LONDON

The UK is prepared to align more closely with the EU single market if it is in the national interest, the country's Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.

Speaking to the BBC on Sunday, he said Britain should “go further” in strengthening post-Brexit ties with Brussels following a trade deal agreed earlier this year.

Starmer pointed to recent steps taken to bring the UK into closer alignment with the EU on agriculture and food standards, saying: “That’s the sovereign decision that we have taken.”

He added: “I think we should get closer, and if it’s in our national interest to have even closer alignment with the single market, then we should consider that, we should go that far.”

He said he believed closer ties with the single market would benefit the UK, adding: “I think it’s in our national interest to go further.”

However, Starmer suggested that rejoining the EU customs union was less likely, despite having previously supported the idea.

“What I would say about the customs union is that I argued for a customs union for many years with the EU, but a lot of water has now gone under the bridge,” he said.

He acknowledged calls from some quarters to reconsider that position, saying: “I do understand why people are saying ‘wouldn’t it be better to go to the customs union?’”

But he argued that recent trade agreements meant the government should prioritize a different approach.

“I actually think that now we’ve done deals with the US which are in our national interest, now we’ve done deals with India which are in our national interest, we are better looking to the single market rather than the customs union for our further alignment,” he said.

Starmer expects to still be prime minister this time next year

Starmer has also played down concerns about his leadership, insisting he expects to still be prime minister this time next year despite a difficult period for his government.

He rejected suggestions that forthcoming elections in Scotland, Wales and England in May would amount to a verdict on his administration, saying they should not be treated as a “referendum” on his government.

The comments come after a challenging 2025 for him, marked by slowing economic growth, weak poll ratings and renewed speculation that he could face a leadership challenge.

He emphasized the length and purpose of his mandate, saying: “I was elected in 2024 with a five-year mandate to change the country, and that's what I intend to do, to be faithful to that mandate. And I will be judged, and I know I'll be judged, when we get to the next election, on whether I've delivered on the key things that matter most to people.”

Parliament is due to return from the Christmas recess on Monday, with Starmer expected to convene his first Cabinet meeting of 2026 the following day.

The meeting is likely to focus on the cost of living and the government’s priorities for the year ahead, as ministers attempt to reassure voters amid continuing economic uncertainty.