Keir Starmer’s promised “reset” of the UK’s ties with the rest of Europe has drawn a positive response in European media, with one longtime journalist rejoicing that she will never again have to cover “Britain as a basket case”.
The prime minister told leaders at a meeting of the European Political Community at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire on Thursday that he wanted to draw a line under years of fractious relations with the rest of Europe. The relaunch was greeted with a sense of relief that after years of chaotic leadership in London a new age of cooperation was beginning.
Annette Dittert, the longtime London correspondent for the German public broadcaster ARD, was effusive about the vibe shift.
“Starmer managed to restore Britain’s reputation in Europe within a day. Astonishing achievement in such (a) short time,” Dittert tweeted. “‘[W]ithin a day’ is maybe a bit over the top, but still: what a complete change of tone and such a relief not having to report on Britain as a basket case any more.”
Der Spiegel noted that “after the long ice age between Berlin and London”, the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, and Starmer got along well. It said the new prime minister’s performance in Blenheim could mark the beginning of a new “tandem” for Europe.
The news magazine said that given the potential return of Donald Trump to the White House and the weakening of President Emmanuel Macron in France, Europe needed new fulcrums of power.
“In the German delegation, there is hope that the cooperation with the British government under Starmer will significantly intensify, on the bilateral and the European level, on security and defence issues, on economic cooperation but also on delicate issues like migration,” Der Speigel said.
Impressions from today's European Political Community meeting at Blenheim Palace. #EPC2024 pic.twitter.com/yCA1dbFAJJ
— German Embassy London (@GermanEmbassy) July 18, 2024
In France, Le Monde noted the difference between the two countries’ leaders – Starmer on an upward trajectory on the back of a landslide election and Macron weakened by his snap election.
But, the newspaper added: “The British leader knows he needs the French president, and a future French government, to complete the ‘reset’ of relations between his country and the EU after the damage caused by Brexit.”
In Italy, La Repubblica wrote: “The rapprochement with the EU is now official.”
The London correspondent of the Spanish daily La Vanguardia said it was not the “B word” that was occupying leaders minds any more, but the “R word”.
“The Labour leader made it quite plain that he doesn’t just want to reset the relationship with Europe, but also to ‘recover the UK’s world-leading role based on respect for the law and for international law’ – thus reversing down the path embarked on by Boris Johnson and followed by his successors,” Rafael Ramos wrote.
In Ireland, the Irish Times noted the “diplomatic lovebombs” Starmer was scattering. “As the leaders were driven out of Blenheim Palace in fleets of black cars in the early evening, the warmth of the day’s sunshine remained in the air. Starmer will hope the warmth also persists in his relationships across Europe,” it said.
María Ramírez, who covers the UK for the online Spanish newspaper elDiario.es, noted the messaging at Blenheim had been very clear.
“Starmer was speaking at a forum that included EU members and around 20 European governments and institutions,” she wrote. “But the new Labour government’s interest is focused on improving relations with the EU, with which it wants a ‘reset’.”
