LIVE: Starmer Meets EU Commission's von Der Leyen in Brussels

Good afternoon. I've just had a very productive meeting with Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission. First, we took part in a call with fellow G7 members, where we all condemned Iran's abhorrent attack on Israel last night. We agreed on the importance of Israel's security and right to defend itself in the face of this unacceptable aggression. And we call on all sides to show restraint and avoid escalating further. No one wants a regional war. We also agreed on the urgency of ceasefires in Lebanon and Gaza to allow the space for political solutions. And last night's events have highlighted more than ever that at a time of escalating conflict, including Russia's ongoing invasion in Ukraine, it is vitally important that we ensure we work ever more closely with our partners and allies in the pursuit of peace and security. Ursula and I have agreed that we can do more together in a few key areas in particular, promoting growth and prosperity, working together on shared challenges like climate change, energy security, and illegal migration, and strengthening our shared security and stability. So we're putting our relationship with Europe on a more solid, stable footing. That's what the British people want, a return to pragmatic, sensible leadership when it comes to dealing with our closest neighbours, because they know that this matters for growth, for jobs, and for security. The detailed work to take this forward starts now. We've agreed to hold regular UK-EU summits at leader level to review progress, starting with the summit in the first half of next year. Now, of course, there will be issues which are difficult to resolve. And on areas on which we will stand firm, there will be no return to freedom of movement, no return to the customs union, no return to the single market. But we will find constructive ways to work together and deliver for the British people. Now, I'd like to take some questions, I think, starting with Katia. Thank you, Prime Minister. Prime Minister, improved music really only goes so far. What trade-offs are you willing to make with the EU, because I'll ask for them, in order to improve economic relations? They've asked for a youth mobility scheme, for example. And if you forgive me, Prime Minister, you've decided to pay £6,000 worth of gifts. Why now? Why those gifts and not all of them? Have you decided it was wrong to take them, or did you come under pressure? Well, on the question of the discussions I've had this afternoon with the President, reversely, tone does matter. Resetting does matter. And that has been a very important part of the message that I have carried into the meeting today. A return to pragmatism, to doing business in a respectful way, and in a way which I think will focus on deliverables, rather than charging to the nearest camera to use a megaphone. So that does matter. In terms of the details of the challenges, look, of course there will be challenges along the way. But this was about a good faith step forward to constructive deliverables, which I think are achievable. The nature of the discussion wasn't in the sort of individual items. It was much more sort of setting the framework for the summits that will follow. In relation to your second question, look, we came in as a government of change. We are now going to bring forward principles for donations, because until now, politicians have used their best individual judgment on a case-by-case basis. I think we need some principles of general application. So I took the decision that until the principles are in place, it was right for me to make those repayments. Thank you. I'll go to Adam. Thank you. Adam Parsons from Sky News. Prime Minister, Lord Ali is facing an investigation. I wonder how concerned you are that your biggest donor was not fully transparent with the British public. And also, this statement is full of good intentions, but very short of any concrete proposals. Just on one, lots of people would like to see an agreement about youth mobility, giving young people the chance to move into Europe, to spend some time there. Would you like to see that? And what progress have you made? Well, look, I'm not going to comment on the Lord Ali investigation. On the nature of the discussions today and the points you've put to me, I mean, firstly, on youth mobility, I've answered and put out a written appeal on a number of occasions. But that really wasn't the nature of today's debate. Today's debate was the first step down to a path which will then lead to negotiations at the summit in the early part of next year, and focused on the deliverables and what we can do rather than what we can't do. But by its very nature, it was not a discussion that went into the details of this stage. It was about setting the parameters, setting the tone, agreeing how this should be done, and the sort of milestones, if you like, along the way. And in that sense, it was very constructive and positive, and with evidence to take on both sides. Thank you very much. I've got Robert. Prime Minister, the Israeli Prime Minister has said that he will retaliate against Iran. What is your position on that? And related to that, the MOD has said that the circumstances in which British forces would help with an attack on Iran. And then just briefly on this issue of repayment, British voters will see your repayment as part of a gift, as they listen to you, that you were wrong to accept those gifts. Are you saying you need to extend? On the question of Iran, we have condemned in the strongest terms the attack by Iran last month. And it is not to be toyed with. And I think it's very clear that we can turn the issue, Israel does have the right to kill people. Israel does have the right to defend itself. And that is absolutely clear. And we can get to him further than that. The role of our own service personnel last night, obviously, in April, we saw the way that was taken. But I'm not going to get to the end of that. If that is not an invitation, we'll be doing a further investigation. On the repayment, I can't say any more than that. Until then, if you guide everybody. Thank you. Olivia. On the question of fish, that wasn't the nature of the discussion today. This is very much a discussion at leader level, to set the tone, set the ambition, to make clear we were focused on deliverables, to set in place how we would go about these discussions and where we think the appropriate timelines were, which obviously gives us a marker as to when we expect some progress to be made. It wasn't in the nature of the discussion about some of the issues. But the question is about the tone and the repayment. In relation to the repayment, I can't add to the answer I gave in the first minute. Thank you. I'm going to come back to you, because you gave us some categorical assurances on free movement, customs union and the rest. I'm looking for a couple of categorical assurances. Will Britain hold the line on the protection areas, bans on bottom trawling? Can you give us a categorical assurance that Britain won't overturn the Sandhill fishing ban in the North Sea that the EU is demanding of Britain? On the first point, the red lines that we have, we have set them out. The issues you raised, that literally is not the nature of the discussion today. I'm not suggesting that we've been focusing on those issues, but that wasn't what today was about. In the past, I'm not sure that we've run at a 60% rate on this basis. Thank you very much. And then Max Delaney. Max Delaney, AFP. You just spoke about these talks being the beginning of a long path towards negotiations. It's not going to be quick and it's not going to be particularly extensive after all. And then on a second issue on youth mobility, are you sacrificing the opportunities for British youth on a altar of freedom of movement and refusal and wanting lower immigration? Well, Max, if you're putting to me that there are going to be challenges we have to deal with, then of course I do. That is obvious. But I think, when acknowledging there are going to be challenges is a good thing up front. A lot of it is to do with the tone and the intent and the good faith. And in a sense, today was as much about telling the page and the old way of doing these negotiations and starting a different way of doing things, a constructive way of doing things. It doesn't mean the challenges are there. It doesn't mean it's going to be easy. On the timing, look, we are putting in place milestones in order to make sure that we make progress. And therefore, we will hope to keep those timetables. And that means we'll be heading to a summit in the early part of next year. On youth mobility, look, again, I have made it clear that our position is in particular that free movement is a red line. But today wasn't about those individual issues. It was about the way in which we will conduct these negotiations and the emphasis on what we can do, not what we can't do. And on deliverables, thank you very much.