British Foreign Secretary wants "new start for relations with Europe"
After their landslide victory in the UK Parliament elections, the new Labour government gets to work right away. For starters, Foreign Secretary Lammy travels to Germany. The leaders of the two countries have already spoken over the phone.
Germany and the UK are looking to establish close contacts with each other following the new Labour government's formation. British Foreign Secretary David Lammy visited Germany as the first destination after his appointment on this Saturday. "This new government in the United Kingdom has clearly defined its priorities. We want a fresh start - a 'reset' - in our relationships with Europe," Lammy said in an interview with Reuters TV.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz congratulated the new Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock wrote on her X platform that the UK is a "close partner and friend." The UK has significant and important trade relations with Germany, according to the British Foreign Secretary. The new Labour government also intends to reorient British politics regarding climate change and start anew with emerging global powers. "These are issues where Germany has played a leading role, which means there can be an important partnership between the United Kingdom and Germany," emphasized the Labour politician. That's why he visited Berlin first after his appointment.
Lammy also met Chancellery Chief Wolfgang Schmidt. Lammy emphasized that the Labour government does not intend to rejoin the EU. "We will not rejoin the Single Market or the Customs Union, but there is a lot we can do together." The new government wants to leave the Brexit years behind. "This starts with security and a security pact between the United Kingdom and the EU," he added. Such a pact could cover topics like defense, energy, and climate and be very broadly defined.
Baerbock: "An indispensable part of Europe"
Lammy also announced a review of trade relations between the UK and the EU. "I would like to make it clear that the Europeans are our friends, and in the face of the war in Europe, we must increase our defense spending and work closely together," he said.
Government Spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit reported that Scholz and Starmer also spoke on the phone on Saturday. Both were in agreement that the relationship between the UK and European countries would assume special importance. Chancellor Scholz explicitly acknowledged the British Prime Minister's intention to give the bilateral relations with Germany a new impetus. In this regard, the two politicians agreed to work quickly on deepening the cooperation between the governments.
Baerbock listed topics for cooperation with the UK, including the preparation of the NATO summit, as the European pillar of defense needs to be strengthened. In international climate policy and efforts to resolve the conflict in the Middle East with a two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians, cooperation is necessary. "The United Kingdom is also an indispensable part of Europe," she wrote. This applies to areas like science, culture, or security. "We are checking with the new British government how the United Kingdom can get closer to the EU again."
In the context of strengthening relations between Great Britain and Europe, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock views the UK as an "indispensable part of Europe" in various aspects such as science, culture, and security. Despite the Labour government's decision not to rejoin the EU, its Foreign Secretary David Lammy highlights the potential for collaboration outside of the Single Market and Customs Union, with a focus on a security pact between the UK and EU covering topics like defense and climate.
