Voices: Independent readers praise Brexit reset deal – ‘Starmer is showing that Britain can act like a grown-up again’

Independent readers remain divided by Sir Keir Starmer’s Brexit reset deal with the EU.

But despite some reservations, many have welcomed it as a step toward stability, cooperation, and restoring the UK’s global standing.

For supporters, the deal marks a significant breakthrough. They praised Starmer’s pragmatic leadership and the symbolism of Britain “acting like a grown-up” again.

Several welcomed the cutting of red tape, viewing the agreement as a long-overdue step toward repairing the economic and diplomatic damage caused by previous Brexit deals.

Others expressed cautious optimism, noting that while the current agreement is modest, it lays the groundwork for deeper integration.

A common sentiment was that the reset puts the UK on the right trajectory, and that rejoining the EU could eventually follow with popular support.

Meanwhile, critics argued that the deal doesn’t go far enough. Some said it leaves many Brexit burdens in place, such as import duties and the 90/180-day rule, while giving too much away, especially on fishing rights.

Brexiteers, including Jacob Rees-Mogg, decried it as a “surrender,” and some readers worried it makes the UK a “rule taker” under EU law.

Here’s what you had to say:

Britain can act like a grown-up again

Starmer is showing that Britain can act like a grown-up again. Unfortunately, the hard-line Brexiters still cannot admit Brexit has been a disaster, and the vote to leave was nine years ago!

Mintman

Trade without red tape

This is a good deal for the UK. It's the same deal the fishermen got under the Tories. And no one is mourning Australia, New Zealand, and America's free movement of young people. So what is the difference? Or is it that they have a free trade deal with the EU, so our businesses can trade without red tape?

mG123

Share your opinion in the comments

Send your thank you letters to Johnson

Johnson's deal with the EU settled the fishing matter as follows:

Hence, the legal text of Johnson's deal left Starmer with only two options: renew the deal once a year, or renew the deal for multiple years in one go. Send your thank you letters to Johnson.

Real European

The Tories or Reform would never have got this far

Labour have done pretty well recently.

They've managed to come to an agreement with the USA over tariffs.

They've reached a trade agreement with India, a huge market.

Now they've started to reset trading relations with the EU.

The Tories or Reform would never have got this far. All they do is criticise from the corner, like the naughty kid who has been sent out of the room.

I'd love to see Badenoch, Farage, the Mail and Express, left with egg on their faces.

We wait and see how the fickle British public react.

tommy2tops

Britain is back on the world stage

"Britain is back on the world stage."

That says everything about Starmer's genuine mindset.

And, of course, he's spot on.

Can't say I like the man, but he is doing something very positive, at last.

Britain has gone up in the eyes of the world overnight.

Cyclone8

Striving for ever greater union

The different emphasis in the speeches by Starmer and von der Leyen just shows that for her and most people in EU countries, the EU is about striving for ever greater union between the peoples of Europe... but even for Starmer, the EU is all about transactions and exploiting the best deal.

IMHO, most British people are inclined to Starmer's approach.

In youth mobility, the UK already has deals with countries like Taiwan and South Korea... future business dealings more important than the actual people involved?

EuropeanObserver

Unconditional surrender

‘Sir’ Jacob Rees-Mogg has piped up to call it an ‘unconditional surrender’. Of course, he found buckets of wonderful non-surrenderous golden goodies when he was Minister for Brexit Opportunities. He just didn’t tell us what they were. Because there were none.

Yetigoose

Lying Brexiteers

Indeed. When lying Brexiteers like Farage and JRM spout about 'surrender', they think we've forgotten what an utter disaster their plan was. By all accounts, it has damaged the UK's GDP by more than 5 per cent, cost us at least £100 billion and made us an international laughing-stock. But the swivel-eyed far-right never had any sense of irony or self-awareness...

hayneman

Open-ended

Brexiteers are absolutely incandescent with rage at this Brexit ‘betrayal’, but the question on the referendum form in 2016 simply asked: “Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union?” (And we left — job done).

In reality, this open-ended question could have been interpreted in any way, but I sometimes wonder whether the dwindling band of diehard Brexiters would only have been satisfied with a no-deal Brexit where we reneged on the severance payment deal, followed up by a declaration of war on the EU.

KlikKurtis

Slapped about the gills with a wet kipper

Another kick in the goolies for the Scottish fishing industry, which lands over 60 per cent of white fish for the UK market. The east coast of Scotland fishermen voted for Brexit in the hope that they would reap the rewards, but instead have been slapped about the gills with a wet kipper by both Tory and Labour post-Brexit governments. Nothing is new. Thatcher did the same.

Billco

Basically nothing...

This 'deal' amounts to next to nothing now, and the possibility of just a very little sometime later.

Basically, nothing less than a referendum to get authority to start negotiations for re-entry to the EU will be enough for the sizeable majority of this country's population that wants to be in the EU. And yes, before others point it out, that would entail membership of the Euro and Schengen at a minimum to prove our commitment. Even with those requirements, a second (third) confirmatory referendum would be won quite easily.

arboreal1

Reform must be rolling on the floor

Every “concession” from the EU in this "reset" – such as allowing UK exports of sausages, minced meat, or easier food checks – is conditional on the UK following EU law, and EU law is interpreted solely by the ECJ.

So when the UK chooses to align with those specific EU standards, it also accepts that the ECJ is the final authority on interpreting those rules.

Reform must be rolling on the floor with amusement.

Uriba

A start, but more needs to be done

It's a start, but a lot more needs to be done. Using e-gates at airports is the least of the UK's problems – what we need is investment in manufacturing and infrastructure.

BlindPew

Utterly useless... irreparable damage

A deal like this should have been set up eight to ten years ago.

But Cameron was too lazy, May was sabotaged by the right wing of her own party (it’s the only part of it left), and Johnson was just utterly useless with his half-baked ‘deal’, which has done irreparable damage to the UK economy.

rcourt130864

Starmer lacked grace

At last, a positive outcome, but Starmer lacked grace. Von der Leyen's speech was all about the positive side for the UK and the EU, but all Starmer trumpeted was “British this” and “Britain that”. Not a word about how it would be good for the EU as well. Plus, he was quick to get in the three red lines, which were obviously intended to appease the unappeasable hard right.

Here's the problem for the UK: the EU sees itself as an effort to cooperate for the common good. The UK only looks at the national balance sheet and comes across as entirely self-interested. Starmer did nothing to dispel this.

Kenhubert

Brexit is now a decomposing wreck

Very happy today as we make a great stride towards full EU membership. Now just a matter of time.

Brexit is now a decomposing wreck. Keep the faith, keep the pressure on, force a rejoin referendum urgently.

voxtrot

RIP Brexit

All the evidence is that a majority in the UK now see Brexit as a mistake.

This UK–EU reset, the first step towards a closer relationship between the UK and EU, hands Badenoch/Tories/Farage/Reformies a bit of a problem:

How are they going to sell the idea of reinstating costly, restrictive Brexit sanctions, when the benefits of undoing them have been witnessed, as an election pledge in a couple of years?

RIP Brexit.

wolfie

Is that all?

My first impression was “Is that all?” Pet passports, young people exchanges, e-gates and sausages seem to be very little for all the hype. There must be more to it. Fishermen always complain, but they were terminally stitched up by Farage and Johnson well before Starmer. All in all, it looks at the moment like a puny deal — just right for a nation which is not fully in and not fully out of the EU. The ridiculous 90/180 days rule remains, the discriminatory “Not for EU consumption” stamp on our food remains, and import duties remain.

Pomerol95

Triggering

These positive developments are clearly triggering a lot of glitching amongst the isolationist Brexit cultists, led by NF, who would be happy to kneel before Trump and allow the UK to become a MAGA-influenced vassal state.

This is pragmatic economic action and good news for the UK, small businesses — and not least our fresh fish and shellfish industry, who need faster export to the EU.

Herbacious

Some of the comments have been edited for this article for brevity and clarity.

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