Keir Starmer Pushes for UK-EU Relations Reset with Focus on Security and Trade

The UK prime minister faces EU demands for concessions on fishing, mobility, and legal alignment as he seeks to strengthen ties.

Keir Starmer will attend an informal EU leaders' dinner on Monday, ahead of a UK-EU summit in the spring, to discuss closer cooperation on defence and trade.
The EU insists on a 'package approach,' linking progress on security to concessions on issues like fishing rights, youth mobility, and alignment with EU laws.
Polling shows strong public support in the UK for closer trading ties with the EU, with 61% backing negotiations for improved relations.
Starmer faces internal and external pressures over the reset, balancing pro-EU sentiment within Labour and concerns about backlash from Brexit supporters.
Economic benefits from reducing trade friction with the EU could boost UK GDP by up to 0.7%, but key Labour red lines, such as rejoining the single market, remain in place for this parliament.