The Daily T Starmer’s great big Brexit betrayal
Jan 6, 2026
Allister Heath, editor of the Sunday Telegraph, dives deep into the political landscape surrounding Brexit and Keir Starmer's maneuvers. He argues that Starmer's potential alignment with the EU signals a desperate attempt to regain lost votes amid an EU in decline. They discuss the pitfalls of rejoining, citing EU bureaucracy's negative impact on tourism, and the contrasting economic trajectories of Europe and the US. Allister also highlights the dire state of the retail and hospitality sectors, advocating for bold policy changes to revitalize these industries.
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Legislation Signals Closer Ties With EU
- Keir Starmer is preparing legislation for 'dynamic alignment' with the EU despite manifesto pledges to avoid rejoining key EU structures.
- Allister Heath argues these moves amount to a stealth strategy to restore deep ties with Brussels and undermine Brexit sovereignty.
Prague Airport Queue Shows EU Red Tape
- Allister Heath describes a Prague airport experience where non-EU travellers queued two and a half hours due to biometric gates failing.
- He uses it to illustrate the EU's regulatory mindset and how UK citizens were being treated post-Brexit at EU gates.
Political Motive Behind Realignment Push
- Heath says Labour's poll collapse has driven Starmer to chase a pro-EU coalition as a political strategy to regain voters.
- He warns such re-engagement would fail because voters prefer self-government and would reject the fine print of rejoining.