PM would offer to extend Britain’s nuclear deterrent in exchange for access to EU free-trade zone
Daily Telegraph 09/08/26
Britain could rejoin the EU’s single market under a new post-Brexit deal presented to Andy Burnham.
In exchange for access to the bloc’s free-trade zone, the Prime Minister would be expected to promise to extend the protection of Britain’s Armed Forces and nuclear deterrent across the Continent.
The plan was drawn up by Nick Boles, a former Conservative MP who quit the party in 2019 and helped with Sir Keir Starmer’s preparations for government.
It has since been circulated to top government officials, including Jonathan Powell, the national security adviser.
Under the proposal, Britain would push for the creation of a “European Confederation”, linking the EU’s free-trade zone with Nato’s defence commitments.
Countries such as Ukraine, Switzerland, Norway and the Western Balkan states would also be invited to join.
As a member, Britain would pledge to spend 3.5 per cent of its GDP on defence and extend its nuclear umbrella across the non-Nato allies which Trident does not currently cover.
In return, the country would be invited to join the EU’s Single Market for goods without having to accept freedom of movement or membership of the Eurozone.
Ukraine would join the confederation with a promise to maintain a large army to serve as a main bulwark against any future Russian invasion as well as share its drone technologies with the rest of Europe.
Mr Boles told The Telegraph that a new strategy for European cooperation was needed because there was no guarantee Donald Trump, or a future US president, would “defend Europe as if it were Kansas”.
The former MP, who held a number of ministerial positions, said the confederation model would not only help boost Britain’s economy, but it would also help Brussels address budgetary and migration concerns that EU member states have about accepting Ukraine, Albania and Serbia into the bloc.
“If we’re trying to do a bilateral negotiation in which we try to persuade the EU to have us have access to the single market for goods, we will fail,” he added.
“But if we make a proposal that solves other problems they have, like Ukraine… that’s the possibility where the selling might be easier. We can explain this isn’t just a selfish British deal, it’s a deal you can use to solve other problems yourselves.”
The Telegraph previously reported that Sir Keir had approached the EU with a proposal for Britain to be given access to the single market for goods.
This was rejected because Brussels was not willing to give the UK special treatment while it remained outside the bloc.
As well as a Nato-style mutual defence clause and a single market, Mr Boles’ proposal includes other olive branches to convince the EU, such as youth mobility and tech innovation schemes.
Before his plan was published by the Demos think-tank, he sought advice from the likes of Gordon Brown, the former prime minister, John Bew, an ex-Tory foreign policy adviser, senior Brexiteer Michael Gove and Olly Robbins, before the latter was sacked as head of the Foreign Office.
While his post-Brexit vision is not government policy, the former MP believes there is room for it as Mr Burnham has not yet decided how he wants to progress his predecessor’s “reset” with Brussels.
Mr Boles believes recent comments by Hamish Falconer, the new Brexit minister, suggest the Government is still looking for ideas.
“We’re not talking about rejoining today. What we do in our next manifesto will also be a question for the Labour Party,” Mr Falconer said in the interview shortly after Mr Burnham became Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister once claimed he hoped the UK would rejoin the EU “in my lifetime”, but has since watered down that stance.
A government source told The Telegraph that proposals were being drawn up for how UK-EU cooperation could be deepened.
These proposals will be discussed at a leaders’ summit being planned for October after the party conference season.
The EU previously cancelled the meeting due to be held in July under Sir Keir after he announced his resignation.
At the time, Brussels sources said they only wanted to negotiate with a British leader who had a mandate to continue the reset talks.
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