Labour government would face tough negotiations with EU

Rishi Sunak had already begun to repair strained relations with the EU, he said.

“So you have to go beyond that.” Sir Julian said, “But both sides need to stop fighting the last war.”

Sir Ivan Rogers, the former ambassador to the EU and a key civil servant in the early years of the Brexit negotiations before he resigned in 2017, said:  “Some in Labour tend greatly to underestimate the difficulties it will face,” Sir Ivan told the Telegraph,

“There are some signs of pennies dropping. But just because the global environment is much grimmer than in 2016 does not guarantee changed mindsets in Brussels and in key places in key capitals,” he said.

The EU and UK have agreed to review the Brexit trade deal in 2026 but there is no agreement on how ambitious that will be. Labour had said it wanted to renegotiate the trade deal and are understood to have been disappointed when the European Commission swiftly ruled that out.

Brussels sources suggest it will be a chance for some minor tweaks and nothing more – although Lord Darroch said that could be a negotiating tactic. However, he added, “ The EU is pretty happy with the Trade and Cooperation Agreement as it is. It works very well for them.”