UK seeks smoother trade with EU but customs union is ‘red line’, Cooper says

When pressed on what different customs arrangements could mean, Cooper said ministers wanted to ‘get rid of some of the bureaucracy’ across borders. Photograph: Lucy North/PA

Keir Starmer will seek to improve customs arrangements with Europe without returning to a full union with the bloc, the home secretary has said.

As the prime minister heads to Brussels as part of his attempted reset with the EU, Yvette Cooper said it was still a red line that the UK would not be part of a customs union or single market.