Diplomatic tour gives glimpse of Starmer's foreign policy priorities

At a ‘progressive’ politicians summit in Canada, Starmer outlined four threats the West faces today: people smuggling, terrorism, climate change and weakening democracy.

Majalla/Agencies

UK Labour Leader Keir Starmer (L) and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (R) meet at the Global Progress Action Summit on September 16, 2023 in Montreal, Canada.

Diplomatic tour gives glimpse of Starmer's foreign policy priorities

Christopher Phillips

last update on 19 Sep 2023

UK opposition leader Keir Starmer has embarked on an international tour of key allies to boost his profile and lay some groundwork for what appears to be his inevitable march to Downing Street.

With his Labour Party currently 17 points ahead in the polls and a general election likely to be held next year, both Starmer and Britain’s allies are preparing themselves for the transition of power.

For Starmer, his tour indicates some of his foreign policy priorities.

At a summit of ‘Progressive’ politicians hosted by Canadian Premier Justin Trudeau, Starmer outlined an “axis of instability,” that the West faces today, centred on the four threats of people smuggling, terrorism, climate change and weakening democracy.

This trip came after an earlier visit to the Hague to discuss revising the EU and Britain’s post-Brexit immigration arrangements to help combat the number of small boats of migrants heading to the UK.

AFP — UK Border Force officials escort migrants intercepted whilst travelling in a RIB from France to Dover ashore at the Marina in Dover, southeast England on August 13, 2020.

Starmer is expected to meet President Emmanuel Macron in France on 19 September, where the Labour Leader’s ambitions to revise other aspects of Britain’s Brexit deal will likely be discussed.

Superficially, many of Britain’s Western allies should welcome Starmer’s likely election and the issues he’s currently flagging. Ideologically, Britain’s right-wing Conservative government is currently out of step with most of the UK’s allies: the US, France, Germany, and Canada all led by centrist or centre-left politicians.

At a summit of 'Progressive' politicians hosted by Canadian Premier Justin Trudeau, Starmer outlined an "axis of instability," that the West faces today, centred on the four threats of people smuggling, terrorism, climate change and weakening democracy.

Centrist lean

Starmer, who has discarded many of the left-wing policies and personnel of his predecessor as Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, appears increasingly aligned with centrist leaders like Macron and US President Joe Biden.

Beyond a general ideological affinity, Starmer's priorities hit the right notes with Britain's allies. Fighting terrorism has been a unifying thread of Western foreign policy since the 9/11 attacks of 2001.

Combatting climate change has climbed the priority list in recent years. Still, Britain under Rishi Sunak appears to be off the pace, so Starmer's commitment to greener policies will be welcomed.

The threat of 'weakening democracy' is open to interpretation. Still, most will view it alongside other statements made by the Labour leader to continue the UK's commitment to supporting the democratically elected government in Kyiv in its war against Russia.

Elevating 'people smuggling' to the same level as terrorism and other threats appears primarily directed at domestic audiences. Starmer wants to reassure British voters that a Labour government will be as tough as the Conservatives on illegal immigration, but more effective by targeting smuggling gangs rather than individuals, as is currently the case.

AFP — Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak speaks during a press conference at Western Jet Foil in Dover, on June 5, 2023, as he gives an update on the progress made in the six months since he introduced the "Illegal Migration Bill".

In principle, this, too, would be welcomed by EU leaders as it indicates a willingness to be more cooperative with Brussels than previous British governments.

However, though Starmer could prove more ideologically aligned with Britain's main Western allies than the Conservatives, there may also be some caution.

A "better" shake at Brexit

The EU, especially, is wary of Starmer's pledge in a recent Financial Times interview to seek "a much better" Brexit deal. Starmer and his shadow Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, have spoken about reopening negotiations to gain Britain access to certain aspects of European markets, despite their simultaneous commitment to remaining outside of the EU, its single market and customs union.

While Starmer will come to office with considerable goodwill from European capitals who will be pleased to see the back of the anti-EU Conservatives, this won't grant him a free pass. The EU is wary of Starmer's pledge to seek "a much better" Brexit deal.

For Brussels, partial access to the market was a red line during past Brexit negotiations. It is unenthused by the prospect of reopening what proved to be a divisive chapter in UK-EU relations.

While Starmer will come to office with considerable goodwill from European capitals who will be pleased to see the back of the anti-EU Conservatives, this won't grant him a free pass.

Stance on China

Similarly, Biden will likely welcome the rise of the Labour Party, which is historically both Atlanticist and pro-Europe and can help mend the strains in the Western alliance. But simultaneously, he will want Britain to take a tougher line on China.

While Sunak has been criticised for his ambivalence towards Beijing, Lammy has proposed a 'nuanced' engagement with China, which Washington will fear is insufficiently robust.

Of course, this all presumes that Biden wins re-election in November 2024. While Labour has insisted they will remain close to the US, whoever is in the White House, Trump's potential return to the presidency could upend many assumptions within the Western alliance.

The fight against climate change and the defence of Ukraine, for example, may prove dividing rather than uniting points for the UK's western allies. Such a change in the global climate might make many of Starmer's current pledges and priorities irrelevant.

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