Starmer ‘done up like a kipper’ as he agrees EU surrender deal allowing foreign trawlers to plunder UK waters for YEARS

SIR Keir Starmer’s Brexit reset deal was last night panned as a humiliating surrender — as he was accused of being done up like a kipper.

The EU ambushed the UK with a late demand for 12 more years of French and Spanish trawlers plundering our waters.

Sir Keir Starmer’s Brexit reset deal was panned as a humiliating surrender, above PM listens in as von der Leyen whispers to him behind her handPA

The PM caved in hook, line and stinker to ensure key Eurocrats came to his “landmark summit” in London yesterday to agree the deal.

It means young Europeans can study, work or just sightsee here via a “youth experience scheme” with a possible 80 million eligible.

Euro judges will yet again enforce reams of red tape binding our food and agriculture industry to laws over which we have no control.

The terms of the accord will add just 0.3 per cent growth in 15 years’ time – with Brexiteers slamming it as an “appalling sell-out”.

Brussels agreed to soften checks on food goods entering the bloc and stop forcing British tourists to queue for hours at borders.

Britain can also access EU defence funds and uni exchange programmes, with travelling artists to be excluded from overbearing visa restrictions.

However, it is all subject to months of talks and comes with a price tag of potentially billions.

Boris Johnson called his successor an “orange ball-chewing manacled gimp of Brussels”.

He accused him of “again going back on his promises — by making us non-voting members of a two-tier European Union”.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage feared the end of the fishing industry. Deputy Richard Tice said “the white flag has been waved outside Downing Street”.

Sir Keir later denied being “done up like a kipper” at a press conference.

WHAT A LOAD OF POLLOCKS

SIR Keir Starmer yesterday surrendered British fishing waters for another 12 years after being reeled in by a classic EU ambush.

The Prime Minister had announced at the weekend that he would sign his coveted “reset” deal with Brussels come what may.

Spotting their chance to do him up like a kipper, negotiators then sprung their demand for a dozen years of access to our waters.

The hard-nosed EU team knew the PM would not be able to say no, for fear of not getting his beloved pact agreed.

Sir Keir, who backed Remain in the 2016 Brexit vote, stands accused of an “appalling sell out” after signing up to EU food and farm rules forever — and paying billions for the pleasure.

But, despite trumpeting the deal as a win for Britain, it will only add a meagre 0.3 per cent to GDP in 15 years’ time according to No10’s own spin.

Sir Keir insisted: “It’s time to look forward.

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 world once again, in the great tradition of this nation

Sir Keir Starmer

“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 world once again, in the great tradition of this nation.

But under the reset deal, the biggest shift since Britain officially left the EU in 2020, we will once again be dragged under the control of Euro judges — with no say on any future rule changes.

And tens of thousands of Europeans will be allowed to come here to work, study or travel under a new Youth Experience Scheme, which critics are calling free movement by the back door.

Up to 80million people could be eligible to apply.

In return European countries will be encouraged to allow Brits to use e-gates at airports and checks will be relaxed on food products entering the single market.

And the EU has agreed to talks about British firms accessing a Europe-wide defence fund — but it’s likely that will come with a hefty membership fee.

Most controversially the PM has signed away access to our fishing grounds, allowing French and Spanish trawlers to hoover up our fish for another 12 years.

‘Stitched up’

That last-minute request came late on Sunday evening, with the EU Commission threatening to pull out of yesterday’s London summit if Sir Keir did not back down.

Shetland Fishermen’s Association chairman James Anderson insisted: “The fact is that we are sadly not like Iceland, or Norway, or a country that still recognises the value of protecting our own fishing fleet and fishing grounds.

“Normally, nations negotiate fishing access and quota transfers on an annual basis.

“Overnight, the EU has been allowed to renege on annual negotiations and instead enjoy a 12-year deal, with UK fishing crews forced to give up their grounds and fish stocks again in exchange for what?”

At a press conference alongside EC President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa, Sir Keir rejected claims that he had “been “stitched up like a kipper”.

He insisted: “The length of time for the agreement provides stability because what would have happened next year is we would have come off the current arrangements, but then into year-on-year negotiations where nobody knows year-on-year where they stand.

“This gives stability in relation to that. It also opens the door for shellfish and the like to be sold back into the European market which wasn’t available before this and of course, we have announced the £360million transformation fund. This is good for fishing.”

The reset deal also means Britain will follow the EU’s food standards but only be involved in the “early stages” of setting rules, with the European Court of Justice the ultimate arbiter.

The small-print of the deal also shows that taxpayers will have to make an “appropriate financial contribution” to the EU.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage declared that the latest sell-out marked the potential “end of the fishing industry”, while his deputy leader Richard Tice warned “the white flag has been waved outside Downing Street”.

The fact is that we are sadly not like Iceland, or Norway, or a country that still recognises the value of protecting our own fishing fleet and fishing grounds

James Anderson, Shetland Fishermen’s Association chairman

Ex-PM Boris Johnson slammed Sir Keir as the “orange ball-chewing manacled gimp of Brussels”.

He said: “Two-tier Keir is once again going back on his promises to the people of this country — by making us non-voting members of a two-tier European Union.

“Under this appalling sellout of a deal the UK will have to accept EU law on a host of measures from food standards to emissions trading.”

Meanwhile, the PM insisted Brit holidaymakers must be allowed to use e-gates at European airports this summer.

‘very concerning’

Since Brexit thousands of travellers to the EU have faced hours of delays as countries drag their heels over passport checks.

The European Commission says there is now no legal barriers to e-gate use for Brits travelling to and from EU countries.

And the PM said: “We will be and are pressing to get on with this straight away.

“Because for holidaymakers wanting to get out this summer, they will want to know that they can do so easily, without delay and chaos.”

Sir Keir also reckoned there was no “inhibition” to an e-gates deal going ahead as soon as possible.

It comes as European countries roll out a new entry-exit scheme this autumn that will replace the physical stamping of passports.

However, it will require third country nationals to provide fingerprints and biometrics.

Asked if there would still be a delay without a deal done on the entry-exit system, Sir Keir added: “We want to reduce the friction as much as possible, I think there are probably some one-off measures that any new system is bound to need.

“But I want people to be able to cross borders quickly, easily, and I think e-gates is a really important step in the right direction.”

Neil Swanson, managing director of holiday firm TUI, said: “Ideally this would be in place before the peak summer season and for the launch of the entry-exit scheme this autumn at the latest.”

Britain has also struck a defence pact with the EU.

Companies will gain access to a £126billion EU-wide weapons fund although we face having to pay millions for the privilege, subject to more talks.

And both sides have agreed to continue talks on a controversial youth mobility scheme.

The UK has signed up to the Erasmus+ scheme — an arrangement which would allow Europeans to live, study and work here for up to three years.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch hit out at Labour’s reset deal.

She said: “Twelve years’ access to British waters is three times longer than the government wanted.

“We’re becoming a rule-taker from Brussels once again. And with no details on any cap or time limits on youth mobility, fears of free movement returning will only increase. This is very concerning.”