New British Prime Minister Keir Starmer promised to secure an improved agreement with the European Union on trade rules after Brexit and overhaul the "failed deal" signed by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, reported "Reuters".< /p>
After meeting Northern Ireland leaders in Belfast, where post-Brexit trade rules have dominated politics for years, Starmer said his new government would first need to implement changes under the current deal to build trust with the EU.
"We think we can get a better deal than the failed one that Boris Johnson brought home and we will work on that," the Labor leader stressed, adding that Britain will not be able to get better relationship unless it demonstrates a "commitment to relationships and agreements already in place".
Labour ruled out rejoining the EU single market or customs union but said it was possible to remove some trade barriers with the bloc, which Britain left in 2020.
Northern Ireland's biggest pro-British party ended its boycott of the devolved assembly after changes to trading rules secured by former prime minister Rishi Sunak in February, but has since called for more changes.
Asked about the prospect of a referendum on a United Ireland after Irish nationalist Sinn Fein became the largest party in the provincial parliament, Starmer said he would "act in line with the Good Friday Agreement," the 1998 peace deal ., which ended three decades of religious violence.
Under the agreement, a referendum is at the discretion of the British government if it "looks likely" to the Minister for Northern Ireland that the majority would support cutting ties with London.
Starmer, who visited Edinburgh on Sunday, will continue his post-election tour of the UK's four nations with a visit to Cardiff later on Monday.