Sir Keir Starmer is poised to slam Brexit into reverse as he plans to realign with EU rules on the automotive industry.

Shared exclusively with the People's Channel, the new Stand for Our Sovereignty organisation, backed by think-tank Brexit Facts4EU, has obtained proof that Britain's motor industry is to fall under EU rules.

In May 2024, before Starmer took over, the UK's position on vehicle regulation was crystal clear - the UK governed its own motor industry.

The Department of Transport (DfT) produced a policy paper that issued promises from the Prime Minister a year earlier.

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The paper underlined the Government's intention to "seize the opportunities of Brexit to ensure our regulatory system is agile and pro-innovation".

Part of the document reads: "Now that the UK has left the EU, we can rethink vehicle regulation.

"We have the freedom to create a system that meets the needs of manufacturers and consumers in the UK.

"In line with the commitment made in the Government's manifesto in 2019, we will reform vehicle standards, ensuring they are sensible and proportionate and take into consideration the needs of small businesses when devising new rules."

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Automotive-related manufacturing contributes £93billion in turnover

A year after this document, the Prime Minister is poised to reverse the material.

In an official response from the Department for Transport to the House of Commons Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee, it reads: "The department recently wrote to manufacturers to reassure them that GB regulations will be maintained to be aligned with those in the EU to ensure vehicles can continue to be sold UK-wide."

The official statement does not note that the previous regulations were devised in the UK for the UK.

Its response goes on to say: "The Department has made a commitment to an explicit presumption of alignment because this is in the interest of the UK in terms of breaking down barriers to trade with our largest trading partner, in a predominantly export-focused industry, and protecting the UK internal market.

"This provides manufacturers with certainty about the future development of the UK regulations and the department's intention to maintain alignment with the requirements in the EU while recognising that correct procedures for amending legislation must be followed, including consulting on all proposals for change."

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Suella Braverman labelled the move as a 'phenomenal betrayal'

Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman called the move a "phenomenal betrayal" of Brexit.

She told GB News: "The Prime Minister has pulled the handbrake up on our Brexit freedoms and handed our car industry back to Brussels.

"The UK is once again a rule-taker, not a rule-maker. Is this really what working people voted for?"

The issues came to light following concerns raised by the leader of the TUV Party in Northern Ireland, Jim Allister, who was worried about the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee - a type of executive measure passed by the Government without the need for debate or a vote.

Deputy Leader of Reform UK Richard Tice also told GB News: "Starmer is deliberately handcuffing our car industry to follow EU rules with no say. It will add thousands of pounds to car prices as well as be a thin end of the EU wedge, a total betrayal of Brexit and the vast opportunities it brings.

"Reform will reverse this foolish madness."

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Tice said 'Starmer is deliberately handcuffing our car industry'

According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT): "Over 779,584 cars, 125,649 commercial vehicles and 1.58million engines were built in the UK in 2024. Eight out of 10 cars produced in the UK are exported overseas to more than 140 markets worldwide."

The SMMT's report for 2024 said: "Automotive-related manufacturing contributes £93billion turnover and £22billion value added to the UK economy, and typically invest around £4billion each year in R&D.

"With more than 198,000 people employed in manufacturing and some 813,000 in total across the wider automotive industry, we account for 12 per cent of total UK export goods, generating £47billion of trade."

Referencing Northern Ireland, which is already under EU law, car industry representatives told the Assembly's Committee that abiding by just three new sets of regulations would add £4,000 to the cost of a new vehicle.

Leigh Evans, Executive Chairman of Stand for Our Sovereignty, told GB News: "Starmer has taken the UK's car industry, slammed it into reverse, and put his foot hard down on the accelerator.

"This amounts to EU membership in all but name - with EU-level prices, a Brexit reversal done without a referendum or democratic mandate. This is only going to get worse."