Politics latest: Starmer warns cost of living spike from Trump’s Iran war ‘won’t be easy’ for Britons

Sir Keir Starmer has said he will act in the British national interest “whatever the pressure on me and others, whatever the noise”.

Asked about Donald Trump saying saying he is considering pulling the US out of Nato, Sir Keir said: “Firstly, Nato is the single most effective military alliance the world has ever seen, and it has kept us safe for many decades, and we are fully committed to Nato.

“Secondly, that whatever the pressure on me and others, whatever the noise, I’m going to act in the British national interest in all the decisions that I make.

“And that’s why I’ve been absolutely clear that this is not our war and we’re not going to get dragged into it.

“But I’m equally clear that, when it comes to defence and security and our economic future, we have to have closer ties with Europe. That’s why we had the summit last year.

“This year, as I’ve just announced, there’ll be a further summit. There, we will make good on equipment that we put in place last year, but we will also go further in relation to the alignment.”

Britain will pursue a closer security and economic partnership with the European Union in light of the Iran oil crisis, Sir Keir Starmer said.

Speaking at a No 10 press conference, the Prime Minister said: “We will continue to stand up for the British national interest, and we will continue to do what we must to guide our country calmly through this storm. However, it is increasingly clear that as the world continues down this volatile path, our long-term national interest requires closer partnership with our allies in Europe and with the European Union.”

He added: “As the Chancellor has rightly pointed out, Brexit did deep damage to our economy, and the opportunities to strengthen our security and cut the cost of living are simply too big to ignore.”

Sir Keir continued: “In the coming weeks, we will announce a new summit with our EU partners, and I can tell you that at that summit, the UK will not just ratify existing commitments made at last year’s summit.

“We want to be more ambitious. Closer economic co-operation, closer security co-operation, a partnership that recognises our shared values, our shared interest and our shared future.

“A partnership for the dangerous world that we must navigate together, a world where this Government will be guided at all times by the interests of the British people.”

Donald Trump has said he is considering pulling out of Nato after allies did not join his war with Iran.

The US President also claimed the UK does not have a navy and that its aircraft carriers “didn’t work”.

Asked whether he would reconsider the US’s membership of Nato, Mr Trump told The Daily Telegraph: “Oh yes, I would say (it’s) beyond reconsideration.”

He added: “I was never swayed by Nato. I always knew they were a paper tiger, and Putin knows that too, by the way.”

Mr Trump rebuked Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for refusing to get involved in the US-Israeli war against Iran, and suggested the Royal Navy was not ready.

He said: “You don’t even have a navy. You’re too old and had aircraft carriers that didn’t work.”

Asked if the Prime Minister should spend more on defence, Mr Trump said: “I’m not going to tell him what to do. He can do whatever he wants. It doesn’t matter. All Starmer wants is costly windmills that are driving your energy prices through the roof.”

“How we emerge from this crisis will define us for a generation”, Sir Keir Starmer has said.

Giving a press conference on the cost of living impacts from the war in Iran, the prime minister said: “I’m not prepared to ask the British people once again to go through a crisis, come out of it and say ‘business as usual, back to the status quo’.

“So on our economy, on our energy and on our defence, this time will be different.

“We will make Britain a fairer and more secure country, because that hope is what is needed as the country comes together, because how we emerge from this crisis will define us for a generation.”

Political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:

Sir Keir Starmer has reiterated that the British government will “not be drawn in” to the Iran war, saying officials are using diplomatic channels to push for deescalation.

The PM told a Downing Street press conference: “Let me say once again, this is not our war. We will not be drawn into the conflict that is not in our national interests.

“The most effective way we can support the cost of living in Britain is to push for de-escalation in the Middle East and a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, which is such a vital route for energy.”

He continued: “To that end, we’re exploring each and every diplomatic avenue that is available to us.

“The foreign secretary and the chancellor have met their counterparts in the G7. The defense secretary has been in the Middle East, speaking to our partners, and the UK has now brought together 35 nations around our statement of intent to push as one for maritime security across the Gulf.

“And today, I can announce that later this week, the foreign secretary will host a meeting that brings those nations together for the first time, where we will assess all viable diplomatic and political measures that we can take to restore freedom of navigation”.

Foreign secretary Yvette Cooper will host a meeting of international leaders to “assess all viable diplomatic and political measures” to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Sir Keir Starmer has announced.

The prime minister said: “The foreign secretary and the chancellor have met their counterparts in the G7, the defence secretary has been in the Middle East speaking to our partners. And the UK has now brought together 35 nations around our statement of intent to push as one for maritime security across the globe.

“Today, I can announce that later this week, the foreign secretary will host a meeting that brings those nations together for the first time, where we will assess all viable diplomatic and political measures that we can take to restore freedom of navigation, guarantee the safety of trapped ships and seafarers and resume the movement of vital commodities.”

Sir Keir Starmer has warned that the impact of the Iran war “will affect the future of our country”.

The prime minister said in an update today: “It is now clear that the impact of this war will affect the future of our country.

“So today, I want to reassure the British people that no matter how fierce this storm, we are well placed to weather it, and that we have a long term plan to emerge from it a stronger a more secure nation.”

Sir Keir Starmer has warned Britons “this will not be easy” as he speaks on the impact of the Middle East conflict on the UK.

The prime minister told reporters today: “I do have to level with people. This will not be easy.”

Sir Keir Starmer has opened his press conference by offering reassuring words to the British public, insisting that “no matter how fierce this storm, we are well placed to weather it.”

He said he wants to reassure voters that the government has a “long term plan” to emerge from the conflict a “stronger more secure nation”.

He added:  “Let me say once again, this is not our war. We will not be drawn into the conflict that is not in our national interests.”

Sir Keir Starmer has begun speaking at his Downing Street press conference.