Keir Starmer wants to ‘turn a corner on Brexit’ and ‘fix broken relationships’ with EU as he agrees new treaty with Germany
Sir Keir Starmer says he wants to “turn a corner on Brexit” and “fix the broken relationships” as he flies to Berlin to agree terms of a new UK and German treaty.
The Prime Minister will meet German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Wednesday to discuss the deal.
The new deal will be signed within six months and will cover vital areas for increased collaboration, such as market access, critical science, innovation and tech, clean energy, trade across the North Sea, supply chain resilience, energy security and green transition education, biodiversity, and the environment.
No 10 said the new treaty would be a key pillar of the UK’s wider reset with Europe.
He said: “We have a once in a generation opportunity to reset our relationship with Europe and strive for genuine, ambitious partnerships that deliver for the British people.“
“We must turn a corner on Brexit and fix the broken relationships left behind by the previous government.
“That work started at the European Political Community meeting last month, and I am determined to continue it, which is why I am visiting Germany and France this week.”
As well as meeting Mr Scholz and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Sir Keir will also hold talks with the chief executives of both technology firm Siemens and defence company Rheinmetall.
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He will then travel to Paris to attend the Paralympics opening ceremony on Wednesday night, before holding a breakfast meeting with French business leaders and later meeting France’s President Emmanuel Macron.
Sir Keir has vowed to forge a closer economic relationship with Europe, including a “much better” deal on trade than the one negotiated by Boris Johnson in late 2020.
His Labour government wants to strike deals with the EU to reduce border checks on food products, lessen paperwork for touring artists, and boost recognition of work qualifications, making it easier for some professionals to work abroad.
It also wants to broker a security pact with the EU, as well as a new returns agreement for failed asylum seekers.
It remains unclear whether Brussels would entertain major changes to the UK’s existing Brexit trade deal, which is due to be reviewed in 2026.