King’s Speech

Lord Kirkhope of Harrogate Excerpts

Wednesday 15th November 2023 Lords Chamber

[Lord Kirkhope of Harrogate (Con)]

My Lords, while we reflect on His Majesty’s first King’s Speech, it was the speech of my right honourable friend the Prime Minister at the Lord Mayor of London’s Banquet that really caught my attention ahead of today’s debate. In opening, he referred to foreign relations and stated:

“Events far beyond our shores echo here at home”.


That is undoubtedly true, but I believe that we must not neglect the events just across the channel, which undoubtedly have produced plenty of echoes here in the last few years.

His Majesty said little about our relationship with the European Union, our closest neighbour, still our largest trading partner and our major ally on the world stage. The absence of greater mention in both speeches demonstrates missed opportunities. The younger generations, who we know overwhelmingly support closer co-operation with Europe, are watching us. They are the future, and we owe it to them to rebuild a relationship with the EU that is dynamic, beneficial and forward-thinking, following our decision to leave the institutions of the union in 2016.

I warmly welcome the Government’s integrated review refresh, which, for the first time, has openly spoken of working with the European Union institutions again. I also welcome our participation in the European Political Community, which is a positive step towards fostering stronger ties with our neighbours but something that can never itself replicate the unified work we used to enjoy. Recently, we have witnessed a plethora of bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding with individual EU member states, and even states within states. Although these have value and do something to restore trust between London and the other capitals, they can take us only so far. They will never be sufficient replacements for agreements with the EU as a whole. The Government need to show a readiness and willingness to engage with institutions of the European Union itself to reach new agreements and enhance co-operation. I welcome the appointment of David Cameron, my future noble friend, to his new role. He certainly has the necessary experience and skills to take this forward.

The current trade and co-operation agreement, although significant, must be just the beginning of a new chapter in our relationship with Europe. It is a foundation, but one that now needs to be built on. Of course, there is an obligation on us to conduct a thorough stock take of that relationship in 2025-26, so, as we prepare for that review, we must ask ourselves a question: are we really going to be content with what we have now and try to pretend that everything is fine and working well? I think not. We cannot do that, and that review presents us with a golden opportunity to redefine our ties with Europe.

For instance, we must build on the momentum established by the Windsor Framework, referred to by other noble Lords. We must be bold and proactive, not reactive, in our future approach to the EU. As a priority, there are lots of things that we can and could do soon. First, let us reach an SPS agreement, which in itself will significantly reduce barriers to trade by maintaining multilateral frameworks for human and animal health. Secondly, we should introduce a UK-EU youth mobility scheme to provide an opportunity for our younger people to live and work together in Europe, and, of course, to help to fill labour shortages in this country. Thirdly, professional and other qualifications should be recognised once more across both sides of the channel. These are just a few examples, and there are many more.

Our relationship with the EU has always been about so much more than just trade. In the face of global challenges, such as the Russian aggression in Ukraine and ongoing migration issues, it is evident that security and defence co-operation is of paramount importance. Once again, mere bilateral agreements, while useful, cannot replace the comprehensive co-operation that engagement at the EU level can provide and which provided us with comfort before. Perhaps the Government should revisit the political declarations made by previous Prime Ministers, which envisaged closer and more structured foreign and defence co-operation. We might sign an administrative arrangement, like Switzerland and the US, to join European defence projects at least on a case-by-case basis. Similarly, signing a framework participation agreement, as entered into by a number of non-EU countries, would lay strong groundwork for future collaborative engagements.

While the King’s Speech laid out a vision for the future, it is imperative that we soon address the gaps in our relationship with the EU. We must build a future that is prosperous, secure and beneficial for all, and which enthusiastically acknowledges and strengthens our long ties with Europe.