Britain’s new Prime Minister Keir Starmer is immediately getting to work on forming his government, tackling domestic issues and building relationships with other countries, AP News reported.
Starmer has signalled Britain’s desire to play a bigger role on the world stage after years of soured relations with Europe over Brexit and its subsequent self-centred political soap opera. Starmer takes office at a time of multiple crises, including the Ukraine-Russia conflict and the Middle East, the rise of extreme right-wing forces, and an ambiguous relationship with China.
Equally, Britain’s new prime minister is gearing up for a high-profile international debut next week when he is likely to attend NATO’s 75th anniversary summit in Washington amid the summit marred by questions about President Joe Biden’s fitness and the uncertain outcome of November’s US presidential election.
One of Starmer’s key policy thrusts will also be to improve relations with European countries. On 18 July, Starmer will host leaders from across Europe at Blenheim Palace in England. It’s a chance to start mending ties with Britain’s neighbours in Europe, which have soured and deteriorated since Britain left the European Union in 2020. He insists on seeking to reduce some of the post-Brexit barriers to people and goods that have hampered relations between Britain and the bloc. He says, however, that he will not cancel Brexit or join the EU’s single market and customs union.
Starmer began forming his government shortly after walking through the door of 10 Downing Street on Friday afternoon following his convincing election victory. He has plenty of lawmakers up for election – his Labour Party won more than 400 seats in Thursday’s election, nearly two-thirds of the 650 in the House of Commons.
Key names in the new administration include Treasury chief Rachel Reeves, a former Bank of England economist and the first woman in the job, will liaise with international financial institutions. David Lammy, a Harvard Law School graduate, is the new Foreign Secretary, Britain’s top diplomat.
Stagnant growth and low productivity are holding back the economy while millions of people struggle with the cost of living. The country’s aging infrastructure is creaking and the state-funded National Health Service is on the verge of breaking down, with long waiting lists for treatment, a situation exacerbated by a long series of doctors’ strikes. Starmer has vowed to keep spending under strict control.
Starmer promises to bring migration under control and stop people making dangerous journeys across the Channel in small boats, but he will cancel the Conservative government’s controversial plan to send asylum seekers unilaterally to Rwanda.
