Brexit: David Davis proposes new treaty between UK and EU to fight crime and terror

The Brexit Secretary's comments came as London was hit by its fourth suspected terrorist incident in a year after a device exploded on a tube at Parsons Green station at the height of Friday’s morning rush hour

David Davis arrives at his office in Downing Street in London on September 7, 2017 (Getty)

Brexit Secretary David Davis has proposed a new treaty between Britain and the European Union to ensure security links are unhindered by Brexit and citizens are protected from crime and terror.

The announcement came as London was hit by its fourth suspected terrorist incident in a year after a device exploded on a tube at Parsons Green station at the height of Friday’s morning rush hour.

Commuters described a “fireball” sweeping through the carriage, injuring 29 people and prompting a stampede by those trying to flee.

Mr Davis claims that the fight against terror will not be affected by Brexit, warning Brussels it is in both sides’ interest to continue the close cooperation to help keep citizens safe.

The Department for Exiting the European Union (DExEU) has drawn up proposals for the new treaty to give legal backing to intelligence, law enforcement and criminal justice partnerships after 2019 – the deadline for the Brexit negotiations.

The department added it will release a paper calling for a “comprehensive model” for cooperation between the UK and the EU, “reflecting that Britain’s operational processes and data sharing systems are uniquely aligned with those of the EU and its member states.”

DExEU added: “In the face of ever-growing and increasingly cross-border threats, Britain wants to carry on and intensify this type of collaboration and agree a new framework for continued working.”

Amber Rudd, the Home Secretary, said that recent events in the UK and in Europe “have shown the criminal and terrorist threats we face are varied and increasingly international”.

Amber Rudd warned of the importance of continued justice cooperation post Brexit (Joe Giddens/PA)

She added: “The long-standing collaboration we have with our European partners allows us to jointly address these threats and keep our citizens safe.”

“As we prepare to leave the EU it is therefore vital that we agree a new way to ensure continued security, law enforcement and criminal justice cooperation.”

In a statement the Brexit Secretary said: “Effective international cooperation is absolutely crucial ... to keep citizens safe and bring criminals to justice”.

“We already have a deep level of collaboration with the EU on security matters and it is in both our interests to find ways to maintain it. We approach negotiations on our future special partnership with the EU as an opportunity to build on our existing achievements.

“A new security treaty with the EU would be underpinned by our shared principles, and should make sure our partnership has the agility to respond to the ever-changing threats we face.”