Starmer attacks Farage over ‘botched’ Brexit as he signals talks on EU defence pact

Sir Keir Starmer has challenged Nigel Farage’s past Brexit promises, dismissing them as unfulfilled and urging people not to heed the Reform leader’s ideas on the UK’s ties with Europe.

The Labour leader’s remarks came as he outlined his party’s ambition for closer cooperation with Europe, particularly on defence and trade.

Responding to questions about whether his stance was an attempt to roll back Brexit and create a dividing line with Mr Farage, Sir Keir said: “As far as Nigel Farage is concerned, let us remind ourselves that he said if we left the EU it would be £350m a week for the NHS – that didn’t happen.

“He said if we left the EU there would be less red tape for trading into Europe – try telling that to any business that is trading into Europe.

“He said if we left the EU regular migration would go down – it quadrupled under the Boris wave. So I wouldn’t listen too much to what Nigel Farage has to say about this.”

Sir Keir described the previous government’s Brexit deal as “botched” and highlighted Labour’s efforts to negotiate new arrangements, including on food and agriculture, which he said “lead to lower prices in our supermarkets”.

The Labour leader has also indicated a desire for closer collaboration with Europe on defence, coinciding with upcoming trade talks between the EU and UK.

The latest meeting of the EU-UK Partnership Council is scheduled for the coming week, where Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds will discuss ongoing efforts to forge closer ties with the bloc.

Sir Keir was also questioned about the possibility of Britain joining the European Union’s new €150bn (£130bn) Security Action for Europe (Safe) rearmament fund.

Reports suggest that talks about Britain’s participation broke down in late 2025, with the entry price deemed too high. France was reportedly responsible for insisting on the cost, although officials there have denied this.

While the upcoming talks will not include Safe, Sir Keir was asked if he saw a case for joining the initiative if the price was right and it served the national interest.

He told reporters: “Europe, including the UK, needs to do more on security and defence. That’s an argument I’ve been making for many months now with European leaders.

“We’ve got to step up and do more. It’s not only President Donald Trump who thinks Europe needs to do more but other presidents as well. I think the same.”

He added: “I do think on spend, capability and co-operation we need to do more together. I’ve made the argument and that should require us to look at schemes like Safe and others to see whether there is a way in which we can work more closely together.

“Whether it’s Safe or other initiatives, it makes good sense for Europe in the widest sense of the word – which is the EU, plus other European countries – to work more closely together. That’s what I’ve been advocating and I hope to make some progress on that.”