Starmer hosts summit to ‘fire the starting gun’ on new relationship with Europe

By David Hughes, PA Political Editor, Sophie Wingate, PA Deputy Political Editor, and Chronicle staff

Sir Keir Starmer will use a major European summit to push for action to secure the continent’s borders as he steps up efforts to tackle the UK’s asylum backlog.

More than 100 Home Office staff will be redeployed from working on the now-scrapped Rwanda scheme to focus on a “rapid returns unit” to send people with no right to be in the UK back to their home country.

The Prime Minister, who is today hosting the European Political Community (EPC) summit, called for continent-wide action to tackle the international “people-smuggling webs”.

He will join a session on migration co-chaired by Italy’s right-wing leader Giorgia Meloni at the summit in Oxfordshire.

Leaders from the 47-member EPC will gather as Sir Keir attempts to reset the UK’s relationship with its European neighbours after the turmoil of Brexit.

The Labour Government is seeking a security pact with the EU and Sir Keir is also determined to cement European nations’ support for Ukraine in its war with Vladimir Putin’s Russia.

The Prime Minister said: “We cannot let the challenges of the recent past define our relationships of the future.

“That is why European security will be at the forefront of this Government’s foreign and defence priorities, and why I am focused on seizing this moment to renew our relationship with Europe.

“The EPC will fire the starting gun on this Government’s new approach to Europe, one that will not just benefit us now, but for generations to come, from dismantling the people-smuggling webs trafficking people across Europe, to standing up to Putin’s barbaric actions in Ukraine and destabilising activity across Europe. ”

He added: “We will only be able to secure our borders, drive economic growth and defend our democracies if we work together.”

Under the Government’s plans to respond to the small boats crisis, asylum decisions will be accelerated and, under a new fast-tracked system in the returns and enforcement unit, officials will prioritise those with no right to be in the UK and who have the greatest chance of being returned.

A new Border Security Command will use counter-terror powers to fight organised immigration crime, working “across Europe and beyond”, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said.

“Dangerous small boat crossings are undermining our border security and putting lives at risk,” she said.

“Criminal smuggling gangs are making millions out of small boat crossings and the Tories left us with gimmick rather than grip.

“We will work right across Europe to tackle this problem at source, going after those profiting from this awful trade and bringing them to justice.”

More than 380,000 people are believed to have entered the EU through irregular routes in 2023 – an increase of 17% on the previous year.

Around 41% of those arrivals are believed to have come in small boats across the Central Mediterranean, 26% on land through the Balkans, and 16% coming across the Eastern Mediterranean.

The gathering at Blenheim Palace, birthplace of Winston Churchill, is a more informal affair than many international summits.

The leaders will attend a reception hosted by the King in the palace’s Long Library, which has walls lined by more than 10,000 books,

Sir Keir will have a series of face-to-face talks with key figures including Polish counterpart Donald Tusk – who was president of the European Council at the height of the Brexit drama – as he attempts to strengthen ties with the continent.

He and other ministers may also meet with their Spanish counterparts as London and Madrid, together with the European Commission and Gibraltar, seek to give a final push to talks for. Treaty on the Rock’s post-Brexit relations with the EU.

The EPC was the brainchild of France’s Emmanuel Macron and involves 20 non-EU nations including the UK as well as the 27-strong EU bloc.

Nick Thomas-Symonds, the minister for European relations at the heart of the Government’s reset plan, will also be at the gathering.

KING’S SPEECH

The meeting comes as new laws set out in the King’s Speech on Wednesday will make it easier for the UK to potentially align with some EU rules, as the monarch confirmed the Labour Government’s bid to “reset the relationship” with European allies.

Sir Keir Starmer has signalled his intent to repair the damage to relations with Europe caused by the Brexit wrangles, forge a new UK-EU security pact and strike a better trade deal than the “botched” agreement signed by Boris Johnson.

As the King set out the Government’s legislative agenda on Wednesday, he said: “My Government will seek to reset the relationship with European partners and work to improve the United Kingdom’s trade and investment relationship with the European Union.”

“My ministers will seek a new security pact to strengthen co-operation on the mutual threats faced by the United Kingdom and the European Union.”

The package of legislation includes the Product Safety and Metrology Bill, which will make it easier for the UK to recognise new EU product regulations to prevent businesses from being laden with extra costs.

This approach marks a major shift from the previous Tory government, which placed a strong emphasis on diverging from the bloc’s rules.

The new Bill will “provide regulatory stability” by “ensuring that the law can be updated to recognise new or updated EU product regulations, including the CE marking, where appropriate, to prevent additional costs for businesses”.

But it also ensures the UK “can end recognition of EU product regulations, where it is in the best interests of UK businesses and consumers”.

Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government last year already committed to retaining the EU’s product safety CE mark, rather than make its own post-Brexit alternative compulsory, following calls by businesses.

The efforts of the Labour administration to prevent firms from facing additional red tape through divergence from EU rules could anger Brexiteers.

But its commitment to improving Britain’s trading and security relationship with the EU was welcomed by the internationalist Best for Britain campaign group.

Chief executive Naomi Smith said: “The increasing threat from Russia to our east, coupled with the growing likelihood of a protectionist and Nato-sceptic US administration to our west, means Britain risks becoming economically and diplomatically adrift.”

“After years lost to needless and self-destructive europhobia, it is encouraging that the new Government has underlined its intent to deepen ties with our closest neighbours and allies.”

However, the SNP bemoaned the lack of a plan to rejoin the EU single market or reintroduce freedom of movement.

SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn said: “With no plan to reverse the damage of Brexit or properly invest in green energy, Starmer is restricting the potential for strong growth in the economy, wages and living standards.”

Before the election, Labour ruled out a return to the single market, customs union or free movement.