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London, United Kingdom (UK)
Britain’s opposition Labour Party leader Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria Starmer walk outside a polling station during the general election in London, Britain, July 4, 2024. (Reuters)
Labour, out of power since 2010, has pledged a foreign policy of “progressive realism”
Britain’s Labour Party is expected to win Thursday’s national election, returning to power after 14 years in opposition and making Keir Starmer the country’s new prime minister. Here’s how Labour’s foreign policy plans could look:
India
Labour said it would seek a new strategic partnership with India, including a free trade agreement. It also plans to deepen cooperation in areas, including security, education, technology and climate change. Reflecting on India’s current standing in the world, Starmer last month said this was an opportunity for it to be India’s century. “When the history of two nations are as intertwined as ours, that can cast a long shadow. But, I don’t see that shadow over today’s India,” he said.
Calling for a new approach towards India, the Labour Leader said, “The challenge, as I see it now, is for Britain to step out of the shadows in its mind, to cast aside the entitlement of history and deepen our relationship with the real India, the modern India, the future India.” Asked about the occasionally challenging ties between Labour and India in the past, Starmer responded, saying, “There are lots of issues in the Labour Party where over the past two years we have openly taken the decision to change our party, to look out to the world in a different way.”
A strategic partnership with India will be key to my Labour government.Together, we can tackle economic, climate and global security and build on our long-standing relationship.
Today, I took the opportunity to say thank you for India’s immense contribution to Britain. pic.twitter.com/n6O4fnzISO
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) June 26, 2023
China
Labour would undertake a “full audit” across all government departments of the UK’s relationship with China to “set the direction and course” of its China policy, Lammy told reporters this week. Starmer last year said the UK needed to “wean itself off” China on issues like trade, commerce and technology while acknowledging the importance of being able to cooperate on issues such as tackling climate change.
The challenge will be to balance the UK’s trade and economic interests with security imperatives. That could be complicated by a possible return of Donald Trump in Washington after the US presidential election in November. Trump would be expected to ramp up pressure on allies to be tougher with Beijing.
Israel-Palestinian conflict
The party said a Labour government would continue to push for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all hostages, the upholding of international law, and a rapid increase of aid into the territory.
The party has committed to recognising a Palestinian state as a contribution to a renewed peace process which results in a two-state solution. It has described Palestinian statehood as “the inalienable right of the Palestinian people” and said it was essential to the long-term security of Israel.
Europe
Starmer has pledged to work with France’s far-right National Rally (RN) party if it wins power. “I will work with any government in Europe and across the world if we are elected… For me, that’s what serious government is about,” he said. He said both bilateral deals with France and agreements with the whole EU, which the UK voted to leave in 2016 leading to a messy divorce, were important to address the issue of migrants crossing the Channel in small boats.
Pressed on RN leader Marine Le Pen’s preference for bilateral deals over EU-wide ones, Starmer said the two were not mutually exclusive. He said existing bilateral agreements with France needed to be strengthened and improved “particularly in relation to smashing the gangs that are running the vile trade of putting people into boats”. “But there are also EU measures,” he added. “The security agreement we want with the EU when it comes to dealing with smuggling gangs is really important.”
Ukraine
The UK has been one of Kyiv’s staunchest supporters and has provided money, weapons and troop training to help it repel Russia’s invasion. Labour have stressed continued support for Ukraine if they win, and Starmer would be expected to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky early to reaffirm that message in person.
Starmer has said a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin is “simply not an issue” at the moment and described him as “the aggressor in Ukraine”. “The most important thing is to be absolutely clear that our support for Ukraine is on a united front in this country,” he said.
(With agency inputs)
