Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and his Spanish counterpart, Pedro Sanchez, reaffirmed their commitment to a UK/EU treaty on Gibraltar as the two met in person for the first time after Labour’s landslide win in the UK’s recent general election.
The two met on the sidelines of the European Political Community summit which the UK is hosting and which opened on Thursday at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire.
Mr Sanchez was one of numerous European leaders that Sir Keir met one-to-one as he used the summit to signal that the UK would seek to “reset” the UK’s relations with its neighbours after the turmoil of the Brexit years.
Neither the UK nor Spanish governments made any reference to Gibraltar in public statements after the brief bilateral meeting.
But Spanish government sources quoted by Spanish media said the two had shared a firm conviction that a treaty would be agreed, although they fixed no deadline.
On arriving at the summit and ahead of the meeting with the UK Prime Minister, Mr Sanchez mentioned Gibraltar in response to questions from reporters.
“We were very close to reaching an agreement with the previous Government, but the elections in the United Kingdom were brought forward,” he said, adding his government hoped to conclude the negotiation “in the coming months” and “with a fully constructive attitude”.
Mr Sanchez said “clarifying this issue” would help advance relations between the UK and Spain, although he said too that the relationship with the previous Conservative government had been “very collaborative and cooperative”.
The Spanish Prime Minister later posted on social media and said it had been “a pleasure” to reaffirm the “close relations” between the UK and Spain.
“The United Kingdom is a preferred partner, friend and ally for Spain,” he wrote.
“The drive of two progressive executives will bring greater prosperity for our citizens.”
“The deep ties we share are an example of what the new relationship between the United Kingdom and the EU can become.”
In an interview with EL Pais, Nick Thomas-Symonds, the UK minister for European relations at the heart of the UK Government’s reset plan, was optimistic when asked if agreement was possible in the negotiation for a Gibraltar treaty.
“I truly believe it is possible,” he told El Pais.
“The Foreign Minister, David Lammy, has been working on it since the first days [after the general election].”
“It is obvious that there are issues on which we are very firm, such as the sovereignty of Gibraltar or the autonomy of our military installations.”
“And we will never close a deal that the Gibraltar Government does not agree with.”
“But I am very optimistic because both sides have the political will to reach a solution.”
For his part, Sir Keir used his opening speech at the summit to urge EU leaders to address the illegal migration “crisis” and to stand firm in support of Ukraine.
He also stressed his Government’s support for the European Convention on Human Rights after the Conservatives had flirted with the idea of pulling out of the agreement.
Sir Keir told Europe’s leaders the UK would be a “friend and a partner ready to work with you” and “not part of the European Union, but very much part of Europe”.
With his Government inheriting the challenge of small boats crossing the English Channel and Europe as a whole addressing the issue of migrants crossing the Mediterranean and land borders, Sir Keir said the leaders had to tackle people smugglers.
“It is now I think a crisis,” he said.
“As we speak, as we gather here, a criminal empire is at work in every country represented here today, profiting off human misery and desperation, prepared to send infants, babies, pregnant mothers, innocent people to their deaths.”
“And last week four more souls, and actually last night another one, were lost in the waters of the English Channel – a chilling reminder of the human cost of this vile trade.”
He said the summit was an opportunity to “set a new path on illegal migration” with increased co-operation.
“We must combine our resources, share intelligence, share tactics, shut down the smuggling routes, and smash the gangs.”
Sir Keir said the “root causes” driving people from their homes, such as conflict, climate change and extreme poverty also needed to be addressed.
On the UK’s approach under his new administration, Sir Keir said: “We will approach this issue with humanity and with a profound respect for international law.”
“And that’s why we scrapped the unworkable Rwanda scheme on day one. And it’s why we will never withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights.”
The Prime Minister, flanked by Volodymyr Zelensky, said the first task of the European Political Community (EPC) is to “confirm our steadfast support for Ukraine”.
“Every day Ukraine fights affects not just the Ukrainian people, but the European people,” he said.
“A continent where our belief in freedom, democracy and the rule of law was hard won and that wants to live in peace.”
Mr Zelensky said he would “sign an intergovernmental agreement with the UK on support for the Ukrainian defence and industrial complex, discuss future defence co-operation, and expand our defence capabilities”.
“Since the first days of the full-scale invasion, the UK has been one step ahead in its determination to support Ukraine. This is the kind of resolve we need to stop Russian terror,” he said.
The summit provides an early opportunity for Sir Keir to press ahead with efforts to build closer ties with Europe, particularly the European Union’s 27 members.
He wants to strike a security pact with the EU and also seeks to address some of the trading problems under the current Brexit deal.
The EU’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said: “The new Labour Government has signalled its intention to reset its relationship with the European Union and to seek more structured co-operation with the EU in the field of foreign, security and defence policies.”
“We welcome the new tone of the British Government and we look forward to engaging with it. We are ready to reinforce our foreign and security policy co-operation.”
Ireland’s premier Simon Harris said Sir Keir Starmer’s election win could be a “gamechanger” for UK-EU relations.
He said: “You have a British Government that wants to actively talk about a closer relationship with Europe, the importance of multilateralism, staying within the ECHR working closely with Ireland, talking about language around co-guarantor of the peace process.”
“So it’s a very different landscape to the one we would have been discussing were we standing here only weeks ago.”
The gathering at Blenheim Palace, birthplace of Winston Churchill, is a more informal affair than many international summits.
The EPC was the brainchild of French President Mr Macron and involves 20 non-EU nations including the UK as well as the 27-strong EU bloc.