Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin has seemingly admitted the European Union is preparing for a scenario in which Nigel Farage becomes Prime Minister.
The Reform UK leader, who has been leading in the polls since April last year, is setting his sights on No10 following back-to-back victories at local elections contested since Sir Keir Starmer swept to power in July 2024.
When asked by Irish broadcaster RTE about the prospect of working with Mr Farage, Mr Martin said: "Every scenario has to be planned for and has to be taken on board, and again, that would be a matter of the first instance for the United Kingdom, for the people of the United Kingdom."
He added: "If Nigel Farage becomes prime minister, Ireland will engage, but obviously his policies are completely at variance with ours in terms of the European Union."
However, the Irish Taoiseach also defended Sir Keir amid a leadership crisis engulfing the Labour Party.
Mr Martin described the beleaguered Prime Minister as a "good leader" and praised the ex-Shadow Brexit Secretary for "restoring the relationship with the European Union".
In a veiled swipe at Mr Farage, Mr Martin added: "Brexit damaged Britain, many people in Britain may not want to accept that, but it did."
The European Union continues to negotiate elements of Sir Keir's Brexit reset ahead of a crunch summit later this month.
Micheal Martin praised Sir Keir Starmer over his Brexit reset
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It had been reported earlier this year that Brussels was looking to enforce a "Farage clause" to stop the Reform UK leader ripping up any deals that bind Britain to EU directives.
The EU is also putting pressure on Labour to drop its "red lines" to secure a reset, which include staying outside of the single market and customs union.
“The world has changed since those red lines were drawn,” centrist French MEP Sandro Gozi said.
A senior EU official also told Politico: “How revolutionary can it be without revisiting their red lines?
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Mr Farage is plotting to stop the so-called 'King in the North' marching south to Westminster | GETTY"The Labour Government isn’t doing this and if they hype up the message of revolutionary change with the EU then everyone will be disappointed and they’ll say ‘Brussels is punishing us'.”
The EU might be biding its time for a new Labour leader amid fears Sir Keir could soon resign as Prime Minister.
More than 90 Labour MPs have publicly called on Sir Keir to step down.
Ex-Health Secretary Wes Streeting confirmed his intention to stand in an imminent leadership contest.
The EU is looking for the UK to drop its red lines
| GETTYDeclaring his candidacy, Mr Streeting made a clear commitment to eventually rejoin the European Union.
The ex-Health Secretary, who campaigned for a second Brexit referendum after 2016, advocated for a "new special relationship with the EU".
He added: “The biggest economic opportunity we have is on our doorstep.
"We need a new special relationship with the EU, because Britain’s future lies with Europe and one day, one day, back in the European Union.”
Wes Streeting made a commitment to eventually rejoin the EU
| PAGreater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, who is looking to return to the House of Commons after the Makerfield by-election on June 18, is also adopting a pro-EU stance.
The so-called "King of the North" told attendees at the Labour Party conference last year: “I believe in the unions of all kinds. The Union of the UK. The European Union and the benefits it brought this country."
However, when asked to clarify his position on the campaign trail in Makerfield, Mr Burnham said: “I’ve said in the long-term there is a case for that, but I'm not advocating that in this byelection.”
Voters in Makerfield decisively backed Brexit in the 2016 referendum on EU membership.