Sir Keir Starmer is heading to Germany to hold talks on a new bilateral treaty with the country as he hopes to “move beyond Brexit to rebuild relationships” with the EU.
The prime minister will meet German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Wednesday to discuss the deal, which will aim to “boost business and trade, deepen defence and security cooperation, and increase joint action on illegal migration”.
Downing Street expects negotiations for the treaty – which it described as “a key pillar of the UK’s wider reset with Europe” – to continue for six months, with both sides hoping it can be signed in early 2025.
Speaking ahead of the trip, Sir Keir the UK “must turn a corner on Brexit and fix the broken relationships left behind by the previous government”.
Specific areas expected to be addressed in the new treaty with Germany include market access between the countries, science and technology collaboration, clean energy and energy security, trade across the North Sea and so-called supply chain “resilience”.
The two leaders will also discuss further intelligence sharing in an effort to tackle the people smuggling gangs responsible for much of the illegal migration in Europe.
As well as meeting Mr Scholz and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Sir Keir will also hold talks with the chief executives of both technology firm Siemens and defence company Rheinmetall.
He will then travel to Paris to attend the Paralympics opening ceremony on Wednesday night, before holding a breakfast meeting with French business leaders and later meeting France’s President Emmanuel Macron.
Sir Keir said: “We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reset our relationship with Europe and strive for genuine, ambitious partnerships that deliver for the British people.
“Strengthening our relationship with these countries is crucial, not only in tackling the global problem of illegal migration, but also in boosting economic growth across the continent and crucially in the UK – one of the key missions of my government.”
The trip comes after the prime minister warned of “painful” decisions in his government’s first budget come October, due to what Labour has called a £22bn “black hole” in the public finances left by the previous Conservative government.
Giving a speech in the gardens of Number 10 on Tuesday, he hinted at tax rises in the autumn, saying “those with the broadest shoulders should bear the heavier burden” and “those who made the mess should have to do their bit to clean it up”.
But Sir Keir also said he would have to “turn to the country and make big asks of you as well, to accept short-term pain for long-term good”.
The Tory shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Laura Trott said the government was “rolling the pitch to break even more promises” after campaigning on not increasing taxes during the last election, adding: “This a betrayal of people’s trust and we will hold them to account for their actions.”