UK not to pursue alignment with EU: Prime minister

LONDON

The UK will not reach any new agreement with the EU to align with the bloc’s rules, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Monday.

Speaking at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) conference in Birmingham, Sunak said such a deal would not happen under his leadership.

“Under my leadership, the United Kingdom will not pursue any relationship with Europe that relies on alignment with EU laws,” Sunak vowed.

He said he voted for Brexit and is “already delivering enormous benefits and opportunities for the country.”

Sunak’s remarks came following weekend media reports that the UK might ease immigration from the EU to remedy the country’s shortage of skilled workers.

Asked about the illegal migration, Sunak said progress to end it has been made.

He said that the UK ended free movement as people wanted control of immigration, and he is determined to tackle illegal immigration too.

The UK's "number one priority right now when it comes to migration is stopping people coming here illegally on small boats across the Channel,” Sunak said.

"Because when people see that happening it undermines trust in the system... that's what I am absolutely determined to fix," he said, adding that they have "started making progress."

Speaking at the same conference, Tony Danker, the director-general of the CBI, urged that the UK should use immigration to solve worker shortages.

Danker asked politicians to be practical about immigration.

The UK is suffering from a skilled workers shortage, which has caused logistic and service problems since many EU nationals had to leave the country after Brexit.