Politics

Keir Starmer Strikes Controversial EU Deal Sparking Fury Over UK Fishing Waters

Published on May 19, 2025

Sir Keir Starmer has signed off on a major deal that will allow the European Union continued access to British fishing waters until 2038, a move that’s already stirring up a political storm. The agreement, finalized in the early hours of Monday, is part of a broader post-Brexit package aimed at rebooting the UK’s relationship with the EU on everything from trade to travel and defence.

UK negotiators originally offered a four-year extension to the existing fishing terms, but that was quickly pushed aside. Under pressure to reach a wider agreement covering food exports and energy cooperation, they agreed to a much longer 12-year access window.

BBC reported the deal has now been approved by the EU ambassadors’ committee. Full details are expected to be unveiled at the UK-EU summit, where Starmer will meet European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen.

uk fishing — (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

Not everyone is happy. Angus Robertson, Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for External Affairs, slammed the decision, saying the Scottish Government wasn’t even consulted. “UK Govt has agreed a fisheries (devolved) deal with EU in principle, without any recourse, involvement or approval of Devolved Admins,” he said, adding they hadn’t seen any draft proposals.

Conservative Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch also went in hard. “Twelve years’ access to British waters is three times longer than the government wanted. We are becoming a rule-taker from Brussels once again,” she said, expressing fears that the youth mobility part of the deal could signal a backdoor return to free movement.

Meanwhile, Lib Dem leader Ed Davey urged Starmer to take things further, pushing for a new customs union with the EU. “Anything less would be a choice to limit growth, harming living standards and hitting the NHS and other public services,” he said.

While controversial, the fishing deal did help unlock a new SPS agreement, which will remove most border checks on British food exports — a huge win for UK farmers and exporters. In exchange, Britain will follow EU food and animal welfare rules and accept oversight from the European Court of Justice, though officials insist there’s no formal treaty link between the SPS and fishing deals.

The broader agreement includes a range of other changes. British travellers will be allowed to use e-gates at EU airports, a big step in easing long border waits. There are also moves to reduce red tape for touring UK artists and efforts to rejoin the Erasmus student exchange scheme.

Negotiations are still ongoing over a youth mobility visa plan. The EU wants lower visa fees and NHS surcharge waivers for its young citizens, while the UK is looking to cap numbers and limit the duration of stays.

On defence, the UK and EU will increase cooperation, including joint operations and military coordination. British defence companies will now be eligible for contracts from the EU’s €150 billion procurement fund, though they’ll have to pay to participate.

Other parts of the deal focus on migration and energy. The UK is hoping for limited returns agreements for asylum seekers and better access to EU migration databases, while both sides have agreed to align carbon trading schemes and connect power grids, with the goal of cutting energy bills.

Though the final sign-off still needs to happen, no serious pushback is expected from either side.

More News: