutiny Committee.
“It will allow us to assess policies as they evolve and apply a positive, pragmatic approach to our relationship with Europe.
“We’ve bilateral ties with many European countries, but what’s been lacking is a broader, strategic view of our relationship with the EU as a whole”, he said.
The group plans to hold six bi-monthly meetings throughout 2025, each focused on a different theme.
The first meeting will be held in January and will call for evidence on defence and security cooperation with Europe, with further meetings held to focus on different areas of policy, including trade, science and technology.
It comes after Sir Keir scored the first major breakthrough in his plans for a Brexit reset with a landmark new defence deal with Germany.
Under the plans, German aircraft in the Luftwaffe, Germany’s air force, will operate from a base in Britain to help protect the North Atlantic from the growing threat from Russia, while around 400 jobs are set to be created in a new munitions factory in the UK.
Defence secretary John Healey said the agreement represented a “major strengthening of Europe’s security” and was a “milestone moment” in the UK’s relationship with Germany.
The FCDO has been contacted for comment.
