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UK-German Relations
25 February 2026
Lead MP
Mark Hendrick
Preston
Lab Co-op
Responding Minister
Hamish Falconer
Tags
UkraineDefenceEconomyTaxationBrexit
Word Count: 8283
Other Contributors: 9
At a Glance
Mark Hendrick raised concerns about uk-german relations in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
The Government should continue its work on rebuilding the relationship with European partners by signing bilateral and multilateral agreements that lay out road maps for further collaboration. The Kensington treaty is an important step towards deepening defence ties and economic co-operation between the UK and Germany, which are essential in light of international instability.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
The speaker is concerned about the negative impact of Brexit on UK-German relations. He mentions that there are approximately 6,780 German students studying in the UK and 2,074 Britons studying in Germany today. The relationships between British and German towns and cities have their ups and downs; in recent history, Brexit stands out as a severe damage to people-to-people trust, weakening longstanding partnerships in private, public, and economic affairs and making cross-border trade much more difficult.
Al Pinkerton
Lib Dem
Surrey Heath
Mr Al Pinkerton highlighted the importance of strengthening UK-German relations, citing defence and economic security as key areas. He noted that trade between the UK and Germany supports nearly half a million jobs and mentioned specific examples from his constituency. He also discussed the Kensington treaty's goals for co-operation across various sectors but emphasised the need for effective implementation. On economic ties, he pointed out that German investment decisions are influenced by trade friction and regulatory divergence post-Brexit, with BMW pausing its £600 million investment in Oxford. He suggested a bespoke EU-UK customs union to ease trade barriers. Cultural exchange was also crucial, calling for programmes like youth summits and volunteering partnerships to foster long-term trust.
Andrew Snowden
Con
Fylde
Stressed the importance of UK-German relations for security, prosperity and global standing. Noted Germany's commitment to supporting Ukraine with €11 billion in its budget. Called on the Government to publish a credible defence investment plan and meet NATO ambitions.
Anneliese Dodds
Lab Co-op
Oxford East
Ms Dodds highlighted the strong link between Oxford and Bonn, praising town twinning efforts. She underlined three areas of collaboration: industrial linkages like BMW's Cowley Mini plant; joint working on hybrid threats such as foreign interference and disinformation; and deepening co-operation against hate crime and conflict prevention.
Ben Coleman
Lab
Chelsea and Fulham
Recalled his experiences in West Berlin before the fall of the wall, emphasizing the importance of German-UK relations. Noted the drop in trade ranking from third to ninth after Brexit and a decline in school exchanges by over 80%. Highlighted positive developments such as the Trinity House agreements on defence cooperation and the Kensington treaty signed last July, covering multiple areas including foreign policy, economy, innovation, energy, agriculture, education, science. Mentioned plans for offshore energy connections and a direct rail link between London and Germany in the next decade.
Calvin Bailey
Lab
Leyton and Wanstead
Emphasised the importance of UK-German security cooperation in tackling threats from Russia, advocating for better information sharing, attack attribution, and coordinated deterrence strategies. Suggested bilateral and trilateral work with France to enhance European partnership working. Calvin Bailey intervened, supporting Jim Shannon's emphasis on collaboration between the UK and Germany in areas such as cyber-security, AI, quantum technologies, and offensive cyber-operations. He highlighted the importance of these European democracies working together to counter threats from Russia. Expressed sadness over the growing apart of the Future Combat Air System and the Global Combat Air Programme, suggesting it could be an opportunity for collaboration using a shared platform and shared Wingman success.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Jim Shannon highlighted the strong trade relationship between Northern Ireland and Germany, which generated over £1.1 billion in bilateral trade in 2023. He stressed the importance of sectors such as cyber-security, fintech, AI, and advanced manufacturing, noting that Northern Ireland's aerospace and defence industry employs around 9,000 people. Shannon also mentioned the July 2025 UK-Germany treaty on friendship and bilateral co-operation and emphasised the need for funding to support apprenticeships in order to maintain a highly skilled workforce.
Kevin Bonavia
Lab
Stevenage
Britain and Germany share a significant bilateral relationship rooted in democratic values, strong economic ties, trade, research collaboration, climate policy, and cultural exchanges. The Kensington treaty signed between the UK and Germany highlights defence cooperation with Airbus Defence and Space UK headquarters being visited by the Prime Minister and Chancellor Merz.
Matt Turmaine
Lab
Watford
The relationship between Watford, UK, and Mainz, Germany, was revived after a period of dormancy. Dedicated individuals from local Labour parties in both towns have fostered cultural exchanges and mutual visits which include educational tours on each other's political systems.
Mike Amesbury
Lab Co-op
Copeland
The MP agrees with his colleague that there is a growing awareness in the UK that we need to be able to defend ourselves and that partnership with Europe, specifically Germany, is delivering on this. Through initiatives such as DIAMOND, the UK and Germany are bolstering NATO's eastern flank.
Government Response
Hamish Falconer
Government Response
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Twigg. I am grateful to my hon. Friend the Member for Preston (Sir Mark Hendrick) for securing the debate and for the contributions from other hon. Friends, hon. and gallant Friends and hon. Members. The Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, my hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff South and Penarth (Stephen Doughty), is on his feet in the Chamber at the moment and would have been only too glad to attend this debate. I reflect that this debate reflects the warmth with which Germany is held across the House regardless of political party. The Royal Air Force has enjoyed a deep partnership with Germany, particularly over Eurofighter Typhoons. My city, Lincoln, along with many places in the UK, has benefited from shared British-German industrial expertise and partnerships. I am pleased about visa-free school trips enabled by the Government and the expansion of work in the North Sea, strengthened defence ties, and a direct rail link that is being planned. The state visit in December was significant for both countries. Growing Russian aggression and new nuclear risks are issues that the UK and Germany face equally, with joint efforts to support Ukraine through military, economic, diplomatic, and humanitarian assistance. We have worked together to impose sanctions on Russia, ban its oil, cut off key technologies, and coordinate comprehensive measures against it. The Trinity House agreement increases defence and security co-operation between the UK and Germany, with Rheinmetall investing in a new artillery gun barrel factory that will create 400 jobs in Telford. We are committed to building on the Kensington treaty and strengthening bonds between our countries and people.
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About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.