Ministers seek EU negotiator to lead reset talks

Ministers are hiring a caller EU negotiator arsenic Sir Keir Starmer seeks to reset Britain’s narration with Europe.

The post, worthy astatine slightest £150,000 a twelvemonth and advertised by the Cabinet Office, would enactment arsenic a “sherpa” for each of the UK’s dealings with the bloc.

The relation is described arsenic “principal advisor to the Prime Minister and the curate for European Union relations (Nick Thomas-Symonds) connected matters relating to relations with the EU and delivering the ‘EU reset’ and connected planetary economical issues”.

The applicant would besides request to enactment arsenic the “EU sherpa”, representing the Prime Minister astatine negotiations.

The Trade and Co-operation Agreement, the ground for the UK-EU narration aft Brexit, volition beryllium taxable to renewal talks successful 2025.

The sherpa would apt beryllium liable for overseeing these talks, and person a wage betwixt £153,000 and £200,000.

Sir Keir has stressed the value of resetting ties with Europe, and successful his archetypal months arsenic Prime Minister has visited capitals crossed the continent to conscionable nationalist leaders.

However, the Tories sought to suggest hiring a caller EU negotiator showed the Prime Minister was attempting to “undermine Brexit and our presumption arsenic a sovereign federation with his program to instrumentality the state backmost into the EU”.

Shadow overseas caput Dame Priti Patel added: “The Conservative Party volition not basal by and let the volition of the British radical beryllium reversed portion Labour arrogantly capitulates to the EU.”

The Cabinet Office has been contacted for comment.