Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s plan to align Britain’s food standards with European Union rules has sparked a fierce backlash from business leaders and pro-Brexit politicians, who warn the move risks surrendering sovereignty and turning the UK into a “rule taker” once again.
Under a proposed sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement with the EU, businesses involved in producing or processing food, animals, plants, and related products would be required to follow EU standards. The arrangement, known in Brussels as “dynamic alignment,” would effectively bind Britain to EU rules and hand oversight in disputes to the European Court of Justice.
Ministers claim the agreement will make trade with Britain’s largest market smoother by cutting border checks and paperwork. Environment secretary Emma Reynolds said the deal would “reset” relations with the EU and make trade “easier and cheaper,” with the government aiming to finalise negotiations this year and introduce the system by mid-2027.
But the proposal has alarmed many Brexit supporters and business groups, who say it risks dragging hundreds of thousands of firms back under Brussels’ rulebook. Government documents suggest around 500,000 businesses could be affected, including companies that do not trade with the EU at all.
John Longworth, chairman of the Independent Business Network and a former director-general of the British Chambers of Commerce, warned the plan would pile fresh red tape onto companies already struggling with rising costs. He told the Daily Mail:
The whole concept that the government is following at the moment is a betrayal of the democratic decision on Brexit.
It’s actually disastrous for businesses as well. It’s appalling because we’re applying EU rules and regulations to 100% of businesses when only 8% actually export to Europe.
Longworth said most British firms now trade either domestically or with markets outside Europe, meaning alignment with Brussels’ rules could leave the UK less competitive globally.
Mark Francois, chairman of the European Research Group of Conservative MPs, said the proposal would effectively place Britain back under EU regulatory authority.
So-called ‘dynamic alignment’ is just code for becoming a rule taker from Brussels again, regardless of the wishes of our own Parliament.
Opponents say the price of smoother trade could be Britain surrendering control over its own rules. They warn closer alignment with EU regulations could curb innovations such as gene-edited crops and make future trade deals with countries like the United States more difficult.
Despite the growing backlash, ministers are pressing ahead with the agreement and urging businesses to start preparing now for the regulatory changes expected from mid-2027.
