British, Irish PMs seek to reset strained ties over pints of Guinness

LONDON (Reuters) - New British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Irish counterpart Simon Harris sought to usher in improved relations with pints of Guinness on Wednesday, promising to work together closely on Northern Ireland and on healing Brexit wounds.

Ties between London and Dublin have been fractious since Britain's 2016 vote to leave the European Union, which triggered a bitter row over the trading rules that would apply to the British region of Northern Ireland.

The victory of Starmer's Labour Party in a general election earlier this month, ending 14 years of Conservative Party rule, raised hopes in Dublin of a new era in relations.

"The important Anglo-Irish reset is now under way," Harris said in an Instagram post under a photo of the pair enjoying pints of the Irish stout at Chequers, Starmer's official country residence. Harris is the first foreign leader Starmer has hosted there.

Hours before the meeting, Starmer confirmed his government would scrap an amnesty scheme for ex-soldiers and militants involved in decades of violence in Northern Ireland that was deeply unpopular in Dublin.

"I'm very pleased to have this very early opportunity to what I see as resetting and strengthening and deepening our relationship," Starmer said at the start of the talks.

The two agreed to hold annual summits to "reinvigorate cooperation," they said in a statement, with Starmer to visit Dublin on Sept. 7.

(Writing by Conor Humphries; Additional reporting by Kylie MacLellan; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)