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PA MediaOn 21 July 2024, the sun was blazing down on Chequers, the British prime minister’s countryside residence.
In the Hawtrey Room, two newly-crowned prime ministers – Sir Keir Starmer and Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Simon Harris – were laughing.
Surrounded by their closest advisers, which included chief of staff Sue Gray and cabinet secretary Simon Case on the UK side, Starmer told Harris a story about getting a Donegal jersey while on his honeymoon in Ireland.
He said he still wears the jersey while playing five-a-side football.
Luckily for Starmer, Harris furnished a brand new Donegal jersey as a ceremonial gift for the prime minister.
ReutersIt did not go unnoticed that the meeting in Chequers was the first official hosting of an international leader there under Starmer’s premiership – and Ireland was chosen as the guest.
The two men agreed to set up the annual British-Irish summit, the most recent of which took place in Cork last March.
They pledged a “reset” in the British-Irish relationship, which had basically collapsed during Brexit.
While Rishi Sunak made some attempts to rekindle it, he came under too much domestic pressure and Labour wanted to rebuild ties with EU member states which were once key UK allies.
But Starmer was distracted; he was under pressure domestically due to the ever growing Peter Mandelson affair and the former ambassador’s links to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
ReutersIn short, yes.
Fianna Fail and Fine Gael ministers who dealt with Starmer and his officials over the past two years and spoke to BBC NI were glowing in their reviews.
They paid tribute to Starmer’s strong stance on Ukraine and the EU and how he “didn’t fall out with anyone” or “give in to Trump’s bait”.
One Fianna Fail source drew comparison between the state of the British economy two years ago, when Starmer took power, and now.
One Fine Gael minister said: “Starmer did nothing wrong. Brexit has put them up the swanny.”
They all agreed he will be “missed” – but there is concern in Dublin that domestic issues, such as Reform biting at his toes and the economy, will preoccupy Andy Burnham and push Irish affairs to the side.
PA MediaOne source said there is a “cigarette paper” in the differences between Starmer and Burnham and warned that the “shine” may come off Burnham “very quickly”.
Burnham has met Taoiseach Micheál Martin both on visits to government buildings in Dublin and also in Manchester, in Burnham’s capacity as Manchester mayor.
But Burnham and his team are viewed to already be close to Ireland.
Louise Haigh, who was a key part of Burnham’s campaign in the Makersfield by-election, was shadow NI secretary towards the end of Brexit and “knows a lot of Irish politicians”, said one Fianna Fail minister.
She previously served as transport secretary and is tipped to get a senior job in Burnham’s cabinet.
Burnham also has Irish roots – his great grandfather Edmund “Ned” Burke came from Drogheda in County Louth and emigrated with his family to Liverpool in the late 1800s.
PA MediaLegacy is now the only “wrinkle” in the British-Irish relationship, said one source.
The 2023 Legacy Act was introduced by the previous Conservative government and offered conditional immunity for perpetrators of some Troubles’ crimes in exchange for co-operation with a new body, the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR).
The Labour government has since introduced a new bill in parliament, with MPs already having voted to repeal the conditional immunity provision.
London and Dublin previously agreed a joint framework but the government’s Troubles’ legacy bill still has to pass the House of Commons and Dublin believes it is not a “priority” for the UK.
Even though there are hopes the newly-positive ties can continue with their neighbours across the pond, domestic and national issues may nudge ahead the priority list for the new prime minister.
Labour PartyKeir StarmerSimon HarrisRepublic of IrelandAndy Burnham
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