Collapse of talks on EU security programme is more ‘Brexit vandalism’ says Prospect

The government has confirmed that talks over Britain’s participation in the £130bn Security Action for Europe (SAFE) programme have collapsed.

Mike Clancy, Prospect General Secretary, responding to news of the UK’s failure to agree inclusion in SAFE, said:

“The UK continues to pay the long-term economic price of job-destroying Brexit vandalism.

“Securing participation in the SAFE agreement would have given the UK defence industry access to a larger share of the EU market, which would pay for itself by creating thousands of defence jobs.

“The government must make full use of any levers available to minimise the negative impact that the breakdown in negotiations will have on defence, bolstering sovereign capability, maintaining security and boosting cooperation with our closest allies.”