Keir Starmer vows to fix Boris Johnson’s ‘botched’ Brexit deal

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

Keir Starmer claims he can get a better Brexit deal with the European Union than the “botched” agreement made by Boris Johnson following Labour’s landslide election win.

The new prime minister said work had already begun to build closer ties with the EU as he continued his tour of the UK’s devolved nations on Monday.

Although Labour had campaigned during the election to “respect Brexit”, chancellor Rachel Reeves had indicated there was scope to improve trade links with EU states.

And as Mr Starmer visited Belfast in Northern Ireland, he reaffirmed a pledge made in Scotland on Sunday that he thought he could get a better trade deal than the revisited withdrawal agreement negotiated in 2019.

“We want to improve relations with the EU,” he told reporters.

“We think we can get a better deal than the botched deal that Boris Johnson brought home and we will work on that, understanding the work that needs to be done and the nature of the challenge.

“In the meantime we do have to get on with implementing the important changes that are necessary under the existing arrangements we have got because we are not going to be able to get a better relationship unless we demonstrate a commitment to the relationship and the agreements that have already been put in place.”

His comments came after foreign secretary David Lammy travelled to Europe for talks with key players, with a promise that the UK would be a “good neighbour” after the years of Brexit acrimony.

Mr Lammy used his first trip abroad as the UK’s top diplomat to make clear to his counterparts in Germany, Poland and Sweden about the chance to “seize the opportunity for a reset” and work “even more closely together to tackle shared challenges”.

Elsewhere, business secretary Jonathan Reynolds said the return of freedom of movement with the EU was not on the table as part of efforts to improve post-Brexit trade.

Writing in The Local Europe, Mr Lammy said: “As the new British foreign secretary, with our prime minister Keir Starmer, this government will reset relations with Europe as a reliable partner, a dependable ally and a good neighbour.”

Mr Lammy went on: “If we are to fulfil our ambitions for a reset, we must also improve Britain’s relationship with the European Union.”

He said the government’s proposal for an “ambitious and broad-ranging” UK-EU security pact would seek to “underpin closer cooperation between us”.

He added: “Today, we all share a commitment to democracy, human rights and international law. Tragic experiences in our continent’s shared past have helped us to understand how our shared security and prosperity depend on these shared values.

“And I believe these values also offer a foundation for closer partnership in the future. My visit this weekend is just the beginning. I look forward to seeing Britain reconnect with our European neighbours in the years ahead.”

Mr Lammy spoke to EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and the pair agreed to meet “at the earliest convenience”.

The foreign secretary could attend the September meeting of the EU foreign affairs council despite the UK no longer being a member of the bloc.

Mr Borrell said the pair had a “good call” and discussed EU-UK cooperation in foreign and security policy, the latest developments in the Middle East and support for Ukraine.

Appearing on the Sunday morning broadcast round, business secretary Mr Reynolds said “removing some of those barriers to trade makes sense” when discussing future working with the EU.

He told Sky News’s Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips: “We’ve talked about recognising each others’ professional qualifications, again completely sensible, pragmatic.

“If you are in the creative industries you’ve really suffered in your ability to move around the European Union in terms of the restrictions on that. These are practical things.”

Pressed on free movement of people, Mr Reynolds said: “We’re not open to the free movement of people, that is something that is part of membership of the European Union and, as I said, we’re not revisiting that.”

Irish premier Simon Harris said there was a “willingness” in the EU to talk to the new UK government.

The Taoiseach told Sky News: “I do absolutely think there would be a fair hearing for any proposal that the British government or indeed that the EU has about ironing out practical issues in terms of having a relationship that works.

“Brexit has happened, the people of Britain have made that decision. But absolutely is there space to have a veterinary agreement, is there space in terms of student mobility, is there space to work closer together on issues? I think there absolutely is.”