| Brexit is back – or at least debates about relations between London and Brussels are. Labour leader Keir Starmer, who looks increasingly likely to be prime minister after a general election at an unknown date in 2024, has started a diplomatic tour. Meetings with Europol in The Hague this week will be followed by Canada and then Paris next week, for an audience with French President Emmanuel Macron. Starmer said this week his government would seek a deal on migrant returns and, potentially, quotas with the EU. That prompted an entirely predictable response from Rishi Sunak’s Tory government that this would mean 100,000 more migrants arriving in the UK from the EU – a reminder that intelligent and honest debate about migration is as elusive on the other side of the Channel. An EU-UK agreement on membership of the EU’s border agency Frontex would make plenty of sense. So, too, would UK participation should the EU finalise its own deal on migration quotas, with member states that refuse to take part paying €20,000 per migrant. Once outside the bloc, UK ministers have found that they have little leverage when working with France and other EU states to prevent small boats carrying migrants and asylum seekers from crossing the Channel. It is assumed by many that a Labour government, particularly if Labour does not have an overall majority and relies on support from the traditionally pro-EU Liberal Democrat support, would quickly move quickly to repair and rebuild relations with the EU. | 
The Roundup
