Starmer’s Diplomatic Debut: Success at NATO Summit Amidst Homefront Challenges

Starmer experienced a productive NATO conference, yet challenges await upon his return

Shortly after assuming office, the fresh prime minister engaged with global leaders, utilizing the opportunity to outline his international policy objectives.

Political correspondent @BethRigby

Friday, July 12, 2024, 4:

Sir Keir Starmer has concluded his inaugural NATO summit, merely a week after the release of an exit poll forecasting a substantial majority for his party.

The prime minister and his team are departing from the NATO meeting satisfied, having successfully achieved their goals after a dynamic beginning.

The journey had dual objectives: firstly, for Sir Keir and other senior cabinet members to engage in rapid-fire diplomatic meetings.

The next step involved the incoming government outlining their key international relations objectives concerning Russia, Ukraine, and Europe.

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As the journey neared its end, a high-ranking government official mentioned to me how wonderful it was to host numerous leaders during the initial week of Starmer's tenure.

They explained that adopting this abbreviated approach significantly expedited what could have been a lengthy process, enabling them to capitalize on the post-election momentum and heightened attention on the Prime Minister. This allowed them to address all the strategic concerns they had in mind and to distinguish their agenda from that of their predecessors.

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Persistence and Transformation

This represented both elements of stability and transformation.

Regarding NATO and Ukraine, Sir Keir stands firm on maintaining the status quo, reaffirming the annual £3 billion funding previously pledged, and also encourages NATO partners to gradually increase their military budgets.

In his concluding statements, Sir Keir addressed NATO allies, stating: "Given the severe threats to our security, we need to extend our efforts."

He called on partner nations to increase their spending to 2.5% of GDP, as he reaffirmed his commitment to "establish a definite plan" for achieving this target in the UK.

Read more: Starmer notes Biden is in 'good form' following their meeting at the White House. Despite some blunders at the NATO summit, Biden commits to continue his efforts.

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He did not specify a time, explaining in an interview earlier today, "Choosing a random date would be imprudent."

Declining to select a 'random date'

It appears contradictory how Sir Keir can assure that the target of 2.5% will be met while not committing to achieve this in his initial term in office.

To achieve his goal, he must fulfill his promise during his initial term. I believe this will become a recurring topic in his defense review and throughout his leadership if he chooses not to commit during his first term in office.

It also slightly weakens his approaches to other allies.

However, there is a shift occurring in Europe, as the new government is eager to move beyond the complications of Brexit and mend ties with EU nations following several strained years marked by disagreements between various Conservative leaders and European capitals regarding the UK's departure from the EU and how it was handled.

Interest in strengthening ties with the EU

Sir Keir is intent on strengthening trade, security, and defense relationships with European countries and saw this summit as a chance to initiate those efforts, accompanied by his minister for European affairs and his foreign secretary, David Lammy.

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I inquired whether his position of supporting "Remain" was advantageous to other EU leaders who opposed Brexit.

He emphasized that the focus was on "redefining our connections, rather than a formal institutional overhaul," while clarifying that he has no plans to rejoin the EU for the UK.

"He added that following Brexit, it appeared the UK had turned more introspective."

"The UK has returned, full of confidence. We are eager to contribute globally."

On the fringes of the conference, the Prime Minister addressed domestic concerns, primarily the prison system dilemma. He indicated that a statement could be released as soon as today detailing the government’s plan to address the severe lack of available spaces in prisons.

A member of the Number 10 team expressed to me: "We fully understand that this is just the honeymoon period."

Challenges will only increase once they return home.

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