Keir Starmer has pledged to “fire the starting gun” on a new era of relations between the UK and Europe.
Speaking ahead of a major summit of European leaders in Oxfordshire today, the prime minister said it was vital “we work together” on issues like tackling illegal immigration and standing up to Vladimir Putin.
He said the European Political Community conference at Blenheim Palace - the birthplace of Winston Churchill - was “an opportunity to push on and begin delivering on the people’s priorities”.
Starmer’s comments mark a major change in tone from the approach taken to the EU by successive Tory prime ministers in the wake of the Brexit vote in 2016.
The PM said: “We cannot let the challenges of the recent past define our relationships of the future.
“That is why European security will be at the forefront of this government’s foreign and defence priorities, and why I am focused on seizing this moment to renew our relationship with Europe.
“The EPC will fire the starting gun on this government’s new approach to Europe, one that will not just benefit us now, but for generations to come, from dismantling the people smuggling webs trafficking people across Europe, to standing up to Putin’s barbaric actions in Ukraine and destabilising activity across Europe.
“My government was elected with a mandate for change. I asked the British people to judge me by my actions, not words.
“This meeting of European leaders is an opportunity to push on and begin delivering on the people’s priorities. We will only be able to secure our borders, drive economic growth and defend our democracies if we work together.”
Starmer will announce that 100 Home Office staff from the Migration and Economic Development Partnership (MEDP) will be redeployed to a new rapid returns unit to send failed asylum seekers back to their own countries.
Home secretary Yvette Cooper said: “Dangerous small boat crossings are undermining our border security and putting lives at risk. Criminal smuggling gangs are making millions out of small boat crossings and the Tories left us with gimmick rather than grip.
“We will work right across Europe to tackle this problem at source, going after those profiting from this awful trade and bringing them to justice.”