U.K.’s Starmer visits Brussels to flesh out EU ‘reset’ pledge

Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks at a press conference, during his visit to the European Commission headquarters in Brussels on October 2, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AFP

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer vowed on Wednesday (October 2, 2024) to put ties with the European Union on a “positive footing”, as he kicked off his visit to Brussels aimed at rebooting relations after the rancour of Brexit.

Mr. Starmer has promised a “reset” with the European Union, but since taking power in July has given few details about how to improve on the painstakingly negotiated deals governing ties since the U.K. quit the bloc.

“I firmly believe that the British public wants to return to pragmatic, sensible leadership when it comes to dealing with our closest neighbours, to make Brexit work,” Mr. Starmer said as he headed into talks with European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen. “We are determined to put this relationship back on a stable, positive footing that I think we all want to see.”

Ms. Von der Leyen, who also met Mr. Starmer during last month’s UN General Assembly, told him that “in these very uncertain times, like-minded partners like us must cooperate more closely”.

Mr. Starmer’s visit — the first by a British Prime Minister to since 2020 — is meant to send a clear signal that the page has turned after his Labour party ousted the Conservatives from power. But the British leader, who voted in the 2016 referendum to remain in the EU, has insisted that his reset will not mean reversing Brexit, which remains a politically toxic subject in the U.K.