PM bids to ‘change’ UK-Europe ties as he hosts 45 leaders at EPC summit

Europe cannot be “spectators in this chapter of history” and must do more to tackle people-smuggling and support Ukraine, Sir Keir Starmer said ahead of hosting 45 leaders from neighbouring countries at a major summit.

The Prime Minister said his efforts to change the way Britain engages with its allies across the continent will begin at the European Political Community meeting at Blenheim Palace next week.

More than 45 leaders will attend the summit at Sir Winston Churchill’s former residence on Thursday – with migration, energy and “defending and securing democracy” high on the agenda, according to Number 10.

In a statement as he prepares to host the summit, Sir Keir said Europe must “do more and go further” to address “vile” people-trafficking and Russia’s “barbaric” war.

He said: “Europe is at the forefront of some of the greatest challenges of our time.

“Russia’s barbaric war continues to reverberate across our continent, while vile smuggling gangs traffic innocent people on perilous journeys that too often end in tragedy.

“We cannot be spectators in this chapter of history. We must do more and go further, not just for the courageous Ukrainians on the front lines, or those being trafficked from country to country, but so our future generations look back with pride at what our continent achieved together.

“I said I would change the way the UK engages with our European partners, working collaboratively to drive forward progress on these generational challenges, and that work starts at the European Political Community meeting on Thursday.”

Along with this week’s Nato summit, and the EPC gathering on July 18 provides an early opportunity for face-to-face talks on the future of the UK’s relationship with its allies across the Channel.

Sir Keir said the flurry of pre-arranged diplomatic engagements meant that meetings which would normally take months to arrange could happen within the first fortnight of his premiership.

The Prime Minister wants an ambitious new UK-EU security pact to strengthen co-operation and seeks closer work on defence with key allies such as France and Germany.

In a sign of the importance placed on such efforts by the Labour administration, Sir Keir has given Nick Thomas-Symonds the newly created job of minister for European relations.

He is expected to meet French President Emmanual Macron, who pioneered the EPC event, for a bilateral dinner after the summit, and Irish Taoiseach Simon Harris beforehand for their first official inward visit.

Rishi Sunak had announced recently that the EPC gathering would bring together “around 50 leaders from across the region to discuss shared challenges such as Ukraine and illegal migration”.

Downing Street said on Friday that “sustainability” would be at the heart of the summit under the new administration, with 80% of the fruits and vegetables being served to delegates coming from Blenheim’s gardens.

Attendees of the summit will enjoy Oxfordshire strawberries and cream, alongside more than 800 scones being served during afternoon tea, No 10 said.

For the first time at a meeting of the EPC, Nato, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the Council of Europe will be in attendance, which No 10 said demonstrated “the importance of unity” in responding to conflict and instability inside and near Europe’s borders.

There will be an opening plenary session, followed by three roundtable discussions on migration, energy and connectivity, and “defending and securing democracy”, before a closing plenary.