May 19 (UPI) -- Britain and the European Union will sign off on a new security and trade deal Monday at their first summit since Brexit, allowing access to European security databases and defense contracts and food producers to export more easily to EU markets in return for continued access to British fishing grounds, as well as easing travel restrictions.
British Prime Minister and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's "reset" summit -- so-called because it puts Britain's relations with the 27-member-country European political and economic bloc on a fresh footing after an acrimonious 2020 divorce -- comes amid a dramatically different world with the looming threat from Russia and the reerecting of barriers to free trade.
The EU has also agreed to help Britain in its efforts to secure its borders from the more than 12,400 migrants who arrived on its shores, mostly in small boats from northern France, so far this year.
In return, Britain agreed to a youth mobility scheme allowing young adults from the EU to work and study in Britain and vice versa, subject to final negotiations, while entry at EU ports, airports and land borders will be streamlined for British passport holders.
However, the deal was condemned by British fishermen over the impact of, primarily French fishing boats, on their livelihoods and the opposition Conservative Party over Britain having to adhere to EU laws on animals and food standards.
"We're becoming a rule-taker from Brussels once again. And with no details on any cap or time limits on Youth Mobility, fears of free movement returning will only increase," Conservative Party Leader Kemi Badenoch said in a post on X.
"This is very concerning."
The fishing industry in Scotland, responsible for most of the catch from British waters, accused the government of selling them short, saying it was unfairly weighted towards the EU's fishing fleet.
"The EU currently takes seven times more fish by value from U.K. waters than we take from theirs. It's an unfair arrangement that heavily favours the EU," the Scottish Fishing Federation said in a post on X.
"That's why securing control of access and a fairer share of resources is critical and why we're calling on the U.K. Government to act in the national interest and deliver for our industry."
The government will attempt to defuse the controversy with the announcement later Monday of a "fishing and coastal growth fund" that will invest $482 million in Britain's coastal communities.
Harriet Cross, Conservative MP for the fishing region of Gordon and Buchan, said the government was using fishermen "as a pawn" in the deal and vowed to raise urgent questions with Starmer in parliament.
Scottish MSPs complained the deal had been struck without consulting the Scottish Government.
Nigel Farage's anti-immigration Reform U.K. party, formerly the Brexit Party and before that U.K. Independence Party, said in a post on X that the deal amounted to capitulation, claiming it would open the door to millions of EU migrants.
"Starmer has surrendered to Brussels. Labour can't be trusted with their weak leadership."
