London: The Keir Starmer-led government is facing criticism for failing to appoint new members to the EU-UK inter-parliamentary partnership assembly (PPA) for over four months since the July general election.
The delay comes as calls grow for the UK to strengthen ties with the European Union following Donald Trump’s recent re-election to the White House.
Sandro Gozi, the newly elected chair of the 70-member PPA and former Italian government minister, joined forces with Stella Creasy MP, chair of the Labour Movement for Europe, to emphasise the urgency of restoring the PPA’s function.
Established in 2021, the PPA serves as a forum to oversee the post-Brexit Trade and Cooperation Agreement and foster collaboration between UK and EU lawmakers. However, it has been unable to operate due to the UK government’s inaction in appointing the 30 MPs and peers needed to form its delegation.
According to parliamentary sources, a contributing factor to the delay may have been a request from the Conservative Party to defer appointments until their leadership election concluded. Yet, with Trump’s election win sparking renewed concern, pressure is mounting for the UK to strengthen ties with the EU on matters such as foreign policy, defence, trade, and immigration.
Trump has pledged to impose significant tariffs on all US imports, a move that could severely impact the UK’s economy, already strained by post-Brexit trade limitations with the EU. He has also signalled a potential end to US support for Ukraine, leaving the UK at risk of increased isolation from both the EU and the US on critical economic and security fronts.
In response, prominent Labour MPs and diplomats are urging the Starmer government to expedite efforts to solidify partnerships with the EU.
Creasy highlighted the risks of a go-it-alone approach stating that, “Trump’s re-election exposes the dangers of UK isolation. We must rebuild our relationship with Europe to shield the public from economic and security threats. Yet, the government has not re-established the Parliamentary European Scrutiny committee, nor appointed members to the UK-EU PPA. This work cannot wait until Trump assumes office; we need action now.”
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