Starmer meets Macron as he continues push for closer relationship with EU

Sir Keir Starmer visited the Elysee Palace for talks with the French president.

Sir Keir Starmer has met French President Emmanuel Macron for talks in Paris as he continues his plan to reset relations with the European Union.

The Prime Minister met some of Team GB’s Paralympic athletes on Thursday morning before the talks with Mr Macron at the Elysee Palace.

Sir Keir and Mr Macron were among the audience at the Paralympic Games opening ceremony in the French capital on Wednesday evening.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is embraced by Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace (Justin Tallis/PA)

Sir Keir’s visit to Paris follows talks in Berlin with German counterpart Olaf Scholz in a sign of the Prime Minister’s desire to seek closer relations with key figures in the EU.

On the first leg of his trip, Sir Keir said he was not “reversing Brexit” as he set out plans for a new treaty with Germany – including “deeper links” in several areas.

He agreed that a deal with Germany would be in place by the end of the year following talks with counterpart Olaf Scholz and also noted it was a “once-in-a-generation” opportunity.

The two countries also agreed to develop a “joint action plan to tackle illegal migration”.

An agreement on youth mobility has been suggested by Brussels and could be a key demand in any negotiations.

That could be seen as a step towards the restoration of free movement and Sir Keir said he did not have plans for a youth mobility deal, and he had “clear red lines” on the future relationship with the EU.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer walks on a track and speaks with Team GB’s team manager for athletics Pamela Robson (left) and head of preparations Maria Adey (right) at a training centre in Saint-Germain-en-Laye (Justin Tallis/PA)

Germany’s ambassador to the UK has said an agreement with the European Union on youth mobility “should be in the British interest”.

Miguel Berger told BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme: “There are many misunderstandings about what youth mobility really means. It is not freedom of movement, it has nothing to do with migration.

“It means that young people, who are really those who have most lost because of Brexit, that they have the possibility to come to the European Union, to come to the United Kingdom, for a limited amount of time, and then they will leave.

“So, it’s enhancing the possibilities for young people. That’s what we want. And it’s not only Germany, I can tell you all the 27 in the European Union want to enhance that.”