Time for UK to turn corner on Brexit, says Starmer

Keir Starmer has promised to "turna corner on Brexit" and rebuild productive relationships with EU member states ahead of a flying visit to Germany for talks with Chancellor Olaf Scholz focusing on defence and trade.

- Peter Walker , Lisa O'Carroll , Kiran Stacey

The prime minister said the trip to Berlin was part of wider efforts to restore the "broken relationships" with European neighbours left by the previous government. It was a "once in a generation opportunity to reset our relationship" with Europe.

Starmer, who will move on to Paris later today to see Emmanuel Macron and attend the opening of the Paris Paralympics, will also meet German business leaders and the German president, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, in a stopover lasting less than 18 hours.

His attempt to renegotiate European relationships is part of a broader strategy of making contentious decisions early in his prime ministership to reap the rewards for them closer to the next election.

Earlier yesterday he gave a hint of tax rises to come in October's budget, warning it would be a "painful" fiscal statement. Last week the Guardian revealed that the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, is considering raising capital gains tax and inheritance tax to help close the £22bn black hole that Labour says it inherited.

The government is also under pressure for its decision to cut winter fuel payments to 10 million pensioners, and for giving a string of high-ranking civil service jobs to Labour supporters and donors.

Starmer said yesterday it was all part of a move to fix the British state after what he called "14 years of rot".