Starmer stresses ‘urgency’ of closer defence ties with Europe at Munich conference

Keir Starmer speaking at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday. The British prime minister said the UK wanted to integrate more closely on defence procurement with European allies. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/AFP/Getty Images

Keir Starmer said there was an urgent need for a closer UK defence relationship with Europe, covering procurement and manufacturing, so that the UK would be at the centre of a stronger European defence setup.

In a rare visit to the Munich Security Conference, the British prime minister told the audience, to applause, “we are 10 years on from Brexit. We are not the Britain of the Brexit years.”