Britain's new Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged to “turn Brexit around” ahead of a short European tour this week, criticising his Conservative predecessors for pushing Britain out of the EU and delivering it, and vowing to “repair the broken relationships left by the previous government”.
Starmer arrived in Berlin on Wednesday for talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. At a press conference, the two leaders announced plans for a new German-British cooperation agreement modelled on a 2010 pact with France to deepen defence ties over the next 50 years. The new pact also aims to coordinate on energy, science and technology, migration and strengthen intelligence sharing. The two countries aim to sign the treaty by 2025.
Starmer has said he has no intention of reversing the 2016 vote to leave the EU and that he does not see the UK rejoining the bloc in his lifetime.
Still, Scholz said on Wednesday he was “delighted” to see Britain return to Europe, adding: “We want to take the hand that is offered to us.”
After Berlin, Starmer will travel to Paris for the Paralympic Games opening ceremony on Wednesday evening and is due to meet French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday.
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