London, United Kingdom — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer proudly described a new agreement with the European Union that covers defense, security, and trade as a “win-win” pact that puts the country “back on the international stage”.
The deal announced on May 19 has sparked a sigh of relief for some and stinging criticism for others, underscoring how divided the nation is still is by the force of Brexit. Nine years later, Britain narrowly voted in favor of leaving the EU.
While many members of British society have praised the agreement, Reform UK MP Richard Tice responded with the phrase “Betrayal.” ”
The agreement also offers discounts for British citizens applying for European visas, shorter airport line lines, and possibly less expensive food in the UK. However, the UK has agreed to extend the 12-year extension of European fishing fleets’ access to British waters.
The ‘best news in nine years’
Those who are delighted include Phil Rusted, the owner of the Suffolk-based Practical Plants business that imports plants from Europe.
According to him, this is the best news we have received in nine years. It almost brings us back to the situation before Brexit. In order to grow my business, I can take on more staff. The last few years have been very unpredictable; I’ll know more accurately what my expenses will be. ”
Overall, the overall business sector has largely accepted the agreement.
Trade agreements, even if they are comparatively minor, are generally good news in a world where higher US tariffs are threatening to reverse globalization, according to Philip Shaw, chief economist at Investec Bank. The food industry will gain from a decrease in border checks, which could significantly lower exporters’ and importers’ costs. ”
The EU agreement, according to the Federation of Small Businesses, was praised for “untangling the rules for small exporters of plant and animal products,” calling it “genuine progress.”
Small businesses have been bearing the burden of erratic customs regulations and bureaucracy, which have sapped confidence and ambition for too long, it said.
Additionally, it appears that the agreement is backed by popular opinion in the UK. According to YouGov poll results, 66 percent of people want to be more connected to the EU, compared to just 14 percent who do not.
Certain experts agree that the UK must also compromise. According to Paul Dales, chief economist at Capital Economics, “the devil in a trade deal is always in the details.” Dales remarked that the UK has consented to the EU’s request to grant him access to British waters for fishing, as well as agreeing to pay an unspecified “appropriate financial contribution” to join the European Court of Justice’s jurisdiction.
Nothing returns, not of any value.
However, there has also been a lot of backlash against the agreement.
The agreement offers the best chance for growth for the fishing industry and coastal communities, according to the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organizations, according to a statement released on May 19.
The deal, according to a more incisive statement issued three days later, “drags UK fishing back into a past we thought had been left behind”.
Shaw acknowledged that the fishing sector stood “at the other end of the scale” if the deal had brought in significant benefits for the food industry.
Additionally, there are other occupations. A wider debate has also been sparked by the deal, which seeks to re-establish whether the UK is breaking the terms of the Brexit deal.
In a post on X, former prime minister Boris Johnson, who led Britain’s formal withdrawal from the EU in 2020, described the deal as an “appalling sell out.”
That’s the opinion of Tony Gabana, a London-based web developer who was too young to cast a ballot in 2016.
Whether or not it is a good deal, Gabana said, “It does seem to attempt to change what a lot of people voted for.” It doesn’t fit my style, I said. No one voted in favor of any further concessions, either.
