PM to meet leaders from both sides of the Irish border

Reuters Sir Keir Starmer is wearing a navy suit with a red tie and white shirt. He is looking straight at the camera with a straight facial expression. He is wearing dark coloured glasses and has grey hair. — Sir Keir Starmer will meet political leaders from both sides of the Irish border

Sir Keir Starmer will meet political leaders from both sides of the Irish border in Edinburgh later.

He will be only the third prime minister to attend a meeting of the British-Irish Council in 17 years.

It will also be attended by the Taoiseach (Irish PM) and Tanaiste (Irish Foreign Minister) Simon Harris and Michael Martin just a week after a general election which has paved the way for another Fianna Fáil/Fine Gael coalition government.

The first and deputy first ministers, Michelle O’Neill and Emma Little-Pengelly will also be there, as will the first ministers of Scotland and Wales.

Disputes over Brexit and the Troubles Legacy Act left UK/Irish relations at their lowest ebb for decades during the final days of the Conservative administration.

But the return of a Labour government has led to a much-vaunted reset.

Just this week, the Northern Ireland Secretary, Hilary Benn, began the repeal of the Legacy Act, which the Irish government is challenging in the courts.

This is the 42nd summit of the BIC, one of the bodies which emerged from the Good Friday Agreement.

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Pat McFadden, is also expected to attend.

Discussions are expected to focus on delivering a just transition and clean energy.

Downing Street says the PM is focused on delivering what matters to people right across the UK and working closely with the devolved institutions, including Stormont.

Ireland’s former Taoiseach Simon Harris, former Tanaiste Micheal Martin, Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly

Reuters Little-Pengelly, left, has long brown hair and is wearing a light blue blazer. She is standing next to O'Neill, who has blonde hair tied back and is wearing a green blouse and black suit. Harris is next wearing a navy suit, blue shirt and red tie. He has grey hair. Martin is on the right, wearing a navy suit, blue tie and white shirt. — Ireland’s former Taoiseach Simon Harris, former Tanaiste Micheal Martin, Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly

Analysis: ‘Envy of a parliamentary majority’

Sir Keir Starmer has met Micheál Martin and Simon Harris before.

But the timing of this meeting is interesting, coming just a week after the Irish general election.

Oh, how enviously the Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael leaders must view his parliamentary majority, which currently stands at 156.

They are currently two short of one, and Mr Martin says it will be after Christmas before a coalition government is formed.

Often past meetings of the British-Irish Council have been overshadowed by stalemate at Stormont.

Not this time.

The First and Deputy First Ministers, Michelle O’Neill and Emma Little-Pengelly have now been in place longer than their Scottish and Welsh counterparts, after upheaval in Edinburgh and Cardiff, while Sir Keir only got his hands on power in July.

When the leaders hold a joint news conference around lunchtime, expect questions on the legacy of the Troubles, the Protocol, and next week’s big vote at Stormont, and, of course, trying to form a government in Dublin before we all forget what happened at the polls.