Sir Keir Starmer Meets German Chancellor Olaf Scholz: UK To Restore “Broken Relationships” With European Neighbours

Sir Keir Starmer is scheduled to hold a press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin as the Prime Minister outlines his goal to advance beyond Brexit.

Sir Keir engaged in discussions with Mr. Scholz this morning to explore plans for a new treaty with Germany aimed at enhancing business opportunities and strengthening joint efforts on illegal migration.

The Prime Minister was anticipated to convey to his counterpart his commitment to ensuring that the UK moves forward from Brexit and rebuilds relations with European partners.

Sir Keir was expected to state that there is a rare opportunity to reset the relationship with Europe and pursue meaningful, ambitious partnerships that benefit the British people. He emphasized the need to overcome Brexit and address the damaged relationships left by the previous government.

Bringing UK closer to Europe

Labour has assured that there will be no reversion to the EU single market, customs union, or freedom of movement but has committed to improving the UK’s post-Brexit trade deal. The Tories have accused Labour of attempting to undermine Brexit.

After his visit to Germany, Sir Keir will travel to Paris to attend the Paralympics opening ceremony and hold discussions with French President Emmanuel Macron.

A senior member of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s party stated that Sir Keir Starmer and Scholz are “more or less on the same page” regarding the enhancement of the UK’s relationship with Europe.

Nils Schmid, the foreign affairs spokesman for the SPD’s parliamentary group, mentioned to the BBC that Germany desires a deal on youth mobility, despite the UK’s concerns about any agreement that could lead to free movement.

When asked about what Scholz hopes to achieve from the meeting with Starmer, Schmid explained that they are largely aligned in their views. He noted that the German government is consistently pushing to bring the UK closer to Europe and to foster cooperation between Great Britain and the European Union across various sectors, including trade, student mobility rights, and defense.

Migration and asylum seekers to be discussed

The discussions with Scholz are expected to concentrate on migration and asylum seekers, including talks on intelligence related to unofficial border crossings.

A significant portion of the focus will be on defense and security, with the UK and Germany set to begin negotiations on a bilateral treaty modeled after a 2010 agreement with France signed by David Cameron, which outlined a 50-year plan for defense cooperation.

No. 10 announced that a British team was scheduled to work on the treaty for six months, with both countries aiming to sign it in early 2025.

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Regarding efforts to strengthen mutual plans to counter a more aggressive and expansionist Russia, defense cooperation remains one of the EU’s key priorities before Starmer’s government seeks to negotiate any revised post-Brexit agreement with Brussels.

Germany and France are the bloc’s main players in defense, with Macron particularly eager to focus defense procurement within Europe.

Strengthening UK-Germany relations

Additionally, there is an interest in not only laying the groundwork for an EU-UK agreement but also strengthening bilateral relations between Germany and Great Britain through a potential bilateral friendship or cooperation treaty, similar to the Lancaster House accord between France and the UK.

Prior to his meeting with Olaf Scholz this morning, Sir Keir Starmer visited German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at Bellevue Palace in Berlin.

Starmer signed the palace guestbook, which had been adorned with red, white, and blue flowers, before engaging in a private bilateral meeting with Steinmeier as part of a day of discussions in the German capital. Starmer is the first UK Prime Minister to visit Bellevue Palace, the official residence of the German president, since David Cameron in 2015.

He was invited by Steinmeier following their encounter at the Euros earlier this year.

Starmer to meet Emmanuel Macron

Starmer, who is set to travel to Paris on Wednesday to meet with Emmanuel Macron and attend the opening of the Paris Paralympics, will also engage with German business leaders and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier during a brief stopover of less than 18 hours.

His effort to renegotiate Britain’s European relationships is part of a larger strategy involving making controversial decisions early in his tenure as prime minister, with the intention of benefiting from these decisions closer to the next election.

Ailing fiscals

Earlier on Tuesday, he hinted at forthcoming tax increases in October’s budget, indicating it would be a “painful” fiscal statement. The government is also facing criticism for its decision to cut winter fuel payments to 10 million pensioners and for appointing numerous high-ranking civil service positions to Labour supporters and donors.

On Tuesday, Starmer stated that these actions were part of a strategy to reform the British state after what he described as “14 years of rot.”

Once-in-a-generation opportunity

In remarks released by No. 10 before Starmer’s departure for Berlin on Tuesday, the prime minister mentioned that his government had “a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reset our relationship with Europe and strive for genuine, ambitious partnerships that benefit the British people.”

He noted that it was essential to “turn a corner on Brexit and address the broken relationships left behind by the previous government.” He emphasized that this effort began at the European Political Community meeting last month and expressed his determination to continue it, which is why he was visiting Germany and France that week.

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