Sophie Inge

Brexit Britain’s truckers bear the brunt of new EU border controls For many British drivers who rely on frictionless travel to do their jobs, the new checks could spell disaster.

EXCLUSIVE: British truck drivers say they are at risk of losing their jobs because of impending EU border controls, as haulage firms scramble to adapt to the rules ahead of deadline.

Keir Starmer’s softly-softly approach ushers in new era of UK-China trade relations Britain’s haul from the trip may be modest, but ministers insist there’s more to come.

As U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer embarks on his Chinese charm offensive against a turbulent economic backdrop, he has opted for a softly-softly approach in a bid to warm up one of Britain’s most important trading partners.

UK facing fresh calls for compensation over Brexit reset deal Business owners fear border control facilities they have spent millions of pounds developing will be rendered redundant by the new agri-foods agreement.

Scoop: UK facing fresh calls for compensation over Brexit reset deal

www.politico.eu/article/uk-g...

UK government faces fresh calls for compensation over Brexit ‘reset’ deal Business owners fear border control facilities they have spent millions of pounds developing will be rendered redundant by the new agri-foods agreement.

British businesses that have plowed millions into border control facilities are demanding compensation from the U.K. government over its Brexit “reset” deal with the EU.

Trump administration demands Britain adopt US standards in trade talks The U.S. push would derail Britain’s post-Brexit relationship with the European Union.

As Trump threatens to raise tariffs on Britain over its stance on Greenland, his negotiators have also pressured the UK to accept the US standards regime.

The move could upset London's "reset" with Brussels.

Via @sophie-inge.bsky.social, me & Abby Wallace.

www.politico.eu/article/dona...

Scandal-hit Fujitsu dropped from Brexit border system The move follows mounting public pressure to strip the Japanese tech firm of public contracts.

Scandal-hit Fujitsu dropped from Brexit border system

Via @sophie-inge.bsky.social and me

www.politico.eu/article/post...

The UK-US trade deal isn’t done yet. Here’s what’s still on the table. The U.K. managed to get Trump’s threatened pharma tariffs down from 100 percent to zero. Now they just have to get the rest of the deal wrapped up.

The UK-US trade deal isn’t done yet. Here’s what’s still on the table.

With the dream team @glanktree.bsky.social Caroline Hug and Tom Bristow

www.politico.eu/article/uk-u...

Rachel Reeves hopes trade deals can save Britain’s budget. Economists aren’t convinced. With a difficult budget looming, the chancellor has increasingly turned her gaze overseas.

Trade folk (including myself) are unconvinced there is much of a growth dividend for Rachel Reeves from agreements with India, EU, and US. Just as there's no evidence of positive impact from independent UK trade policy since 2021. www.politico.eu/article/rach...

Off to Liverpool tomorrow for Labour Party conference. DM me if you want to chat trade policy over a watery coffee/warm white wine!

Brits cheesed off as Trump gives EU a better dairy deal Cheesemakers exporting to the U.S. are sweating after the EU secured a better agreement on at least one front.

The U.K.'s trade deal with Donald Trump was touted as a post-Brexit win.

The reality is the U.K. is facing higher tariffs than the EU on a number of products, including cheese. I spoke to cheddar and stilton makers about the challenges they're facing.

www.politico.eu/article/what...

Brits cheesed off as Trump gives EU a better dairy deal Cheesemakers exporting to the U.S. are sweating after the EU secured a better agreement on at least one front.

What Brexit benefit? Brits cheesed off as Trump gives EU a better dairy deal

www.politico.eu/article/what...

‘Wasted time, effort and money’: Britain’s £800M Brexit border debacle “White elephant” border inspection facilities face bleak future after U.K.-EU trade deal.

You can read my article on the government's Brexit border black hole here:

www.politico.eu/article/brex...

Parliamentlive.tv Foreign Affairs Committee

Great to see my article mentioned during today's Foreign Affairs Committee session. EU Relations Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds admits it's "very difficult" to see how the government can recover the £700m it has spent on Brexit border infrastructure.

Watch it here: parliamentlive.tv/event/index/...

Britain’s EU meat and cheese ban is ‘toothless,’ MPs warn A new report warns that “alarming amounts” of meat and dairy products are still being illegally imported into the country.

Britain’s EU meat and cheese ban is ‘toothless,’ MPs warn

A new report warns that “alarming amounts” of meat and dairy products are still being illegally imported into the country.

Via @sophie-inge.bsky.social

www.politico.eu/article/ille...

‘Wasted time, effort and money’: Britain’s £800M Brexit border debacle “White elephant” border inspection facilities face bleak future after U.K.-EU trade deal.

Debacle is the right word. UK governments between 2016 and 2024 lived in a fantasy world with regard to trade and EU relations that was damaging and expensive. This one is more realistic but has to pick up the pieces. www.politico.eu/article/brex...

‘Wasted time, effort and money’: Britain’s £800M Brexit border debacle “White elephant” border inspection facilities face bleak future after U.K.-EU trade deal.

🚨🚨‘Wasted time, effort and money’: Britain’s £800M Brexit border debacle". If anyone forgot about it, this is a reminder of the still disastrous effects of #brexit that still brings misery and pain to Britain. 🧵
www.politico.eu/article/brex...

‘Wasted time, effort and money’: Britain’s £800M Brexit border debacle “White elephant” border inspection facilities face bleak future after U.K.-EU trade deal.

Revealed: Britain has an £800M Brexit border black hole

www.politico.eu/article/brex...

Keir Starmer under pressure to block Fujitsu from £370m Brexit border contract The Japanese IT giant continues to face intense public scrutiny over its role in the Post Office scandal.

Keir Starmer under pressure to block Fujitsu from £370m Brexit border contract

www.politico.eu/article/uk-p...

UK government’s trade department bracing for 20 percent workforce cut If targets are not met via a voluntary scheme, some staff could face compulsory redundancies.

Britain's trade department is bracing for a 20 percent cut to its workforce as the country grapples with an unpredictable U.S. president and seeks new trade opportunities to kickstart its sluggish economy.

Scoop from my colleague Caroline Hug today:

www.politico.eu/article/uk-g...

Trump says US will ‘look at’ blanket 10 percent tariff on UK goods The U.S. president was speaking ahead of wide-ranging talks with Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Plus: Trump says US will ‘look at’ blanket 10 percent tariff on UK goods

www.politico.eu/article/trum...

Cuts to US tariffs on British steel coming ‘pretty soon,’ says Trump U.S. trade rules have stymied the implementation of a deal struck back in May.

Cuts to US tariffs on British steel coming ‘pretty soon,’ says Trump

From @danbloom1.bsky.social at Turnberry and me

www.politico.eu/article/cuts...

US and EU strike trade deal setting 15 percent tariff Washington and Brussels clinch agreement days before President Donald Trump’s deadline to do a deal or face higher tariffs.

US and EU strike trade deal setting 15 percent tariff

Via @koenverhelst.bsky.social

www.politico.eu/article/us-a...

Modi and Starmer hail a UK-India trade deal. But there’s plenty left unanswered. Key aspects of the deal — including a controversial side agreement on national insurance taxes for foreign workers — are yet to be finalized.

Modi and Starmer hail a UK-India trade deal. But there’s plenty left unanswered.

www.politico.eu/article/uk-i...

A good innings? The biggest winners in the UK-India trade deal The U.K. has managed to chalk up a fair few wins, with some stand-out sectors emerging triumphant.

ICYMI: Coverage of the signing of the U.K.-India free trade agreement from me and @glanktree.bsky.social this week:

A good innings? The biggest winners in the UK-India trade deal
www.politico.eu/article/bigg...

Post Office scandal-hit Fujitsu vies for lucrative Brexit border contract Japanese tech firm — heavily criticized over the Horizon scandal — teams up with long-time Liz Truss ally to bid for Northern Ireland trade platform.

Post Office scandal-hit Fujitsu vies for lucrative Brexit border contract

Japanese tech firm — heavily criticized over the Horizon scandal — teams up with long-time Liz Truss ally to bid for Northern Ireland trade platform.

Via @sophie-inge.bsky.social and me

www.politico.eu/article/post...

Join the club: UK seeks to band up with like-minded nations amid Trump’s trade war “They recognize that the world is changing,” PM Keir Starmer said.

Join the club: UK seeks to band up with like-minded nations amid Trump’s trade war

www.politico.eu/article/star...

Britain breaks ranks with Trump in bid to revive WTO The U.K. is joining an alternative to the trade organization’s appeals court in order to defend the “rules-based international trading system.”

Britain breaks ranks with Trump in bid to revive WTO

www.politico.eu/article/uk-b...

Britain’s got an EU deal — but the Brexit red tape keeps coming U.K. plows ahead with unpopular ‘Not for EU’ labels in Northern Ireland, despite planned deal with Brussels.

🚨🚨 Whilst the EU-UK deal was a clear improvement and win for Starmer, we should not forget that it does not change the major premises of relationship which is enshrined in the TCA and that #brexit still is a long and dragging beast of misery and pain. 🧵
www.politico.eu/article/brit...

Britain’s got an EU deal — but the Brexit red tape keeps coming U.K. plows ahead with unpopular ‘Not for EU’ labels in Northern Ireland, despite planned deal with Brussels.

From July 1, a whole raft of new food products sold in Northern Ireland will have to carry “Not for EU” labels — the latest iteration of Brexit paperwork despite PM Keir Starmer's promises slash red tape.

Britain’s got an EU deal — but the Brexit red tape keeps coming U.K. plows ahead with unpopular ‘Not for EU’ labels in Northern Ireland, despite planned deal with Brussels.

Britain’s got an EU deal — but the Brexit red tape keeps coming

Latest from me on the ‘Not for EU’ labelling saga

www.politico.eu/article/brit...