Brussels tells Keir Starmer to pay £1bn for closer ties to Europe

Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform think tank, said that while the EU was keen on greater security and defence co-operation with the UK there were some countries, including France, that were “much less keen on extending economic co-operation”.

He said: “They don’t really care if the UK has a thriving or a weak economy and are much more concerned about the old ideology of not allowing the UK to ‘cherry pick’ which parts of the single market it wants to be part of.

“The UK side may be looking at things like chemicals, pharmaceuticals and cars but Brussels is making it very clear that the UK will need to ‘pay to play’.

“They are not showing much flexibility at all.”