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When Burnham went to Berlin: Germany the key to future UK‑EU relationship
https://theconversation.com/when-burnham...hip-293764
EXCERPTS: Andy Burnham’s decision to choose Berlin for his first trip to an EU member state on October 8 will have delighted many in the German capital’s political circles.
In our recent analysis of the UK-Germany relationship, we noted some disappointment among political figures in Berlin that it took Rishi Sunak 18 months to make a trip that Burnham has now achieved just weeks after becoming UK prime minister.
Burnham’s visit will also have been welcomed by the beleaguered German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, even if it did invite one unkind headline: “Successful politician in the chancellery – and Friedrich Merz”. A series of state election defeats and record low approval ratings have sparked rumours that Merz may be replaced.
[...] As we heard time and time again in our work, for Germany the relationship with the EU holds primacy over the bilateral relationship with the UK, and under no circumstances should the latter threaten the former.
As one German official we interviewed put it: “If pressed, Germany would always choose European integration over bilateral ties with the UK.” Another German interviewee added: “If there is such a thing as a German ‘reason of state’, then it’s the European Union.”
Consequently, the Kensington treaty is littered with references to the EU and all key tenets were checked with EU institutions to make sure they did not present a problem. For Germany, it appears bilateral relations still come a poor second to shared EU membership.
Merz gave a nod to this in his joint appearance with Burnham. He stated: “After Great Britain unfortunately left the European Union, we will at least do a bilateral treaty”.
Still, the current relationship between the UK and Germany is a world away from the early post-Brexit years. It reached its low point around 2020 when the Boris Johnson government indicated its willingness to violate the UK’s EU withdrawal agreement, thus breaking international law. Relations have been on an steep, upward trajectory since... (MORE - missing details)
https://theconversation.com/when-burnham...hip-293764
EXCERPTS: Andy Burnham’s decision to choose Berlin for his first trip to an EU member state on October 8 will have delighted many in the German capital’s political circles.
In our recent analysis of the UK-Germany relationship, we noted some disappointment among political figures in Berlin that it took Rishi Sunak 18 months to make a trip that Burnham has now achieved just weeks after becoming UK prime minister.
Burnham’s visit will also have been welcomed by the beleaguered German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, even if it did invite one unkind headline: “Successful politician in the chancellery – and Friedrich Merz”. A series of state election defeats and record low approval ratings have sparked rumours that Merz may be replaced.
[...] As we heard time and time again in our work, for Germany the relationship with the EU holds primacy over the bilateral relationship with the UK, and under no circumstances should the latter threaten the former.
As one German official we interviewed put it: “If pressed, Germany would always choose European integration over bilateral ties with the UK.” Another German interviewee added: “If there is such a thing as a German ‘reason of state’, then it’s the European Union.”
Consequently, the Kensington treaty is littered with references to the EU and all key tenets were checked with EU institutions to make sure they did not present a problem. For Germany, it appears bilateral relations still come a poor second to shared EU membership.
Merz gave a nod to this in his joint appearance with Burnham. He stated: “After Great Britain unfortunately left the European Union, we will at least do a bilateral treaty”.
Still, the current relationship between the UK and Germany is a world away from the early post-Brexit years. It reached its low point around 2020 when the Boris Johnson government indicated its willingness to violate the UK’s EU withdrawal agreement, thus breaking international law. Relations have been on an steep, upward trajectory since... (MORE - missing details)