Varadkar says US is no longer 'reliable political and economic partner’ to Europe

James Cox

Former taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said it is "no longer the case" that the US is a "reliable political and economic partner" to Europe.

He also said the EU should be "generous" to the UK and "willing to make concessions" in the current negotiations as "Europe needs Britain" as a security and defence partner.

Mr Varadkar made the comments on LBC’s Tonight with Andrew Marr.

He also told Mr Marr there would be "no harm in dusting down the old backstop" agreement between the EU and UK to "give a boost to the British economy".

Asked if he believes that the UK needs to turn back towards the EU and away from the USA, Mr Varadkar replied: "Yes, I do in short. Since 1945 we have had a de facto Pax Americana across Europe and the United States, where we could rely on the US as a security partner, sheltering under their umbrella in many ways, and also as a reliable political and economic partner.

"That's no longer the case. Even if in four years’ time, a moderate Republican or a Democrat is elected, I don't think we can be certain that things are going to change back to the way they were before. The memory of the Second World War is now so long ago that things are different, and it creates a decision point for the UK as to whether it wants to go it alone, which in many ways was the Brexit philosophy, a global Britain trying to form alliances with almost anyone, anywhere around the world, to one that sees itself at the heart of European security and as part of the European economy. And I really hope that's a decision that the UK takes."

On areas he believes the EU and UK could have a stronger relationship, Mr Varadkar said: "I think there's definitely a lot to be said on a defence and security agreement. There's a lot to be said and a lot happening in relation to aligning our veterinary rules, which would be very helpful in relation to Northern Ireland in particular, in further reducing the remaining checks between Britain and Northern Ireland.

"I think there would be no harm in dusting down the old backstop, the agreement negotiated between me and Theresa May and the European Union at the time, and that allowed for free movement of goods and dynamic alignment of regulations. That would, I think, give a boost to the British economy.

"What the UK needs more than anything else is economic growth, and that would help with that, but I don't think that it would ever be realistic to expect the United Kingdom just to be a rule taker. If the UK is going to align its regulations and standards it would have to have a meaningful input into that."