Written by Professor Amelia Hadfield. Amelia is the Founding Director of the Centre for Britain and Europe.
In his first year as British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer has experienced both successes and challenges in foreign policy. As ever, international accomplishments can be as unexpected as they are brief, whilst the losses have a tendency to accumulate.
‘Wins’
Ukraine: Starmer’s diplomatic efforts regarding the Ukraine situation have generally earned him significant praise at home and abroad. Visibly heading up the emergent Coalition of the Willing and providing Zelenskyy with a reliable group of allies after Trump’s Oval Office meltdown has been commended by both opposition parties and his own Labour colleagues. Much of this is due to timing, balancing the challenge of hosting ad hoc summits, and demonstrating enough impetus for the key protagonists and antagonists to regard Starmer as a key player.
Trade Deals: One of Starmer’s most notable successes has been in international trade. He has successfully signed trade deals with major global players, including the United States, the EU and India, in his first year in office. These agreements are likely to boost the UK’s economic prospects and strengthen its international relationships. The details of these deals, however, in terms of coverage, timing, and resilience against wider tariff threats from US President Trump, remain unclear.
US Relations: Despite various challenges, Starmer has managed to court former US President Donald Trump effectively. While being regarded by Trump as ‘a good guy’ is not exactly the accolade that Starmer is looking for, given the often unpredictable nature of US-UK relations in recent years and the extraordinary personal volatility of Trump himself, this is no mean feat and has largely rendered the UK a reliably senior global player in the eyes of the White House and other key US players. For now.
Navigating the Global Order: Assisted by his former Foreign Secretary David Lammy, Starmer identified that navigating the UK through the most significant change in global order since 1945 was the overarching external challenge of his premiership. This recognition alone demonstrates a strategic approach to foreign policy, even if the execution has at times been challenging. Improved relations with the UK, and arguably with the EU, are demonstrable examples here, including a number of key breakthrough summits and meetings with the EU that have visibly improved diplomatic ties.
‘Losses’
Immigration Challenges: The UK has seen ongoing small boat crossings across the English Channel, with some months breaking records, and others indicating drops in numbers. This represents a major foreign policy and border control challenge for Starmer’s government in terms of immigration and asylum policy domestically, bilateral relations with France, regional relations with other countries on migration routes, the EU itself, and international organisations dealing with migration, asylum, and the sources beyond both. No clear solutions seem in evidence, but there are discernible ideological changes and cabinet-based overhauls which indicate the beginning of Starmer’s approach here.
Sluggish Policy Implementation: While Starmer has been active in international diplomacy, there have been criticisms about the slow pace of policy implementation, including in areas that affect foreign relations. This has led to a perception of either a lack of focus in key areas or stasis in other areas. Starmer himself has been criticised for spending a large amount of his time on foreign trips and attending summits; however, it is difficult to genuinely move the dial in building allies and partnerships otherwise. The risk is a perceived neglect of domestic issues, potentially weakening his overall political position.
Lack of Clear Foreign Policy Narrative: Despite some successes, there have been complaints about a lack of a clear “narrative” from Starmer to explain his goals to the public. This applies to both domestic and foreign policy, potentially undermining public support for his international initiatives. Progress with the US and the EU in some areas inevitably comes at the expense of other UK goals Starmer wants to achieve, and the outcome can be regarded as neither one thing nor another. A clear approach to the crisis in Gaza, and relations with the government of Israel, certainly falls into this area. Nailing down that vision in Year 2 will be crucial, as Starmer faces ongoing challenges in areas such as immigration control and articulating a clear foreign policy vision. The coming years will be crucial in determining whether he can translate his diplomatic efforts into tangible benefits for the UK.
Cut to Cooper
This blog was all but finished, and then there was a massive cabinet reshuffle. Briefly, therefore, Yvette Cooper’s appointment as UK foreign secretary brings a number of interesting implications for British foreign policy.
Global Challenges To-Do List: Cooper faces significant tests to Britain’s global standing, including leading European allies on plans for ‘Reassurance Forces’ for Ukraine in the event of a peace agreement, and pushing for an end to conflict in Gaza. In terms of the latter, Cooper must navigate the UK’s upcoming recognition of a Palestinian state at the UN, while working towards a wider peace process with Gulf states and available European allies.
Cooper’s past criticism of Donald Trump may arguably complicate UK-US relations, having previously called Trump “ignorant” and “Islamophobic”, and described his approach to Russia as “unstable”. With Trump due for a state visit to the UK, Cooper will need to work hard to forge multi-level, multi-agency links with his administration. In terms of Europe, Cooper’s scepticism of a wide-ranging youth mobility scheme with the EU – a product of largely progressive relations between the two sides over the past few months – suggests potential challenges in improving UK-EU relations. Her experience in trying to block a ‘no-deal’ Brexit during her time in opposition might provide a foundation for more constructive engagement. The good news is that Cooper has a solid reputation for her ability to build credible relationships, which will arguably be an asset in navigating complex international issues, particularly in addressing challenges such as the UK’s co-leadership of a ‘coalition of the willing’ with France, and potentially deploying UK forces as a reassurance force if a Ukraine-Russia ceasefire is reached.
Ultimately, of all of the relationships cultivated by a foreign secretary, the one with the PM is the most important. Cooper will need to manage her brief alongside Starmer, who himself possesses a strong interest in foreign affairs. The Starmer-Cooper dynamic will be key to influencing the direction and execution of UK foreign policy.
From an institutional perspective, while Cooper’s appointment represents a change in leadership at the Foreign Office, she inherits some major, ongoing initiatives, including UK-EU relations and efforts to leverage the UK’s plan to recognise Palestine into a more comprehensive peace deal for the region. Cooper’s tenure as Foreign Secretary is likely to be marked by efforts to continue boosting Britain’s global standing, while delicately balancing complex relationships with the US, the EU, and other international partners.
