Beginning a new relationship with the EU
After years of economic uncertainty, frayed relations and endless red tape, this week marked a turning point in the UK’s relationship with the European Union.
On Monday, the first UK-EU summit since Brexit took place in London. The result? A landmark agreement that resets our European partnerships, strengthens our economy, and delivers for people right here in Edinburgh. I know how strongly people in Edinburgh feel about rebuilding cooperation with our closest neighbours, so since coming into government, repairing our European relationships after the damage done by the Conservatives and Brexit has been a top priority.
The Prime Minister was clear that the starting point has not been to rerun the arguments of the past, but to look forward to what is a huge opportunity for the future. The new UK-EU Strategic Partnership is permanent, ambitious and practical. This deal is not just about diplomacy, it delivers action on jobs, security, prices and youth opportunities – areas essential to Edinburgh’s success.
Take energy. Scotland is leading the way on offshore wind and green hydrogen. This deal opens the door to up to 51,000 new green jobs in the North Sea energy sector and could cut energy bills by billions. That’s a huge boost for the climate and household budgets. For world-class Scottish food and drink producers, the agreement cuts red tape and makes it easier to export everything from salmon to seed potatoes for the first time since Brexit. This means fewer delays, less waste and lower prices at the checkout.
Young people have been among the hardest hit by the Tories’ bad Brexit deal. That’s why I’m particularly proud this agreement commits us to negotiating a youth experience scheme, giving 18 to 30 year-olds the chance to live, work and travel across Europe again – something that so many in my generation enjoyed.
There’s also a commitment to explore rejoining Erasmus+, which would be a huge win for Edinburgh’s universities. Queues at the border will also become a thing of the past, as this deal allows British citizens to again use the e-gates when entering Europe for holidays or business.
On security, the deal brings faster cooperation on terrorism and serious crime, better access to EU crime databases and stronger tools to tackle people smuggling. At a time when international threats are growing, this renewed collaboration will help keep us safe and help Europe stand together against the many global threats we face. This agreement is good news for Scotland’s defence sector too. By unlocking access to a €150 billion EU defence fund, Scottish defence firms can compete for major contracts, helping support and create thousands of skilled jobs.
And all of this comes alongside separate trade agreements signed in recent days with the US, the world’s largest economy, and India, the world’s fastest-growing economy. Rather than choosing between Europe and the rest of the world, we’ve shown we can engage with both, putting us back on the world stage.
Some have objected to the deals, including Kemi Badenoch, John Swinney, and Nigel Farage all calling it a “surrender”. But while others shout nonsense from the sidelines, we’ve quietly delivered a pragmatic and forward-looking agreement that works for you. This is just the beginning of a new relationship with the EU that delivers for Edinburgh’s businesses, young people, and future.
Ian Murray is MP for Edinburgh South and Secretary of State for Scotland