Starmer Seeks Closer EU Ties Amid Iran Conflict

Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced plans to pursue closer economic and security ties with the European Union in light of the ongoing war in Iran. According to multiple reports, Starmer stated that a summit with the EU later this year would be used to seek more cooperation on these fronts.

The prime minister's remarks come as relations between the US and UK have been increasingly strained by his refusal to draw the UK further into the conflict with Iran. In a news conference, Starmer warned that the conflict would impact the UK but sought to reassure the public that the government was taking action to ease the cost of living.

Starmer is facing calls from opposition parties to outline how the government plans to protect people from rising energy costs. The Conservatives and Reform UK are calling for VAT to be taken off household energy bills and for a scheduled fuel duty hike in September to be canceled. The Liberal Democrats also oppose the fuel duty increase, while the Greens advocate for billions of pounds to subsidize energy bills starting in July when the price cap is recalculated.

Starmer highlighted several measures coming into force this month aimed at easing the cost of living, including removing some green levies from energy bills and increasing the national living wage. He insisted that the government had been proactive in focusing on the cost of living. However, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has warned that the UK is facing the biggest hit to economic growth from the war among major economies.

Meanwhile, Starmer emphasized that reopening the Strait of Hormuz is in the UK's national interest, as Iran has effectively blocked this crucial oil shipping channel, leading to soaring wholesale oil and gas prices. The foreign secretary is hosting 35 nations, including European and Gulf countries, to discuss measures to make the Strait accessible and safe after fighting stops.

Starmer acknowledged that these are not new announcements but emphasized their importance in handling economic impacts of the conflict. He used phrases like 'a coming storm' which may be 'fierce', indicating a challenging period ahead for both the economy and political landscape. Despite criticism from opposition parties, Starmer has decided to hold off on emergency measures until autumn.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting defended Sir Keir Starmer's decision to keep Britain out of the Iran war, stating that it has been vindicated every day. He criticized Donald Trump for comparing Starmer to Neville Chamberlain and threatened to target Iranian civilian infrastructure, which experts say could constitute a war crime. Streeting emphasized that the US must justify its actions if it proceeds with such threats.

Trump repeated his threat to bomb Iran's civilian infrastructure unless Tehran reopens the Strait of Hormuz by Tuesday night. The UK government has stated it will not participate in offensive operations against Iran following Trump's threats. Meanwhile, experts have claimed that removing previous Iranian leaders has led to a more hardline group taking charge in Tehran.

In his first year as UK prime minister, Keir Starmer worked hard to cultivate a positive relationship with the US president, gaining a reputation as a supposed Trump whisperer. Just over a year ago, Starmer sat side by side with Trump in the Oval Office, gushingly handing over an “unprecedented” second state visit invitation from the king. That warmth, confected or otherwise, is long in the rear-view mirror.

The world breathed a sigh of relief as the US and Iran agreed at the 11th hour to a two-week ceasefire after a diplomatic intervention from Iran. Hours after Donald Trump had threatened widespread bombing of Iran’s power plants and bridges, warning that “a whole civilisation will die tonight”, both countries agreed to a temporary ceasefire and Iran agreed to a temporary reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

Experts have said the war in Iran has exposed the UK’s lack of military capacity and a relative defensive weakness. HMS Dragon only arrived in the eastern Mediterranean three weeks after an Iranian-made drone hit the British base of RAF Akrotiri – and the destroyer has now docked in the eastern Mediterranean after problems with its onboard water systems.

Matthew Savill, the director of military sciences at the Royal United Services Institute thinktank, said the delayed arrival revealed that “one of the military’s big problems is giving the government contingency options”. The former first sea lord Adm Lord West of Spithead has argued that the navy is in its most “parlous state” for 60 years, saying it is too small, underfunded, and unable to protect the nation.

At last summer’s Nato summit, Starmer agreed to lift defence budgets by about £30bn, to 3.5% of GDP by 2035. In the spring budget, the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, referred to reaching 3% “for the next parliament”. A10-year defence investment plansetting out spending on a line-by-line basis has been delayed since last autumn with no date for publication.

Even if the Strait of Hormuz opens immediately, energy analysts are clear that the conflict in the Middle East is likely to mean further cost-of-living woes for the British public, with higher costs at the petrol pumps already being felt. Goldman Sachs has warned of fuel prices rising to 2022 levels. Sustained disruption to global gas supplies could lead to the cap on energy bills in the UK rising by £900 to £2,500 a year.

Before the US-Israeli attack on Iran, Starmer’s grasp on power looked increasingly tenuous. He held off a challenge from Andy Burnham by preventing him from standing in the Gorton and Denton byelection, but many MPs were warning that the PM’s days were numbered, some thinking that a disastrous showing in the local elections in May could prompt a Labour leadership race.

But Starmer’s stance on Iran – and his decision not to rush into the war alongside the US and Israel – has been praised by his own MPs and is seen to be in line with public opinion. A YouGov survey this week found that six in 10 Britons were opposed to military action, while a quarter were in favour of it. Emily Thornberry, the Labour chair of the foreign affairs committee, has said the crisis “could be the making of” Starmer.

While Starmer has appeared to shore up his premiership for now, other political leaders have at times seemed unclear about their position, which Starmer and Labour have repeatedly tried to capitalise on. At the outset of the war, the Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, and the Reform UK leader, Nigel Farage, supported a closer alliance with the US.

In an article for The Guardian, Sir Keir Starmer emphasized that the UK must become more resilient in dealing with global shocks like the conflict in Iran. He stated his intention to 'remake this country' so that people are not at the mercy of events abroad. This sentiment was echoed by Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper during her Mansion House speech.

Starmer is currently on a three-day trip to the Gulf, meeting with regional allies including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and leaders in the UAE, Bahrain, and Qatar. He also held a phone call with US President Donald Trump discussing practical plans for reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

The Iran conflict will 'define us for a generation', Sir Keir Starmer has said on the last day of his visit to the Gulf region. The prime minister described the US-Iran ceasefire agreement as 'fragile' and emphasized that the Strait of Hormuz would need to be part of the solution.

The shipping lane has effectively been closed to vessels, including those carrying oil and fertiliser, since the start of the conflict, leading to a rise in petrol and food prices. Starmer expressed frustration with families seeing their bills go up due to actions by Putin or Trump. He mentioned that any support for billpayers would be targeted rather than universal.

Starmer discussed the practical plan for reopening the Strait during a call with US President Donald Trump. He noted that allies in the Gulf region agreed there should not be tolling or restrictions on navigation, which Iran has reportedly suggested.

The UK has pulled together a coalition of over 30 countries to work on a political and diplomatic plan, as well as military capabilities and logistics for moving vessels through the Strait. Defence Secretary John Healey mentioned that British military planners had been deployed to US military headquarters, and a Navy ship could be used to launch autonomous drones to clear mines from the Strait.

Starmer emphasized the importance of Nato but also noted that Europeans need to do more. During his three-day trip to the Middle East, he met leaders in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE, and Qatar. He said there was a real desire among these leaders to work more closely with the UK on defence and economic resilience.

The conflict has renewed debate about the UK's military capabilities and its reliance on foreign energy sources. Starmer wants to increase funding for defence but faces budget constraints. The Conservatives propose cutting green energy projects to boost defence spending, while Reform UK warns against damaging relations with the US. The Liberal Democrats and Green Party advocate for closer ties with the EU instead.