# ‘We can do so much better’: Starmer’s ex-Brexit minister on pushing closer ties with EU

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/we-can-do-so-much-better-starmers-ex-brexit-minister-on-pushing-closer-ties-with-eu/
- Published: 2026-11-15T13:23:16+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-15T19:12:37+00:00
- Original publisher: The Independent (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-eu-nick-thomas-symonds-starmer-putin-trump-b3083628.html
- Topics: Europe, Government, Politics, UK, World

## Key points

- Thomas-Symonds says closer EU ties could benefit both sides.
- A reset deal is expected to address food rules, students and youth mobility.
- Wider changes may be debated, but Labour’s current red lines remain.

## Summary

Nick Thomas-Symonds, Keir Starmer’s former Brexit minister, has argued that closer UK-EU ties would benefit both sides amid Russia’s war in Ukraine and Donald Trump’s stance on Nato. He backed Andy Burnham’s push to rebuild relations and said the changed international situation makes cooperation on security and prosperity more important.

Burnham is due to meet EU leaders in Brussels on 20 November to sign a Brexit reset deal, expected to cover alignment on food and drink rules, student exchanges through Erasmus and a youth mobility scheme. The agreement could lead to wider debate about further changes, potentially including EU membership, though Labour’s current commitments rule out rejoining the customs union or single market and restoring freedom of movement. Thomas-Symonds said the government would have begun a similar debate after the summit.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.