Sir Keir Starmer has vowed to have a “pragmatic, sensible” relationship with the EU and hold regular summits to develop closer ties.

The Prime Minister repeated his red lines that there would be no return to freedom of movement or the EU’s single market and customs union after meeting Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, in Brussels on Wednesday.

“Ursula and I have agreed that we can do more together in a few key areas, in particular, promoting growth and prosperity, working together on shared challenges like climate change, energy security and illegal migration, and strengthening our shared security and stability,” Sir Keir said.

“So we’re putting our relationship with Europe on a more solid, stable footing. That’s what the British people want.”

‘Make Brexit work’

He added: “I firmly believe that the British public wants to return to pragmatic, sensible leadership when it comes to dealing with our closest neighbours to make Brexit work.”

Sir Keir, who has pushed for a reset in EU relations that were strained by Brexit, said the meeting was about “turning the page on the old way” of confrontational negotiations with Brussels.

He said the talks had focused on a framework to begin the new negotiations, including a pledge to hold a first post-Brexit UK-EU summit in the first half of next year.

The Prime Minister and Mrs von der Leyen plan to meet again in the autumn.

“We’ve agreed to hold regular UK-EU summits at leader level to review progress,” he said.

The EU holds such summits with other international partners such as the US and China. They are usually held in Brussels, sometimes ahead of European Council summits of the leaders of the 27 member states. The UK summit will be the first such meeting since Brexit.

‘United front against Russia’

The Government wants to sign a foreign policy and security pact with the EU, including measures to tackle illegal migration. It also wants to revamp the UK-EU trade deal, sign a veterinary agreement to remove post-Brexit trade barriers, and get better recognition of UK professional qualifications and cut red tape for UK touring artists in Europe.

Brussels has poured cold water on British hopes of a bloc-wide migrant returns deal, wants a youth mobility agreement and is reluctant to renegotiate a trade deal it sees as weighted in its interest. It is open to improved foreign policy co-operation to shore up a united front against Russian aggression. Labour has so far ruled out a youth mobility deal.

Sir Keir said: “Now, of course, there will be issues which are difficult to resolve and areas on which we will stand firm. There will be no return to freedom of movement, no return to the customs union, no return to the single market, but we will find constructive ways to work together and deliver.

“Tone does matter. Resetting does matter. That has been a very important part of the message that I have carried to this meeting today. A return to pragmatism, to doing business in a respectful way and in a way which I think will focus on deliverables, rather than charging to the nearest camera,” he added in a swipe at previous Tory governments.

Mrs von der Leyen said the UK and EU should “explore” the scope for more co-operation, but added that London still had to fully implement Brexit agreements, such as the Windsor Framework deal on Northern Ireland.

‘Like-minded partners’

“Dear Keir, in these very uncertain times, like-minded partners like us must co-operate more closely,” Mrs von der Leyen said in the commission’s headquarters when the two leaders met.

“As members of the G7, we co-ordinate closely our joint and continued support to the people of Ukraine, and we do the same for our sanctions against Russia because European security concerns us all in and outside the European Union,” she said.

“We should explore the scope for more co-operation while we focus on the full and faithful implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement, the Windsor Framework and the TCA.”

The TCA is the post-Brexit free trade agreement. Mrs von der Leyen said the UK and EU were also closely aligned in their net zero goals.

Sir Keir refused to comment when asked if the UK would grant access to British waters to EU fishermen in return for an improved trade deal. The post-Brexit fishing agreement is up for review in 2026, and so is the trade deal

Both leaders condemned Iran’s attack on Israel and Russia’s war on Ukraine. They said in “very uncertain” and “dangerous” times it was important for like-minded partners like the UK and EU to work together.

“We stand with Israel, recognising her full right to security and to self-defence. We do need to pull back from the brink and to encourage all parties to find a way to de-escalate and for a political solution to the very many fronts of the crisis in the Middle East,” Sir Keir said before taking part in an emergency call with G7 leaders about the crisis.