What does “reset” mean? That is the question hanging over the prime minister’s visit to Berlin today.
No one denies that the mood music is good.
Both Sir Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, leaders of the centre-left political spectrum who came to power after long periods of conservative dominance, feel comfortable with each other.
And although Sir Keir has been Prime Minister for less than two months, this was their fifth meeting, partly because the England football team had reached the final of the European Championship.
However, this was their first formal meeting. The prime minister used the word “reset,” which has underscored almost every interaction he has had with a European leader since taking office.
But it may have been the first time the prime minister has begun to sketch out what a reset might look like.
Both governments have committed themselves to ratifying the British-German relationship by means of a treaty.
The modest Mr Scholz was noticeably enthusiastic, saying that Germany intends to “grab the hand that has been extended to us”.
Two things are particularly striking about the leaders’ stated ambitions for this treaty. First, how quickly they plan to negotiate it: within six months.
The other question is how broadly it is intended.
During his press conference with Mr Scholz this morning, the Prime Minister indicated that it would include trade, defence, illegal migration, science, technology, development, people and culture.
Downing Street’s official announcement also referred to cooperation on energy, supply chains, biodiversity and the environment.
Quite a lot, then.
Some may wonder whether the intended size of the treaty is an indication of its importance, or whether it shows that the treaty is merely a symbolic way of recording how the countries already work together.
There was another striking line in Downing Street’s announcement of the treaty. It said the “ambitious agreement” was designed to deepen “market access” in both directions.
As the entire British political class knows only too well after the tumultuous years of Brexit negotiations, there are clear and strict limits to the access a non-EU country can gain to the markets of a specific EU member state.
According to government sources, this ambition is primarily about easing market access for British companies doing business in Germany (and vice versa), addressing specific issues around certification and procurement.
The political side of all this could also be a tricky story for Sir Keir.
He was once the shadow minister for Brexit who made his name within the Labour Party by advocating a new EU referendum. In last month’s general election, he was successful in convincing Conservative voters in 2019 that he would not reverse Brexit.
The Prime Minister reiterated that position today, stressing that the fundamental architecture of the UK’s post-Brexit settlement – outside the single market, outside the customs union – is not up for question.
That could come as a disappointment to others in Sir Keir’s electoral coalition, who had hoped for a shift in power despite his firm pre-election position.
Youth mobility
And while that means there will be no return to free movement of people, there was an interesting issue today around the possibility of a youth mobility scheme, which would give people under 30 greater rights to travel, live and work between the UK and Europe.
Mr Scholz indicated in general terms that he wanted more people exchanges between the UK and Germany, but the Prime Minister continued to insist he had “no plans” to join any such scheme.
Some cynics will point out that this is not enough to state categorically that there will never be a youth mobility programme.
When Sir Keir was asked again after the press conference whether he would rule out the possibility of a treaty ever being concluded, he said the treaty with Germany would have “nothing to do with youth mobility or anything like that”.
What does a reset mean then? It means at least tangible warmth between the prime minister and the German chancellor.
Then we may have to wait six months to know exactly what the treaty says.
