Sir Keir Starmer has said that he is “ambitious” about what the UK can achieve with the European Union (EU), less than a fortnight before he is due to host chiefs for a summit.
The Prime Minister told the Guardian that he wants a “closer relationship on security, on defence, on trade and on the economy”, and indicated he thought people would understand his push for a European reset.
It comes less than a fortnight before the Prime Minister will host EU chiefs at a major summit as he works on relations with Brussels.
The May 19 meeting is likely to be the first in a series of annual summits between the UK and the EU, and progress on a security and defence agreement, as well as trade, are thought to be the priorities.
Speaking to the Guardian about Europe, Sir Keir said: “I’m ambitious about what we can achieve there.
“The mindset is important and this is, I think, a shared approach. Let’s look forward, not back. Let’s recognise we’re living in a different world. We’re in a new era on security and defence. Equally, we’re in a new era on trade and the economy now.”
Asked whether he thought people would understand his EU reset, he said: “I think so.
“Because I think people are focused on how we get the economy moving. How do I feel better-off? How do we get more money into our public services and how do we protect my job?”
Sir Keir was speaking to the newspaper from Oslo, having travelled to Norway for a meeting of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) leaders, and comes in the same week the UK struck trade agreements with both India and the United States.
Earlier this week the minister responsible for talks with the EU said the UK would consider “sensible” proposals from the bloc on a youth mobility scheme.
The Government has previously insisted there are “no plans” for such a scheme but minister for EU relations Nick Thomas-Symonds told the Financial Times that provided the UK Government’s red lines were respected, “a smart, controlled youth mobility scheme would, of course, have benefits for our young people”.
Ministers have indicated privately they would cap numbers in any scheme and make it time limited, and Mr Thomas-Symonds confirmed: “We will consider sensible EU proposals in this space.”
Sir Keir’s “red lines” for talks include not returning to freedom of movement, but it is thought that the Government considers a limited youth scheme would not break that promise.
The PM told the Guardian: “We’re pragmatists and that’s the approach that we bring to these negotiations. We’ve got red lines, but we’re pragmatists.”
