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Labour MP Emily Darlington urged Hilary Benn to “rebuild strained relations” with the European Union, warning that businesses in her local constituency have struggled to survive in the wake of Brexit.
The MP for Milton Keynes Central asked the secretary of state for Northern Ireland to engage with the Irish Government as part of an attempt to reduce barriers to trade.
Asked about his plans to repair relations with Europe, the Labour frontbencher admitted that Brexit had brought “additional costs and paperwork for businesses”.
But Mr Benn also defended the Windsor Framework, an agreement signed by the previous Conservative government to reduce trade barriers between Northern Ireland and the EU, dubbing it an “important and significant step forward”.
Speaking during Northern Ireland questions in the House of Commons this morning, Ms Darlington said: “Can I congratulate the honourable member on his position and hope that he will be able to rebuild those relations that have been strained through the Brexit process.
“My question is about small and medium sized businesses in Milton Keynes Central that have had to go under as a result of the additional paperwork and other restrictions, through our strained relations with the EU.
“Can he confirm with me that he is talking to the Irish government and others about how we reduce those barriers to trade?”
Responding, Mr Benn said: “There is no doubt that the change in our trading relationship with the EU has brought additional costs and paperwork for businesses, whether they are selling to the EU or into Northern Ireland.
“The Windsor framework is the means by which we are trying to manage that and I supported the Windsor framework negotiated by the previous government because it represented an important and significant step forward.”
He said the government needs to continue to implement the agreement in order to achieve further agreements with the EU, including veterinary and sanitary and phytosanitary measures (SPS) agreements.
Sir Keir Starmer has vowed to renegotiate the UK’s Brexit deal with the EU, accusing Boris Johnson of having struck a “botched” agreement with the bloc.
Last month, the prime minister said: “We think we can get a better deal than the botched deal that Boris Johnson brought home. We will work on that.”
But acknowledging Labour’s commitment to agreements like the Windsor Framework, he added: “We do have to get on with implementing the important changes that are necessary under the existing arrangements.
“We’re not going to be able to get a better relationship unless we demonstrate a commitment to the agreements that have already been put in place.”
