Stanley Johnson has called on Keir Starmer to help “undo the huge damage of Brexit” by rejoining the European Environment Agency (EEA) in a bid to rebuild closer ties with the EU.
Boris Johnson’s father has said EEA membership should be a priority at next month’s UK-EU summit, the first high-level meeting since Britain departed the single market.
In a letter to the nature minister, Mary Creagh, Stanley Johnson, a former MEP and I’m a Celebrity star, urged the government to take advantage of a post-Brexit “opportunity” by re-establishing environmental links with the EU.
According to the National World, he wrote: “Rejoining the EEA will be an important step in the direction of rebuilding the UK’s relationships with Europe in the environmental field, including climate change, marine pollution, plastic waste, energy, biodiversity and the circular economy.
“I firmly believe that this can be achieved economically and without loss of sovereignty, as other non-EU members of the EEA, including Switzerland, Norway, Turkey, Iceland etc, would – I am sure – be ready to attest.”
He also warned that the UK’s absence from the EEA, which provides independent information on the environment, had weakened its leadership on environmental issues and undermined international cooperation.
“It’s high time we help to undo the huge damage of Brexit on the environment and my letter to the minister for nature drives that point home,” he said.
“We must take concrete steps to reconnect with Europe, starting with the environment, where shared challenges demand shared solutions.
“The EEA is a practical, non-political way to rebuild trust. Joining again would show that Britain is ready to lead on climate and biodiversity alongside our neighbours.”
Stanley Johnson has often clashed with his son over Brexit. He supported Remain in 2016, sought French citizenship following the UK’s departure from the EU, and has previously criticised Boris Johnson’s deal for its negative effects on environmental protections and scientific collaboration.
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