Sir Keir Starmer heads to Republic of Ireland for ‘reset’ in relations
Sir Keir Starmer is visiting the Republic of Ireland as part of a “reset” of relations following the change of government.
The prime minister will meet with his Irish counterpart, Simon Harris, as part of the visit to Dublin.
At the same time, Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn will be committing the UK government to a “new chapter” in UK-Ireland relations in a speech to the British-Irish Association Conference in Oxfordshire.
Northern Ireland‘s first minister Michelle O’Neill, deputy first minister Emma Little-Pengelly and the Republic of Ireland’s deputy premier Micheal Martin will be present at the conference.
As part of his address, Mr Benn is set to acknowledge the “deep upset and anger” caused by the Conservative government’s controversial Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023, which stopped new cases and inquests being opened into Troubles-era killings and tried to give suspects conditional amnesty.
Labour has promised to repeal the act, although Mr Benn wants to strengthen an independent truth-finding body set up by the legislation – saying it should be able to work alongside the police in the Republic of Ireland on legacy investigations.
He will say: “While achieving full consensus on legacy issues may simply not be possible, I ask everyone to acknowledge that this is a government with a new approach, and we need a spirit of compromise.”
Earlier this week, Northern Ireland veterans commissioner Danny Kinahan resigned – saying he could not “provide the independent voice that veterans require” after an “open and frank” conversation with Mr Benn.
The Northern Ireland secretary thanked Mr Kinahan for his work.
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Mr Benn will also commit the UK to maintaining the implementation of the post-Brexit Windsor Framework, and tell Northern Irish politicians that further suspensions of the assembly there would be counterproductive.
Back in Dublin, trade will be top of the agenda for Sir Keir and Mr Harris – with €100bn (£84bn) of business done across the Irish Sea every year.
“Our relationship has never reached its full potential, but I want to change that,” Sir Keir said ahead of the visit.
“The [Irish prime minister] and I are in lockstep about our future, and we look forward to deepening our collaboration further.”
Mr Harris said the meeting in Dublin was “an important moment of reset in British-Irish relations”.
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As well as developing the trade relationship, Mr Harris said the pair 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”.
In the evening, Sir Keir and Mr Harris will watch the football match between the Republic of Ireland and England.
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Canterbury MP Rosie Duffield quits Labour – criticising Sir Keir Starmer in resignation letter
Canterbury MP Rosie Duffield has resigned from the Labour Party.
The 53-year-old MP is the first to jump ship since the general election and in her resignation letter criticised the prime minister for accepting thousands of pounds worth of gifts.
She told Sir Keir Starmer the reason for leaving now is “the programme of policies you seem determined to stick to”, despite their unpopularity with the electorate and MPs.
In her letter she accused the prime minister and his top team of “sleaze, nepotism and apparent avarice” which are “off the scale”.
“I’m so ashamed of what you and your inner circle have done to tarnish and humiliate our once proud party,” she said.
Rosie Duffield. Pic: UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor/Handout via Reuters
Sir Keir has faced backlash after a Sky News report revealed he had received substantially more freebies than any other MP since becoming Labour leader.
Since December 2019, the prime minister received £107,145 in gifts, benefits, and hospitality – a specific category in parliament’s register of MPs’ interests.
Ms Duffield, who has previously clashed with the prime minister on gender issues, attacked the government for pursuing “cruel and unnecessary” policies as she resigned the Labour whip.
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She criticised the decision to keep the two-child benefit cap and means-test the winter fuel payment, and accused the prime minister of “hypocrisy” over his acceptance of free gifts from donors.
“Since the change of government in July, the revelations of hypocrisy have been staggering and increasingly outrageous,” she said.
“I cannot put into words how angry I and my colleagues are at your total lack of understanding about how you have made us all appear.”
Ms Duffield also mentioned the recent “treatment of Diane Abbott”, who said she thought she had been barred from standing by Labour ahead of the general election, before Sir Keir said she would be allowed to defend her Hackney North and Stoke Newington seat for the party.
Her relationship with the Labour leadership has long been strained and her decision to quit the party comes after seven other Labour MPs were suspended for rebelling by voting for a motion calling for the two-child benefit cap to be abolished.
“Someone with far-above-average wealth choosing to keep the Conservatives’ two-child limit to benefit payments which entrenches children in poverty, while inexplicably accepting expensive personal gifts of designer suits and glasses costing more than most of those people can grasp – this is entirely undeserving of holding the title of Labour prime minister,” she said.
Ms Duffield said she will continue to represent her constituents as an independent MP, “guided by my core Labour values”.
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