The clause has been designed to protect post-Brexit deals from reversal under a Reform UK Government, according to reports.
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK has beaten Labour and the Conservatives in recent polling (Image: Getty)
Officials in Brussels are plotting to protect a post-Brexit UK-EU reset deal from a future Nigel Farage premiership, according to reports. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has agreed to form closer ties with the bloc through a sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) deal, aimed at cutting red tape on British food and drink exports. His commitment to aligning with the EU on food and agriculture has drawn criticism from both Reform UK and the Conservatives, with Mr Farage pledging to reverse the agreement, which he says “gives away our parliamentary sovereignty and our rights as voters”.
With Reform ahead of both traditional parties in the polls, EU diplomats are keenly aware of the threat its leader poses to the deal, and have demanded a financial termination clause be included to discourage a future government from overturning the plans. The stipulation has been dubbed a “Farage clause”, according to a draft seen by the Financial Times, in a nod to Reform’s 31% polling lead as of January 2026, with the Tories at 23% and Labour trailing into third place with 19%.
EU officials are reportedly worried a post-Brexit reset deal could fall apart under Reform UK (Image: Getty)
The clause would force either party to pay significant compensation for withdrawing from the deal, including the costs of setting up “the infrastructure, equipment, initial recruitment and training, in order to set up the necessary border controls”.
One Brussels diplomat told the FT that the detail would act as a “safety provision to provide stability and a deterrent for Farage and Co” and ensure the post-Brexit deal endures beyond the end of this Parliament.
“The EU wants an agreement long-term and not only until 2029, should a change happen at the next election,” they said.
Mr Starmer’s SPS deal has attracted backlash for requiring the UK to “dynamically align [with] and simultaneously apply” rules on animal and plant products introduced by EU lawmakers in an apparent outsourcing of national authority.
Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice lashed out at the plans earlier this week, accusing the Prime Minister of trying to reverse Brexit.
“This EU reset bill is a blatant effort by Starmer’s Remainers to overturn the democratic will of 17.4 million people,” he said.
“They want Britain back under the thumb of the EU rules, taxes and costs. Reform UK will highlight this government’s betrayal and make Brexit a success when we’re in power.”
A Labour spokesperson said: “We have decided we will align with some of the EU’s rules, in the name of easing trade for British businesses and lowering bills for British households. The very nature of all international agreements is that they involve shared rules on certain areas.
“Free traders and conservatives have always wrestled with this concept, and the boldest have succeeded when they do not let ideology get in the way.”
A party source also told the FT: “Nigel Farage is going into the next election saying he wants to bring back red tape, mountains of paperwork, and a greater bureaucratic burden.”
The European Commission said it “remains fully committed to the implementation of the actions agreed with the United Kingdom at the Summit in May 2025”.
