Sanchez to meet Starmer in Downing Street on September 3

Spain’s Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, will meet his UK counterpart Sir Keir Starmer in No.10 Downing Street on September 3 during an official visit to the UK .

The meeting, Mr Sanchez’ first to No.10, will come as work continues to finalise the legal text of a UK/EU treaty on Gibraltar following the announcement of a political agreement last June 11.

Mr Sanchez has met Sir Keir before but never bilaterally in Downing Street.

The meeting will likely focus on major foreign policy issues including US tariffs and the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.

It comes after the UK announced a reset of its post-Brexit relationship with the EU following a summit with the bloc’s leaders in London last May.

While Gibraltar is not expected to figure prominently on the agenda, the June 11 announcement and ongoing work to finalise the legal text of the treaty means it will likely be raised during the discussion, if only to acknowledge the progress to date and a shared commitment to complete the process.

“The Chief Minister has been aware of this meeting before a date for it was fixed,” a spokesperson for No.6 Convent Place said.

“Mr Picardo expects he will, as usual in such instances, be involved in feeding into the briefings and preparations for the Prime Minister before the meeting.”

“Gibraltar is not the subject of the meeting.”

The last Spanish Prime Minister to hold a bilateral meeting with a UK Prime Minister in Downing Street was the Partido Popular’s Mariano Rajoy, who met with Theresa May in December 2017.

The process of finalising the treaty text is expected to be completed in the autumn, with Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares having previously stated he expected it to be ready by October.

UK/EU RESET

The importance of the UK’s relationship with the EU was highlighted in the latest annual report of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, published last week.

The FCDO said there had been “a significant strengthening of bilateral relationships” over the past year, relationships that had proved "resilient, even when tested by crises”.

“Strides have been made in shaping a new geopolitical relationship with the European Union by 2030,” it added.

“This includes establishing new structured cooperation on foreign and security policy, which supports the delivery of cross-government priorities.”

“We have rebuilt our strategic alliance with the EU to deliver on the Plan for Change and advance our common interests.”

“Ministers across government have stepped up engagement and dialogue with EU institutions and deepened ties in areas of mutual benefit such as Horizon (the EU research programme).”

The report also underlined the UK’s sovereignty commitment to Gibraltar.

“We remain resolutely committed to the sovereignty and self-determination of Gibraltar,” it said.

“All sides agree on the importance of concluding a Treaty.”

“Ministers and officials are working diligently with the Government of Gibraltar, as well as counterparts in the EU and Spain.”

“We will only conclude an agreement that protects sovereignty and UK military autonomy, provides certainty for the people of Gibraltar, and secures future prosperity.”