In a significant shift in Britain’s foreign policy, Prime Minister Keir Starmer is seeking to hire a high-level negotiator to reset the UK’s fractious relationship with the European Union. The coveted “Sherpa” role, advertised by the Cabinet Office with a hefty £150,000 salary, underscores Starmer’s determination to chart a new course with Brussels after years of acrimony following Brexit.
Turning the Page on EU Relations
Since taking office, Starmer has wasted no time in reaching out to key European leaders. From Berlin to Paris, the prime minister has been on a diplomatic blitz to mend fences and lay the groundwork for a more constructive partnership with the continent. As one government insider put it:
“The PM is turning the page on the old way of doing these negotiations. He wants a fresh approach based on mutual respect and cooperation, not constant clashes and ultimatums.”
– Government source
The new EU negotiator, dubbed a “Sherpa” in Whitehall jargon, will be tasked with guiding the UK’s overall relations with the 27-nation bloc. From thrashing out trade terms to co-ordinating on global challenges like climate change and China’s rise, the role requires both diplomatic finesse and political nous.
Backlash from Brexit Hardliners
But Starmer’s olive branch to Brussels has provoked a fierce backlash from Conservative Brexiteers, who accuse the Labour leader of betraying the 2016 vote to leave the EU. Priti Patel, the combative former Home Secretary now shadowing foreign affairs, thundered:
“The Conservative party will not stand by and allow the will of the British people be reversed while Labour arrogantly capitulates to the EU.”
– Priti Patel, Shadow Foreign Secretary
Patel and her allies claim Starmer’s “EU reset” is a backdoor plot to undermine British sovereignty and drag the country back into the clutches of Brussels. They fear the new Sherpa will trade away hard-fought freedoms over immigration, regulation and trade policy.
No Return to Pre-Brexit Days
Starmer’s team rejects these charges as scaremongering and insists there will be no U-turn on the fundamentals of Brexit. A Labour source hit back:
“There will be no return to the EU, customs union, single market or freedom of movement. We are focused on acting in the national interest – tackling trade barriers, fighting human trafficking and standing up to Putin.”
– Labour source
According to those close to the PM, the goal is not to relitigate the past but to forge a mature, pragmatic relationship that delivers for Britain. With major negotiations on the horizon, from revising the Brexit trade deal to the war in Ukraine, Starmer believes it is time to lower the temperature.
High Stakes for Post-Brexit Britain
For a nation still grappling with its post-Brexit identity, the battle over the EU Sherpa is a microcosm of a larger debate. Will Britain remain an aloof, prickly neighbor constantly at odds with the continent? Or can it find a new formula that balances closeness with independence?
As the advert for the £150,000 job goes out, all eyes will be on who Starmer chooses to steer the ship. With the future of Britain’s prosperity and global clout in play, the next EU negotiator may be the most pivotal yet.
