Campaigners who warned before the 2016 referendum vote that Britain was heading towards military engagement alongside European Union forces were accused of pushing false narratives—”dangerous,” even—for their own political gains.
Not only was talk about a forthcoming EU army completely legitimate, UK troops might also now end up being deployed on EU missions despite Brexit.
A leaked draft of a new London-Brussels defence and security partnership obtained by The Daily Telegraph reveals that this—considering sending troops on both “civilian missions and military operations and missions, upon the invitation of the EU”—may be the price of Britain joining the bloc’s €150billion rearmament programme.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s team is also being pushed to agree to a separate deal allowing EU boats to continue fishing in British waters—one of the most contentious issues within the wider Brexit debate—for at least three years.
Reform deputy leader Richard Tice described the draft as Starmer’s “EU army sellout plan.”
Labour wants to tie our armed forces to EU in defence deal whilst selling out [the] fishing industry ….. NO NO NO.
The pro-Brexit Bruges Group also bashed “the idea of British troops being sent to fight the EU’s battles” as “abhorrent.”
Broadcaster GB News said Starmer had been “forced” to send troops on EU missions in return for access to Brussels’ defence pact, whereas if such a deal is signed it will be wholly by choice, and one the PM—who tried (/is still trying) to undo the 2016 referendum—will no doubt be pleased to make. Note also that Foreign Secretary David Lammy—who called Tory Brexiteers “Nazis” and likewise pushed for a second referendum—said on Wednesday he was “pleased that we are now negotiating with our friends in Europe, a UK-EU Defence Security Partnership.”
The highly anticipated London EU-UK ‘Brexit reset’ summit will take place on May 19th. Government officials refused to comment on the draft leaks, preferring to wait until all is revealed on the day.
