The UK-EU summit taking place on Monday will be a big test for Keir Starmer, the British prime minister, and the outcome could have significant implications for the island of Ireland.
When Labour won the UK general election last July, Starmer pledged a reset in UK-EU relations. However, the British prime minister quickly reined in expectations when he ruled out rejoining the EU’s single market and customs union.
Even though the mood music between London and Brussels has improved considerably, there is still a great degree of uncertainty about how far the UK is willing to go and how much compromise the EU is willing to make.
The first annual summit is intended to provide a roadmap for how this relationship is likely to unfold. The fact that it is taking place is itself a positive step. The increasingly fractious relationship between Brussels and the past few Conservative administrations was not helped by the absence of a formal structure for meetings, with both sides more often than not sniping at each other through the media.
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An attempt will be made to create a framework for the overall relationship, scoping out cooperation in defence and security, and forging closer economic ties. However, Starmer faces a difficult domestic backdrop. Reform is surging in the polls. Nigel Farage, the party’s leader, has dubbed the meeting the “surrender summit”.
Reform’s soaring popularity should not be allowed to limit the UK government’s negotiating agenda at this summit. Farage and many on the right cite the UK’s recent trade deal with the US as evidence that Britain’s future lies with developing the transatlantic relationship. This is incorrect. The EU remains by far the UK’s biggest trading partner and its best hope for boosting growth is forging much closer ties with Brussels.
Moreover, the UK and the EU face a growing threat from Russia. The Trump administration is at best ambivalent about Nato. A joint approach on defence is in the interest of both London and Brussels.
The are unresolved issues heading into today’s summit, including fishing rights, youth mobility and a veterinary deal. Of the three, the veterinary deal is the most important for Ireland as it would remove some checks on food and drink, ensuring a smoother functioning of the Windsor Framework in Northern Ireland.
The stakes are high. Richard Tice, the deputy leader of Reform, has said his party will rip up all EU agreements if it forms the next government. Starmer must not be swayed by such short-sighted political posturing. Brexit has not delivered the benefits promised before the referendum. The summit should be an important first step in developing a durable and mutually beneficial post-Brexit relationship.
