Prime Minister Keir Starmer has called for an 'ambitious' new partnership with the European Union, signalling a significant pivot away from the United States amid growing instability caused by Donald Trump's conflict with Iran. Speaking at a press conference, Starmer emphasised the need for closer economic and defence ties with Europe, describing the current global situation as a 'dangerous world we must navigate together'.
Starmer's remarks come as Trump again threatened to withdraw the US from NATO, labelling the alliance a 'paper tiger'. The US president has also criticised the UK and European nations for not supporting US-Israeli strikes on Iran. In a further dig at Starmer, Trump told the Daily Telegraph that King Charles would have backed the strikes. The King is scheduled to visit the US later this month and address Congress on 28 April.
The Prime Minister stated that Brexit had inflicted 'deep damage' on the UK economy and that he would seize the opportunity to repair that harm at a new summit in early summer. He said Britain's long-term national interest required a closer relationship with Europe, adding: 'The opportunities to strengthen our security and cut the cost of living are simply too big to ignore.'
Starmer outlined plans to strengthen cooperation on defence, security, energy, and the economy, including exploring closer ties with the EU single market. He said the upcoming summit, expected in Brussels in June or July, would not be a mere stocktake but a deliberate effort to go further. However, talks have stalled on issues such as youth mobility, due to the EU's insistence on home fees for its citizens at UK universities, and a sanitary and phytosanitary deal agreed last May has made slow progress.
One option under consideration is a dynamic alignment framework similar to that agreed between Switzerland and the EU in March, covering sectors like food, energy, health, and science. A government source said: 'We want to remove the Tory Brexit barriers that killed growth and hiked prices, replacing the paperwork tax at the border and their ideological fantasy with commonsense economic reality.' The Cabinet Office is examining further sectoral regulatory alignment to boost exports in areas such as medical devices and chemicals.
Starmer insisted he would not be pressured by Trump's NATO comments and would act in the British national interest. 'Whatever the pressure on me and others, whatever the noise, I'm going to act in the British national interest in the decisions that I make,' he said.
