Starmer’s First Ireland Visit Marks ‘Reset’ in UK-Irish Relations Amid Annual Summit Plans and Football Diplomacy

Starmer describes initial visit to Ireland as PM as an opportunity to rejuvenate ties

During his first trip to Ireland as Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer and Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris exchanged soccer jerseys before the England vs. Ireland Nations League match at Dublin's Aviva Stadium tonight.

Saturday, September 7, 2024, 4:

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Sir Keir Starmer has characterized his inaugural visit to Ireland as an opportunity to "reset" the relationship between the UK and its nearest neighbor.

On Saturday, he visited Farmleigh House in Dublin, the designated state guest house, for a meeting with Irish Taoiseach Simon Harris. This marked the first time a British prime minister has traveled to the Republic of Ireland in five years.

This occurred subsequent to Mr. Harris being the initial global leader to be received by Sir Keir at Downing Street since the Labour Party's triumph in the July elections.

In an afternoon meeting, both heads of state talked about establishing a yearly summit focused on trade and cooperation between the UK and Ireland.

They confirmed that the themes and format for the inaugural summit in March 2025 have been set, with plans to hold it annually from that point on.

"Sir Keir noted, 'Our nations engage in substantial mutual trade, underscoring the significance of our relationship.'"

"The underlying structure of our economy and markets, which have been interconnected for decades, provides a solid base for this reset, in my opinion."

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The Irish leader characterized the prime minister's visit as a "truly significant honor" and noted that the time they had shared was "greatly valued."

He said the two men "are both eager to significantly improve British-Irish relations."

Sir Keir responded, "I'm delighted to be here and to embrace this chance to rejuvenate the bond between our nations. This renewal, I believe, has the potential to be significant and profound."

During his inaugural trip as prime minister, the main focus was on trade between Ireland and Britain, a partnership valued at €100 billion (£84 billion) annually, supporting thousands of jobs.

Sir Keir mentioned his intention to pursue a broader re-engagement with the EU, alongside other leaders within the group, aiming for a strengthened bond with the EU after his recent trips to Berlin and Paris.

He discussed the significance of easing tensions between UK and Irish companies following Brexit, as well as the importance of collaboration on defense and security matters.

It is also expected that the global disputes in Ukraine and the Middle East will come under discussion. This comes as demonstrators opposing the UK's arms transactions with Israel convened in the center of Dublin on Saturday afternoon.

Over the weekend, the two leaders are set to engage with several Irish companies such as Accenture, Keelings, and Primark, aiming to boost trade and attract more investments.

Jersey exchange before the match in Ireland

At Farmleigh House, Freddie Munnelly, a nine-year-old who underwent medical treatment in the UK, gifted the two leaders with football scarves representing Ireland and England.

The prime minister received an Irish football jersey personalized with his name, and in exchange, the Taoiseach was gifted an England football shirt, also customized with his name.

The pair is set to be present at tonight's England versus Ireland Nations League soccer game held at Dublin's Aviva Stadium.

Sir Keir remarked, "I'll be sporting it during my nine-a-side matches. It won't be long before this is seen around north London."

Following a call from an individual in the crowd asking, "can we have Declan Rice back?", Sir Keir responded firmly, "No, absolutely not. He is fantastic."

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