Recent comments by Sebastian Salek, a Labour councillor for the newly created St James ward in Waltham Forest, London, reveal an alarming trajectory towards rekindling the UK's ties with the European Union — a move that supporters of national sovereignty and Brexit should view with deep concern. On social media platform Threads, Salek highlighted several initiatives that unmistakably signal the current Labour government’s tilt towards EU integration, despite supposed commitments to Brexit.
Salek pointed to Chancellor Rachel Reeves's confirmation that Labour is now discussing a scheme to allow young British citizens to work freely in Europe—a complete reversal from previous government denials of any such youth mobility plans. This blatant backtracking raises fears of quietly undoing the freedoms hard-won by the British people in the 2016 referendum.
Moreover, the push for a food standards agreement designed to remove checks on exports to the EU and shipments to Northern Ireland directly undermines the post-Brexit regulatory independence that was championed as a key victory. This aligns with the concerning Parliamentary progression of the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill, which, despite its veneer of sovereignty, risks binding the UK once again to EU regulatory frameworks by enabling recognition of EU product standards.
Adding fuel to the fire, discussions around relinking UK and EU carbon markets—allowing bidding and trading of permits—signal potential EU influence over UK environmental policy, further eroding governmental autonomy in crucial sectors.
Perhaps most striking is the proposed defence agreement that could open the door for British defence firms to tap into the EU’s €150 billion fund. This suggests a dangerous dependency on EU defence structures after years of stressing independent British capability.
As these measures unfold, James McMurdoch, MP for a party advocating true Brexit principles, rightly condemns the so-called ‘Uniparty’—including both Conservative and Labour leadership—for squandering Brexit’s promise and now quietly seeking reintegration by the back door. The UK must remain steadfast in its independence rather than capitulating to Brussels via loopholes and back-channel arrangements.
While Prime Minister Kier Starker publicly rules out full EU membership, the reality of a closer trading relationship, plus the forthcoming EU-UK summit on May 19, suggests a gradual but unmistakable betrayal of Brexit. Germany’s ambassador to the UK openly hopes the summit will pave the way for a future review of the trade deal, potentially smoothing a return to the customs union and single market—outcomes wholly contrary to national self-determination.
The British people deserve a government that defends the sovereignty and economic freedoms secured in 2016, not one quietly dismantling those gains. It is imperative that voters support a political force committed to upholding the true spirit of Brexit, resisting any attempts to reintegrate with the EU, and ensuring that Britain remains free, independent, and in control of its own destiny.
Source: Noah Wire Services