Security was the prime focus of the Prime Minister’s visit to Brussels this week, where he conducted his first formal meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, hoping to “reset” relations with the EU.
The new security pact will revolve around improved exchanges between the police and the security services, as well as deepening ties in defence. It complements the Home Secretary’s meeting this week with G7 interior ministers which focused on increased cooperation on illegal immigration and people-smuggling. At the Labour Party Conference last week, Yvette Cooper revealed that Britain will host its own international summit on organised crime next Spring, as the Government works to “smash the gangs”.
But there were other old, inescapable arguments still simmering; from fishing rights to the energy trading scheme, to a youth mobility deal. The Prime Minister is said to have held firm against the latter but sees it as a potential bargaining opportunity, to be used to his full advantage at a later date. Behind the scenes, diplomats and analysts are grappling with the conflict between Keir Starmer’s stated desire to rethink our relationship with the EU, and cold hard legal reality, when rejoining the single market and customs union are off the table.
For now, the talks have been largely symbolic in nature; we should expect the real negotiating to commence in the coming months. Chancellor Rachel Reeves will certainly be wanting to leverage the EU’s economic power in her push for growth. She’s said to be aiming to attend a meeting of EU finance ministers covering the Eurozone on December 9th in Brussels, the perfect opportunity to kickstart a new European economic partnership. This would aim to use the new year for a significant renegotiation of the 2020 Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
Whether it be securing the UK’s borders, better protection from criminal gangs, or enhanced economic prosperity through better trade agreements, the new government is using international politics as an extension of its domestic political focus on security.
Keir Starmer knows there’s only so much his government can achieve in isolation. Speaking to the UN last week he emphasised the point.
“Britain is stronger when we work with others… We are returning the UK to responsible global leadership”
It’s obviously too soon in the process to see whether the Government will succeed, but Starmer’s message is clear; Britain wants ‘sensible pragmatism’ to guide Britain’s relationship with our closest neighbours.
