Keir Starmer’s flagship Brexit reset thrown into chaos as EU pulls plug on crunch summit with UK

SIR Keir Starmer’s flagship Brexit reset has been thrown into disarray after the EU pulled the plug on a crunch summit with Britain. The Brussels meeting due on July 22 has been postponed after the PM announced he was quitting. European Council President Antonio Costa confirmed the delay, leaving the future of talks hanging in the balance. Officials on both sides are understood to have concerns about asking a new Prime Minister to rubber-stamp deals negotiated under Sir Keir just days earlier. One government source said the situation was constitutionally “tricky”. A senior source insisted: “We remain committed to this process and to holding the next UK-EU summit at the earliest opportunity. We will set out further details in due course.” Read More on Politics The setback is a blow to Sir Keir’s much-vaunted reset with Europe, which had been one of his signature foreign policy projects. Andy Burnham could be in Downing Street before the original summit date if he becomes Labour leader unopposed. The turmoil has also cast doubt over the defence investment plan ministers had hoped to sign off before the NATO summit in July. Former Defence Secretary John Healey had been leading the negotiations before his shock resignation, warning the plans on the table fell well short of what was needed to keep Britain safe. Most read in The Sun His successor Dan Jarvis has taken over, but officials are still working through the details. A Government source insisted Mr Jarvis was focused on “getting the DIP right” and signed off before NATO.