Keir Starmer visits Dublin in bid to reset British-Irish relations

By David Lynch, PA Political Correspondent

Keir Starmer is to visit Ireland as he seeks to reset the UK’s relationship with its nearest neighbour.

The British prime minister will travel to Dublin on Saturday to meet with Taoiseach Simon Harris in his first official visit to Ireland.

Commerce across the Irish Sea, a trade relationship worth €100 billion a year which supports thousands of jobs, will be top of the agenda as Mr Starmer meets Mr Harris.

The Taoiseach and prime minister will also meet Irish business leaders from companies including Accenture, Keelings and Primark, to encourage further trade and investment.

Mr Starmer, whose visit to Ireland will be the first by a UK prime minister in five years, said: “The UK and Ireland share the strongest of ties – through our close geography, shared culture and the friendships of our people.

“Our relationship has never reached its full potential, but I want to change that.

“We have a clear opportunity to go further and faster to make sure our partnership is fully delivering on behalf of the British and Irish people – driving growth and prosperity in both our countries.

“The Taoiseach and I are in lockstep about our future, and we look forward to deepening our collaboration further.”

Mr Harris was the first international leader hosted by Mr Starmer in the UK following the July election, in a bid to foster the close relationship.

Mr Harris said the meeting in Dublin was “an important moment of reset in British-Irish relations”.

He added: “I look forward to discussing with Prime Minister Starmer how to ensure that we seize this opportunity to put relations on a better and stronger footing.

“This will mean working on a joint plan to bring about a step-change in ambition and engagement between our two Governments over the coming period.

“We will also discuss, as co-guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement, how to ensure that this moment of reset benefits the totality of relations across these islands today and into the future.”

Alongside the meeting with business chiefs, the two leaders will attend the Republic of Ireland vs England Nations League football match on Saturday evening.

Mr Starmer has also sought to build a closer relationship with the EU, and leaders of the countries that make up the bloc.

He visited Berlin and Paris last week as a means of building trust with French and German leaders.