pictureEarlier this week, Keir Starmer did something very ordinary: the newly elected British Prime Minister visited Germany, one of Britain's largest neighbours and a NATO ally, then headed to France. In a normal world, this wouldn't be anything remarkable in itself, but in the post-Brexit era we live in, nothing is ordinary.
During the Brexit negotiations, relations between the UK and Germany hit a low point, with Conservative ministers making it clear in public statements that they prioritized impressing domestic tabloids with anti-European rhetoric over diplomatic decorum and basic courtesy towards international partners. Thankfully, those days are over, but it took Starmer's predecessor, Rishi Sunak, a year and a half to end the relationship. To get to BerlinThis omission did not go unnoticed among the German authorities, and caused considerable indignation.
It's easy to underestimate the importance of Starmer's visit, but it's also easy to overestimate it. Indeed, as a German, I am puzzled by some of the reactions of British commentators, who are, for example, overjoyed that just two months after Starmer took office, he has met the German chancellor five times. In the weeks since the UK election, Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Starmer have met at a NATO summit, the Euro final in Berlin and a gathering of the European political community at Blenheim Palace.
Of course, some might argue that cheering on the England team at a major tournament or attending meetings of international organisations is pretty normal for a Prime Minister, but never mind. This is all part of a plan to “reset” Europe, a project which the Labour government appears to see as a priority. The Conservative opposition is already understandably alarmed, warning that Starmer's visit to Berlin proves he intends to reverse what they hold most dear: Brexit.
True believers who still think that leaving the European Union is a great idea should really rest easy. Their plan is safe. No intention to “reverse Brexit”Both the German government and the officials running the EU institutions in Brussels are well aware of this.
Starmer has repeatedly said before and after the election, and in press conferences with Chancellor Olaf Scholz, that rejoining the EU is completely out of the question, and that there will be no return to free movement. Moreover, he will not even consider rejoining the single market or a customs union with the EU – measures that would make a real difference to the UK economy, but which the UK would probably accept without having the power to make European rules.
Starmer wants a “reset with the EU” and a “closer relationship”, but given his red lines, it is unclear what that actually means beyond a different tone. There is room for a closer relationship, but it is limited. Being a “third” country in Brussels is never easy. Building trust and forging new relationships is important and may pay off in the long run, but it is only the first small foundation of a new relationship.
Yet Starmer's visit to Berlin was a real success, in that it put bilateral relations with Germany on a new, closer footing. German and British officials assured me that the meeting was genuinely productive and achieved much more than simply improving the atmosphere between the two countries.
The two governments issued a joint declaration announcing they would work over the next six months to draft a bilateral cooperation treaty, aiming to sign it in early 2025. Ambitious plans It spans all aspects of the bilateral relationship, including cooperation on law enforcement, energy security, climate change, youth and education, and illegal immigration.
At the heart of the treaty is foreign policy, defense and securityThis is a highly desirable goal. Among European NATO members, the UK and Germany Top defense spenders“Given the current threat level in Europe, and the uncertainty of what a Trump presidency would mean for our security, it is essential that the European nations of NATO work together as closely as possible. This includes the UK, whether or not it is an EU member, and it is good to see that this message has finally reached Berlin.
There are still many issues that could go wrong with the treaty: Starmer once again rejected the European youth mobility plan that Germany really wants, but did not completely reject it, which probably would not have helped the treaty negotiations.
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Four years ago, Tom Tugendhat, a Conservative MP who is now running for leadership of the Conservative Party, along with Norbert Röttgen, a member of Germany's Christian Democratic Union (CDU), proposed a bilateral treaty between Britain and GermanyThe timing was bad: the bitter conflict over Britain's departure from the EU was still very raw, and there was widespread fear, especially in Germany, that Britain would use its bilateral ties with other European countries to deliberately wedge the EU. The fact that this is no longer a concern for Germany marks a significant improvement in trust between the two countries.
It is important not to confuse a reset of the UK-German relationship with a reset of Europe as a whole. The two are connected, but if Starmer really wants to build closer ties with the EU, he needs to go to Brussels, not just Berlin or Paris. It is fair to say that Brexit will not be reversed under his administration. But the Prime Minister's visit to Berlin was a constructive and much-needed step to get out of it. Making the best of a bad situation is a thankless job. That doesn't mean it's not important.
