<p>This article examines Keir Starmer’s evolving approach to the European question, focusing on his policies towards the European Union (EU) and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). Since becoming Labour leader in 2020, and particularly as prime minister, Starmer has adopted a pragmatic strategy designed to manage the tensions generated by Brexit. While ruling out rejoining, his government has pursued incremental sectoral cooperation with the EU. Simultaneously, Starmer has defended continued UK membership of the ECHR while signalling a desire to reform the way the treaty operates in practice. This must be understood in the context of domestic political pressures, notably the rise of Reform UK. Starmer’s strategy is designed to respond to the challenge from the right while at the same time resisting any further distance between the UK and Europe, minimising the de-Europeanisation dynamic that was widely expected following the UK’s departure from the EU. This cautious approach has echoes of Harold Wilson’s tactical management of the European question in the 1970s, an episode which is instructive for understanding the potential long-term consequences of Starmer's policies. </p>