UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer made his first visit to Ireland as British leader on Saturday, marking the first such trip in five years. He pledged to 'reset' the damaged post-Brexit relations between the neighboring countries. Described by Downing Street as a 'historic moment for UK-Ireland relations,' the visit indicates a further warming of ties that had been strained under the previous Conservative government. Irish counterpart Simon Harris welcomed Starmer to Dublin, with the two shaking hands and posing for photographs before engaging in discussions.
'Today we're in Dublin to outline what a reset actually entails...in practical terms for our citizens on both islands,' Harris stated at the start of the talks. 'And I am certain it must be rooted in values such as peace, prosperity, mutual respect, and friendship.' Starmer added that the reset was 'truly significant to me and my government.' '(It) can be meaningful. It can be profound,' he said.
Following the talks, Starmer's office released a statement noting that both leaders acknowledged the existing ties between the countries but 'agreed they wanted to go even further — particularly on trade and investment to aid growth and serve the interests of the British and Irish people.' In this context, they agreed to host the first UK-Ireland summit in March next year, which will advance cooperation in key areas of mutual interest such as security, climate, trade, and culture.
Both leaders condemned recent riots in England and Ireland and agreed to enhance their collaboration in combating online misinformation. They also emphasized the importance of their joint roles as guardians of the Good Friday Agreement, the landmark peace accord brokered in 1998 that ended decades of sectarian violence in Northern Ireland. Harris, who became taoiseach (prime minister) in April, was the first international leader hosted by Starmer in the UK following his landslide election win in July. The pair shared pints of Ireland's national drink, Guinness, at the British prime minister's country residence, Chequers, northwest of London, before a larger meeting of European leaders.
The focus on 'resetting' British-Irish relations represents a significant shift in language after recent years saw tensions rise between Dublin and London. Britons narrowly voted to leave the European Union in a 2016 referendum, and the country finally exited the bloc in 2020 after years of political division and stalemate. Conservative former prime minister Boris Johnson's hard break from the EU was widely viewed as destabilizing relations between EU member Ireland and Northern Ireland. Since taking power, Starmer has initiated the repeal of a law granting conditional immunity to perpetrators of crimes during Northern Ireland's decades of sectarian violence. This move has been strongly opposed by relatives of those who lost their lives in 'The Troubles.'
During Saturday's meeting, the leaders reaffirmed the Good Friday Agreement and their commitment to reconciliation in Northern Ireland. Starmer and Harris later attended the Ireland versus England Nations League football match.
