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World
British PM Keir Starmer pledges to rebuild ties with Europe, calling Brexit a mistake that left the UK "poorer" and "weaker."
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday pledged to "put the United Kingdom at the heart of Europe," a major speech coming just days after his Labour Party suffered a defeat in local elections. The commitment marks a sharp departure from the Brexit era, with Starmer directly contradicting the promises of anti-EU campaigners.
Speaking nearly a decade after the Brexit referendum, Starmer said his government would be defined by its effort to "rebuild our relationship with Europe," according to AFP. He argued that a closer alignment would make the UK "stronger economically, commercially and defensively."
The prime minister explicitly stated that leaving the European Union had left Britain "poorer" and "weaker," a direct rebuke to Nigel Farage, the leader of the anti-immigration Reform UK party who championed the exit. Starmer said he would chart a "new course for Britain" at the upcoming EU-UK summit, expected in late June or early July.
Since returning to power in July 2024, Labour has taken several steps to mend ties with Brussels. The pace has accelerated amid recent tensions between London and Washington over the war in the Middle East.
Ahead of the local elections, the government had signaled it was preparing legislation to allow a "dynamic alignment" of British standards—particularly on food—with evolving EU norms, aiming to ease trade. King Charles III is set to formally announce this in his traditional speech to Parliament on Wednesday, which outlines the legislative agenda for the coming months.
