Keir Starmer to visit Brussels next week on EU 'reset' mission

Keir Starmer will visit Brussels next week on his mission to 'reset' relations - amid signs the EU's price could be a deal on taking illegal migrants.

The PM has lined up talks with commission president Ursula von der Leyen after the pair met on the sidelines of the UN summit in New York last night.  

He has been stressing his determination to repair ties after years of Brexit wrangling.

However, concerns have been raised about the quid pro quo of boosting trade and cooperation. Pedro Serrano, the EU ambassador to London, suggested in an interview that there should be a central agreement with the UK on handling 'irregular' migration. 

That could include quotas on taking migrants who arrive on the continent - a prospect Labour previously played down.  

Sir Keir has met a string of EU leaders since taking office and has spoken about his 'ambitious' plans for a new relationship.

The PM said he was 'looking forward to visiting Brussels next week to start discussions' with the commission president.

Ms von der Leyen said she was keen to consider the 'reset of EU-UK relations'. 

The EU has proposed a youth mobility scheme for 18-30 year-olds as part of a deal with the UK, but Sir Keir has resisted anything that could be seen as the reintroduction of free movement.

Reports have suggested the EU could water down its initial proposals to make them more acceptable to Sir Keir.

Earlier this month Sir Keir said: 'I want to be ambitious about what we can achieve within the EU reset.

'That does not mean going back into the EU, that does not mean going back into the single market, the customs union or freedom of movement. So they are the red lines within that framework.'

Speaking to Times Radio from the Labour conference this week, Mr Serrano said the bloc was 'very keen to work even more closely together with the UK' in addressing irregular migration.

Currently relations are managed through bilateral deals such as with France.   

Asked if that meant a 'formal deal', the ambassador replied: 'What I say is that we can have a stronger cooperation. 

'We have to look at this in a very holistic perspective. There are countries of origin that we have to engage with, countries of transit that we have to engage with,' he said.

'There are police aspects that need to be looked at. 

'So it has to be looked at in a very holistic way. And I think it'd be great to have a good dialogue with the UK on these issues.'

He went on: 'The problem is, it goes beyond the borders of France and Germany and UK and and an overall more holistic approach would probably be...

'In any case, we cannot handle migration just in France and Germany, it has to be handled as as an EU and and and it may be more profitable to look at it from that perspective.'

He agreed that 'caps' or 'numbers' would be 'examples' of things that could be covered.