UK-EU deal unveiled - as Keir Starmer says 'stale old' Brexit debate is over

Keir Starmer has unveiled a new deal with the EU to cut red tape for businesses and travellers as he vowed to move on from "stale old" rows.

More than four years on from ’s botched trade agreement, Mr Starmer set out plans for a post-Brexit reset at a major summit in London. It comes after months of negotiations on issues like defence and security, rights and food exports.

Under the new deal, holidaymakers will be able to use e-gates at more European airports, avoiding nightmare queues for passport control. Red tape for businesses will be slashed, in a bid to drive down costs for shoppers and fire up the economy by nearly £9billion by 2040, Downing Street said.

Pet passports will be introduced for UK cats and , and businesses can sell burgers and sausages to the EU again. A new 12-year deal on fishing access for EU boats in British waters and vice versa has also been agreed.

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Mr Starmer was due to say: "It’s time to look forward. To move on from the stale old debates and political fights to find common sense, practical solutions which get the best for the British people. We’re ready to work with partners if it means we can improve people’s lives here at home.

“So that’s what this deal is all about – facing out into the once again, in the great tradition of this nation. Building the relationships we choose, with the partners we choose, and closing deals in the national interest. Because that is what independent, sovereign nations do."

Talks ran late into the night before a breakthrough on fishing and checks on food and agricultural goods, only hours before a major summit in London with EU leaders.

It is understood that the UK refused to accept the EU’s demand for permanent access to its fishing waters but agreed to a deal until 2038.

It is understood there will be no change to current access to fish for coastal communities nor the quotas for British or EU vessels. Brussels is believed to have dropped demands to link the duration of an agreement over food and agricultural goods with fishing rights.

But the move reopened old Brexit wounds. Tory leader claimed “we’re becoming a rule-taker from Brussels once again" and branded it “abject surrender”.

A spokesman dismissed the complaints as “hypocrisy” after the Tories trumpeted their own deal in 2021.

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