Labour aiming to draw closer to Europe on foreign and security issues

Party hopes to attend meetings of EU foreign affairs council should it win UK election

Labour wants to draw closer to Europe on key foreign and security issues by frequently attending meetings of the monthly EU foreign affairs council.

The move, which is likely to trigger Conservative claims that Labour is prepared to abandon an independent foreign policy, builds on a pledge by Keir Starmer's party to try to negotiate a new security pact with the EU after the 2024 UK election.