Starmer announces UK and Ireland to host annual summit to ‘reset’ relationship after Brexit

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Sir Keir Starmer has announced that the UK and Ireland will hold annual summits on trade and cooperation in a bid to “reset the relationship” between the two countries. “We obviously had a call within hours of you being in Downing Street, we had a very productive meeting in Chequers in July, and I think today we’re here at Dublin to probably try to flesh out what a reset actually looks like, and what it looks like in a practical sense for our citizens on both islands.” Mr Harris said a reset in relations had to be based on “peace and prosperity, mutual respect and friendship”. Sir Keir said meeting Mr Harris twice within his first nine weeks as prime minister shows a “real intention” to reset relationships to the “great benefit” of the UK and Ireland. Mr Harris said the relationship between the two countries may face challenges, including the match at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, but added: “We will have intense and friendly competition, and then we will renew and reset again later in the evening.” Asked about the England football manager Lee Carsley’s announcement that he will not sing the British national anthem, Sir Keir said: “I will sing the national anthem and we are having a fantastic reset of relations between Ireland and the UK but the Taoiseach and I have already agreed that for 90 minutes we will suspend the reset and put more energy into it afterwards because we will be cheering on different sides.