But Starmer also sees cosying up to Berlin as central to his push to winning closer ties with the EU. No. 10 Downing Street said Starmer will stress to the chancellor that he is focused on moving beyond 2016’s Brexit vote to rebuild relationships with key partners.
In a statement to coincide with the trip, the PM 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.
“We must turn a corner on Brexit and fix the broken relationships left behind by the previous government. That work started at the European Political Community meeting last month, and I am determined to continue it, which is why I am visiting Germany and France this week.
“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.”
Starmer is pitching the need for closer ties as a way of improving the lives of “hard-working people,” in Downing Street’s characterization.
That’s key because although Brexit is far from universally popular in the U.K., any signs that he is backtracking on the result of the referendum will provoke an uproar from Brexiteers.
