PM's 'direction of travel is clear... handing over our country to distant, unelected officials who don't have our best interests at heart'

KEIR STARMER was accused of handing our country over to Brussels as Rachel Reeves became the latest Cabinet minister to hint at joining an EU customs union.

- BY JONATHAN WALKER

Nigel Farage said the PM has stopped pretending he accepts the Brexit vote to quit the bloc. While Tories demanded Sir Keir comes clean on his plan for rowing back on the Leave verdict with EU deals.

They hit out after the Prime Minister told MPs yesterday: “I do want a closer relationship to the one we've got at the moment. We are moving towards that.”

Reform UK leader Mr Farage said: “British sovereignty is on the line once more. Keir Starmer’s government has effectively given up on pretending that they accept the vote to leave the European Union.

“Instead, Labour is working to bring Britain back under closer control by EU rules.”

Shadow Foreign Secretary Dame Priti Patel said: “Labour MPs do not understand ordinary people and cannot be trusted. They would rather turn the clock back and reopen the debates of the past.”

Chancellor Ms Reeves failed to rule out a customs union yesterday when she was asked by MPs on the Commons Treasury Committee if this was the Government’s plan, as she replied instead: “Good try.”

Deputy PM David Lammy has already called for the UK to sign a new EU customs deal while Health Secretary Wes Streeting has refused to rule out such a pact.

MPs this week voted to begin talks with Brussels on a new customs union. IThat would mean the UK follwowing EU trade rules.

While the vote is not binding on the Government, 13 Labour MPs backed the plan alongside Lib Dem, Green and SNP MPs.

Just three Labour members joined the Tories and Reform UK MPs to oppose the Lib Dem proposal. Other Labour MPs stayed away, apparently obeying orders from their party leadership to abstain.

Dame Priti, a former home secretary, told the Express: “The direction of travel here is clear.