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The use of e-gates by British holidaymakers in the European Union is still not guaranteed, a minister has indicated.

Following six months of talks, Sir Keir Starmer unveiled his post-Brexit trade deal on Monday at the first summit of European Union and UK leaders in London.

The wide-ranging deal will allow more British travellers to use passport e-gates when going on holiday to Europe, while farmers will get swifter, easier access to trade on the continent as a result of an agreement on animal and plant product standards.

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Sarah Jones
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Sarah Jones

But Sarah Jones, the minister for industry, told Sky News negotiations on e-gate usage will have to continue with individual countries – despite the deal.

She said: “Of course it will take time with each country, but we will go as fast as we can. And of course, I will come back to you as soon as I can on the timings.”

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‘Britain is back on the world stage’

This appears to be a departure from the prime minister, who on Monday declared more explicitly that “Brits travelling to Europe will now be able to use e-gates”.

Ms Jones was asked about the wording of Monday’s agreement, and whether it commits only to “swiftly exploring opportunities for enhanced co-operation” with the European Union.

She disagreed, stressing that the UK will have access to an “enormous fund for defence”.

However, she admitted the deal will need to be negotiated further “going forward”.

“But the principle of this is important. It’s giving us access to a market we didn’t have before,” she said.

Pushed again on whether the post-Brexit deal is a plan rather than an agreement, Ms Jones said: “It was a lot more than a plan.”

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The minister also insisted the cost to taxpayers from Sir Keir’s deal with the EU will be outweighed by the economic benefits.

The UK will pay administration costs, which have yet to be decided, for participation in measures such as the scheme to make it easier to ship animal and plant products to the EU.

Ms Jones told Sky News: “Whatever administrative costs we have to pay, and they will be negotiated and I don’t have an answer for you now on what those costs are, they will be outweighed very significantly by what we estimate will be a £9bn advantage a year by 2040.”

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Roman Storm’s lawyers signal continuance if court allows hacker’s testimony

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Roman Storm’s lawyers signal continuance if court allows hacker’s testimony

Roman Storm’s lawyers signal continuance if court allows hacker’s testimony

The Tornado Cash co-founder is scheduled to go to trial on Monday, but his defense attorneys are still waiting on rulings for motions over witnesses in the case.

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Migrants deal a win for Starmer – and could help with fight against Reform

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Migrants deal a win for Starmer - and could help with fight against Reform

The bromance between Sir Keir Starmer and President Macron is so apparent – embraces all around.

This is some deft diplomacy from Sir Keir, who has been love-bombing his French counterpart ever since he became prime minister – trying to get closer ties, be it on security, on trade, and now of course on small boats.

And he has got a win today – he’s got President Macron to agree a deterrent deal.

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You remember the Conservatives were trying the Rwanda plan to deter people from coming by sending them back to Rwanda, a third country, if they came here illegally.

What the prime minister has agreed with President Macron today is a big deal. It’s a one in, one out deal.

What they’re going to do is, if someone arrives here illegally, they will be sent back to France, and in return, the UK will accept a legitimate asylum seeker. It might be someone who has family ties.

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How people smugglers dodge French police

It’s going to start off really small – think of it as a pilot – as they’re going to test it out, see if it works.

It might be just a handful of people being sent back, maybe just under a thousand or so by the end of the year. But they will hopefully, for the prime minister, scale it up and it could become a real deterrent.

Read more from Sky News:
Ex-Tory chairman defects to Reform

Farage hits back at Macron over Brexit row

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Farage reacts to UK-France migrant deal

I’ll leave you with just one more thought: As Prime Minister Starmer and President Macron were doing this deal today, Nigel Farage was in the English Channel documenting illegal migrants making that crossing – 79 people being picked up by Border Force, taken off a dinghy and into Dover.

Polling out this morning by Portland suggests four in 10 voters who are planning on going to Reform would go back to Labour if the prime minister tackles small boats and drives down the crossings.

There is a real political imperative for him to try to start to resolve this problem. It’s going to count at the ballot box – immigration is a top-three issue in this country when it comes to voters.

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US lawmakers to discuss crypto tax policy amid push to pass three bills

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US lawmakers to discuss crypto tax policy amid push to pass three bills

US lawmakers to discuss crypto tax policy amid push to pass three bills

The hearing notice suggested a focus on a tax framework for digital assets, but did not mention specific witnesses or policies previously proposed.

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