No more British ‘basket case’: Europe welcomes revival of UK-EU relations by Keir Starmer | Keir Starmer

Keir Starmer’s promise to “reset” the UK’s ties with the rest of Europe has sparked a positive reaction in European media, with one veteran journalist rejoicing that she would never again have to cover “Britain as a basket case”.

The Prime Minister told leaders of the European Political Community, meeting at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire on Thursday, that he wanted to end years of fractious relations with the rest of Europe. The EU’s revival was greeted with a sense of relief that after years of chaotic leadership in London, a new era of cooperation was beginning.

Annette Dittert, a long-time London correspondent for German public broadcaster ARD, was enthusiastic about the change in mood.

“Starmer has managed to restore Britain’s reputation in Europe in one day. An astonishing feat in such a short space of time,” Dittert tweeted.[W]”In one day” is perhaps a bit of an exaggeration, but still: what a complete change of tone and what a relief to no longer have to portray Britain as a hopeless case.”

Der Spiegel noted that “after the long ice age between Berlin and London,” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Starmer got along well. According to the newspaper, 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 power bases.

“Within the German delegation, there is hope that cooperation with the British government under Starmer will intensify considerably, at bilateral and European level, on security and defence issues, on economic cooperation but also on sensitive issues such as migration,” said Der Speigel.

In France, Le Monde noted the difference between the leaders of the two countries: Starmer on an upward trajectory thanks to a landslide election and Macron weakened by his early election.

But, the newspaper adds: “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 writes: “The rapprochement with the EU is now official.”

The London correspondent of the Spanish daily La Vanguardia said that it was no longer the “B word” that occupied the minds of the leaders, but the “R word”.

“The Labour leader has made it clear that he wants not just to reset the relationship with Europe, but also to ‘reclaim the UK’s global leadership role based on respect for the law and international law’ – reversing the path taken by Boris Johnson and followed by his successors,” wrote Rafael Ramos.

In Ireland, the Irish Times highlighted the “diplomatic love bombs” Starmer was dropping. “As leaders left Blenheim Palace in fleets of black cars in the early evening, the warmth of the day’s sun lingered in the air. Starmer hopes that warmth will also persist in his relationships across Europe,” it wrote.

María Ramírez, who covers the UK for the Spanish online newspaper elDiario.es, noted that the message from Blenheim had been very clear.

“Starmer was speaking at a forum that brought together EU members and around 20 European governments and institutions,” she wrote. “But the new Labour government’s focus is on improving relations with the EU, with which it wants a ‘reboot’.”