Budding buddies? The rocky road to boosting UK-EU development cooperation after Labour’s landslide victory

Andy Sumner from King’s College London and Andrew Sherriff argue that the UK election may have ushered in a new, friendlier era for UK-EU relations, and that development policy could play an important role in rebuilding this connection. But due to a potential shift in UK public opinion, changed EU priorities, challenges in repairing the strained UK-EU relationship and the current geopolitical landscape, the road ahead will not be straightforward.

Summary

The UK election on 4 July marks a potential new era for post-Brexit UK-EU relations. In this brief, we offer background insight and explore the challenges and opportunities of achieving UK-EU collaboration on development. Labour’s victory, led by Europhile leaders who value multilateralism, could open doors to rebuilding connections with the EU. But the new government, keen on mending burnt bridges, faces an EU with its own political challenges, changing leadership and shifting priorities – an EU for which relations with the UK are not necessarily a prime concern.

Labour’s ascent signals a stark departure from the previous Conservative administration, defined for its Brexit stance, and within the development sector, for its drastic aid cuts and downgrading of the country’s development capabilities and ambitions. However, key figures like Nigel Farage still influence UK public opinion, and Brexit has had enormous consequences for how the EU continues to view the UK. Labour and senior UK officials would do well to approach potential collaboration with realism, humility and a longer-term horizon.

The new government’s commitment to international cooperation has some alignment with the EU’s strategic agenda. However, the UK and the EU are also economic competitors, and the development agendas of the EU and other major partners have moved on. The journey ahead for the UK requires navigating complex political landscapes domestically, in Europe and globally. The EU’s cautious stance and rightward shift, and the UK’s internal political and economic fragility suggest that progress will be slow and contested. Building development cooperation into other agreements, such as a potential UK-EU security partnership, could be one way forward.

About the Authors

Andrew Sherriff is the associate director of institutional relations and partnerships at ECDPM. He is also a member of the management team.

Andy Sumner is Professor of International Development at King’s College London.