The British prime minister is due to meet his Irish counterpart Simon Harris in Dublin on Saturday in what Downing Street has described as a “historic moment for UK-Ireland relations”.
“(It) marks a new era of cooperation and friendship between Britain and Ireland,” Starmer’s office said in a statement ahead of the visit.
The visit comes after relations between the UK’s Conservative government and Ireland – of which Ireland is a member – have deteriorated amid tensions in recent years.
The decision to leave the EU puts particular strain on the fraught relationship between Britain and Ireland.
Northern Ireland is part of the UK. Therefore, the country is not in the EU but shares a land border with bloc member Ireland.
Starmer has been seeking closer ties with various EU members since taking office after Brexit damaged bilateral relations, and
‘Strongest of Relationships’
Ahead of Saturday’s visit, which will focus on boosting economic growth, Starmer said “the UK and Ireland share the strongest relationship” and that the two leaders were “in lockstep about our future.”
The relationship between London and Dublin “has never reached its full potential but I want to change that”, Starmer said in comments published by Downing Street.
“We have a clear opportunity to go further and faster to ensure that our partnership fully delivers on behalf of the British and Irish people – driving growth and prosperity in both our countries,” he added.
During the trip, Starmer and Harris, who became Taoiseach (Prime Minister) in April, are expected to reaffirm the landmark 1998 peace agreement that largely ended decades of sectarian violence on the island of Ireland.
Starmer is also set to meet Irish business leaders in Dublin.
Harris was the first international leader to be hosted by Starmer in the UK shortly after the latter’s landslide election victory in July.
tj/rm (Reuters, AFP)
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