London (Parliament Politics Magazine) – PM Keir Starmer has pledged European leaders he will reset Britain’s relations with their countries as the prime minister employs his first international summit on domestic soil to mark a line under years of fractious relations with continental Europe.
The PM used his commencement speech at the European Political Community summit at Blenheim Palace on Thursday to comfort the leaders of more than 40 other nations that he desired to renew “trust and friendship” with them. British ministers are expecting to use the summit as a chance to investigate future talks on migration and trade, with Starmer expecting new deals with the EU on returning asylum seekers and trading defence and agricultural products.
How Will Starmer Renew Trust with European Leaders?
Starmer described at the summit: “We want to work with all of you to reset relationships, rediscover our common interest and renew the bonds of trust and friendship that brighten the fabric of European life.” He said: “We will strengthen our current relationships and we will build new ones.
What Deals Does Starmer Seek at the European Summit?
“This includes resetting our relationship with the EU because I acknowledge that the UK and the EU, working together as sovereign members, are a powerful force for good across our continent.” He contrasted his policy with that of his predecessor, Rishi Sunak, who worried some European allies with his goals to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda and intimidate them to leave the European Convention on human rights if the project was blocked in Strasbourg.
Starmer stated: “We are resetting our strategy. This government will not dedicate taxpayer money to gimmicks. We will approach this subject with humanity and with a profound respect for international law, and that’s why we dumped the unworkable Rwanda scheme on day one.”
David Lammy, the foreign secretary, stated on Thursday morning the UK was “nowhere near” negotiating contracts with the EU. Lammy revealed BBC Breakfast: “Of course, we’re entering into conversations but we’re nowhere near a negotiation on the trade arrangement– that paper-thin trade arrangement that Boris Johnson struck – the veterinary deal that we’ve stated that we want to get, the mutual qualifications that we want to operate on, and the UK-EU security pact that we’re offering to Europe that will enable us to examine a whole range of issues across the European family.”
How did the European Leaders React?
Josep Borrell, the EU’s chief diplomat, stated: “We welcome the new tone of the British government and we look forward to contending with it. We are ready to support our foreign and security policy cooperation.” Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, stated: “On the field of migration, we can see how we can heighten the ties, how we can cooperate more together.”
Simon Harris, the Irish taoiseach, stated the Labour government was a “game-changer” for the EU. “You have a British government that desires to actively talk about a closer connection with Europe, the importance of multi-relevant-lateralism, remaining within the ECHR, operating closely with Ireland, talking about language around co-guarantor of our peace strategy. It’s a very different landscape.”
While British and European leaders have talked warmly about the possibility of a renegotiation, formal discussions remain some way off.