Politics LIVE: Closer ties with EU would 'cost taxpayers £15bn' as Keir Starmer's policy branded 'monumental act of self-harm'

Keir Starmer’s proposed agricultural trade deal with Brussels has been condemned as a “monumental act of self-harm” that could shrink the economy by £15billion.

A report by the Growth Commission, founded by Liz Truss, warns that the sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement signed in May, under which the UK will effectively copy EU food and pesticide rules, amounts to “effectively ceding power over British rules to the EU and causing a colossal hit to the British economy”.

Shanker Singham, the Commission’s chairman, said: “Hardwiring into UK law SPS regulations, which are already costing EU economies dear, would be a monumental act of self-harm that would be extremely difficult to reverse.“

"The European regulatory system is one of the most anti-competitive and growth-destroying regulatory systems in the world ... With a pressing need to grow its economy, the last thing a country like the UK should be doing is aligning to European regulations."

The think tank argues that alignment could also damage ties with the US, risk the pharmaceutical sector and complicate Britain’s position in the trans-Pacific trade bloc, calling the deal “a backward and economically harmful move”.

A Cabinet Office spokesman said: “No one seriously worried about British business competitiveness would argue for more paperwork, higher costs and longer queues at the border.

"Government analysis shows that a food and drink trade deal will add £5.1bn to the economy.”

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Lord Mandelson's replacement meets President Trump

Lord Mandelson's replacement as ambassador to the US has met with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office. At the same time, his predecessor was arrested and released on bail on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

Christian Turner, a career diplomat, formally took up his post on February 2 after a lengthy deliberation from Keir Starmer and the Foreign Office.

It is understood he officially met Mr Trump last week but chose last night to announce the meeting.

"An extraordinary honour to present my credentials to President Trump. In America’s 250th year, the relationship makes our citizens safer and richer," Mr Turner wrote on X alongside a photo with the beaming US leader.

Lib Dem leader refreshes Nigel Farage attack as he hits out at ‘barbaric’ Donald Trump policies

Sir Ed Davey has refreshed his attack on Nigel Farage, hitting out at US President Donald Trump’s “barbaric” policies.

“I don't want Donald Trump's America to become Farage’s Britain,” the Liberal Democrat leader told GB News.

“Donald Trump is a disaster for his country, both economically and (he is) damaging our country too. And if you look at the awful things that are happening in America, Nigel Farage wants to repeat them here. Reform wants to repeat them here.”

The Lib Dem leader was referring to the actions of US Ice agents in Minnesota, enforcing the President’s pledge to enact mass deportations of illegal immigrants in the US.

“I think that sort of barbarity is not something that is true to British values, and so we will oppose that,” Sir Ed said.

Reform’s Home Affairs spokesman, Zia Yusuf, promised his party would launch a UK version of Ice to get a grip on Britain’s migrant crisis.

Ed Davey: Keir Starmer made ‘catastrophic failure of judgment’ as scandals rumble on

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has said he “absolutely questions” Keir Starmer’s judgement as the Lord Mandelson saga and other scandals continue to swirl around the Prime Minister.

“I was surprised when he was appointed in the first place, given his track record of having to resign or be sacked from a number of officers,” Sir Ed told GB News.

“But that the Prime Minister has admitted that he knew that Mandelson continued his relationship with Epstein even after Epstein hadbecome a convicted pedophile raises huge questions about the Prime Minister's judgment.”

“And then you add to that his decision to appoint Lord Doyle to the House of Lords, I think it's a catastrophic failure of judgment by the Prime Minister.”

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Good morning, and welcome to the GB News Politics live blog.

The nation has woken to the news that Lord Mandelson has been released on bail by the Metropolitan Police following his arrest on Monday on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

In a statement, the force said: "A 72-year-old man arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office has been released on bail pending further investigation.

The New Labour architect, who briefly served as ambassador to the US under Keir Starmer, has been accused of passing sensitive information to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein during his time as Business Secretary.

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