28 June 2025, 12:10 | Updated: 30 June 2025, 15:42

By Naomi Smith, CEO of Best for Britain

Thursday was a revealing day in British politics.

The government launched its new trade strategy. EU leaders gathered in Brussels. And YouGov published its first MRP poll since the election, showing Reform UK as the largest party. Three developments, each seemingly distinct, but all interconnected and all pointing to a stark political reality for the Prime Minister: if the reset with the EU doesn’t start delivering visible benefits for the UK soon, it is he who will pay the electoral price and the reset will go down as a very fleeting moment in history.

The EU-UK summit last month was a positive start - ambitious and warm in tone, with encouraging signals about a more constructive future. But as with the government’s recently finalised tariff deal with the US, some of the political messaging may have prematurely given the impression that the job is done. It isn’t. In fact, the hard work is only just beginning.

Thursday’s new trade strategy shows the government understands what’s required to move the economic dial. It is crystal clear that reducing friction with the EU is the biggest lever to unlock growth. This matters politically too. After a hat-trick of policy U-turns in recent weeks, Starmer’s trade progress around the world is one of the few areas offering sustained credibility. Perhaps that’s why he’s so often abroad or why ministers reach for trade and diplomacy as lifeboats during difficult interviews. But credibility on........

© LBC