Keir Starmer says he wants a better Brexit trade deal

That means continued rollout of the Windsor deal, which cleared the way for proper border control posts at Northern Irish ports to be built and staffed, more than two years later than originally agreed.

“We do have to get on with implementing the important changes that are necessary under the existing arrangements,” he said. “We’re not going to be able to get a better relationship unless we demonstrate a commitment to the agreements that have already been put in place.”

Starmer, accompanied by new Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn and his Chief of Staff Sue Gray, Stormont’s former permanent secretary for finance, won universal praise from across the political spectrum — a rare feat in Belfast.

Democratic Unionist Leader Gavin Robinson said he took heart from Downing Street’s newfound command of Northern Ireland issues and Starmer’s own stated commitment to its union with Britain. Robinson added that he personally likes Starmer.

Night and day

“Keir Starmer is a unionist. Keir Starmer is somebody who has indicated that a border poll is not on the horizon,” Robinson said, referring to Sinn Féin’s hope of holding a referendum on uniting Ireland into one all-island state.

The Irish nationalist side couldn’t conceal its sense of relief that Labour, the party which delivered Northern Ireland’s Good Friday peace accord under Tony Blair a quarter-century ago, was back in charge.