Claire Young welcomes Govt backing for Lib Dem calls on EU defence pact

Thornbury & Yate's Liberal Democrat MP has welcomed the new UK-EU defence pact, agreed at a major summit on 19 May. This follows the Lib Dems consistently calling for such a pact – and who are now urging Starmer to get to work on implementing the agreement.

Keir Starmer announced that the UK and EU had agreed to a new Security and Defence Partnership, setting out how the UK defence industry will be able to participate in the EU’s Security Action for Europe (SAFE) defence fund. “At a time of increasing global uncertainty and volatility, this will formalise UK-EU co-operation on defence to ensure Europe’s safety and security”, said Number 10.

The Liberal Democrats called for a defence and security agreement with the EU in its July 2024 general election manifesto and have continued to push the Government to forge closer ties with Europe on defence. Claire Young MP has hailed the shift in position from the Government as a “major win”, while pushing for Starmer to turn “fine words” into actions when it comes to EU-UK cooperation on defence.

The party is also calling for the Government to see today’s agreement as a first step, and that Starmer must be ambitious in seeking to negotiate a new, bespoke Customs Union agreement with the EU which will unlock new growth and opportunities across the UK. 

Commenting Claire Young MP said: 

“This is a major win for our nation’s security to see a closer defence relationship with the EU defence agreed today.  

“We’ve been pushing the Government to agree a defence pact with partners in Europe for months. Donald Trump’s bull in a china shop approach to global security has raised the importance of the UK aligning with our allies in Europe, so I’m glad to see the Government finally listen to our common-sense plans on this.

“Now Keir Starmer needs to make sure this summit isn’t just empty rhetoric, and get to work on implementing this defence pact – turning his fine words into real action.”