Starmer Says Britain Must Move Closer to Europe as Relationship With the US Changes

Britain and other European nations must draw closer together as the United States becomes a less reliable partner, Keir Starmer has said in his first significant political intervention since leaving No 10. The former prime minister made the remarks while warning of the changing relationship with Washington.

Speaking to an audience at the British Irish Chamber of Commerce on Friday, Starmer said a stronger Europe is vital and that the UK must be at the heart of it. Europe, he said, has twice been caught asleep, failing to anticipate and prepare for predictable events.

First, he said, Russia's attack on Ukraine exposed longstanding European weaknesses on defence and security. Second, President Donald Trump made clear, once and for all, that the US will no longer bankroll European security.

Starmer said the shift in relations with Washington during Trump's presidency was not likely to reset once he leaves the Oval Office. He described it not as an aberration of the Trump presidency, but as a permanent change of affairs, adding that things will not go back to the way they were before.

That does not mean the US relationship is no longer important, he said. On the contrary, he argued, the military, security and intelligence alliance is far too strong for that. Instead, Europe must be enabled to take on far more responsibility for its own defence and security.

Starmer had called for closer European ties before stepping down as prime minister in July. Three months earlier, amid Trump's war with Iran and his threats to withdraw from Nato, he had described Europe as a partnership for a dangerous world that must be navigated together.

Those ties should go further than just defence, he said, adding that Brexit had done deep damage to the UK economy. He said he wanted to be more ambitious, including pursuing closer economic cooperation and closer security cooperation.

Starmer spoke after spending time in Dublin meeting senior business leaders and politicians, including the taoiseach, Micheal Martin, with whom he established the annual UK-Ireland summit.

Soon after taking office as Starmer's successor, Andy Burnham said he intended to be bolder about closer ties with the EU. Next month, Burnham will attend a crucial EU-UK summit where new agreements on food standards, energy and youth mobility will be the main focus.

At a meeting of European defence ministers in Paris this week, Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said they were united and unwavering in support for Ukraine in the face of Russian hostility.

Calling for pan-European cooperation and coordination on defence and security, Starmer said a common security framework is needed as much as a common market. The EU is changing to respond to that, he said, but it cannot be the EU alone when Europe's periphery is core to its defence.

Britain must be central to that project, he argued. The UK is one of two nuclear powers, a leading Nato member, has a viable next-generation fighter jet programme, and is pledged to work alongside European allies to guarantee security in Ukraine, he said.

Ireland and the UK stand side by side in the coalition of the willing and with Ukraine, working together to guarantee and shape the security of the continent, he added, saying he hoped and believed Britain's relationship with its friends and allies can and should be strengthened by this urgent and common security project.