Key facts
- The EU has shelved its planned summit with the UK, originally scheduled for July 22.
- Keir Starmer resigned as UK prime minister.
- Andy Burnham is the leading candidate to succeed Starmer.
- Deals on food trade, carbon markets, and youth mobility were on the agenda for the postponed summit.
- The postponement falls on the tenth anniversary of the Brexit referendum.
The European Union has postponed its planned summit with the United Kingdom following the resignation of Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The summit, which had been scheduled for July 22, is now on hold as Brussels awaits the selection of Starmer's successor. Andy Burnham, the former Greater Manchester mayor, is considered the frontrunner to take over leadership of the Labour Party and potentially become prime minister.
European Council President António Costa stated that the summit "must be postponed" and expressed hope that Starmer's successor would provide "continuity" in resetting UK-EU relations. The postponement occurs on the tenth anniversary of the Brexit referendum. Discussions at the shelved summit were set to include a veterinary and food-standards deal to ease border checks, a link-up between the EU and UK emissions-trading systems, and a youth-mobility scheme.
Starmer stepped down under pressure from Labour MPs, citing concerns over the rise of Reform UK and recent local election results. Nominations for the Labour leadership are expected to open in early July, with a successor likely to be in place by September. While Burnham has expressed a desire for the UK to rejoin the EU in the future, he has also pledged to honor Labour's commitment not to re-enter the single market or customs union during the current parliamentary term. EU officials will be closely watching to understand his approach to the bloc.