Keir Starmer says UK will host talks on Strait of Hormuz

[0:00] This morning, the Prime Minister, Zakir Starmer, has become the latest world leader to outline [0:05] their plan for responding to the energy crisis brought about by the US-Israeli war on Iran. [0:11] An hour earlier, the Australian Prime Minister gave a rare address to the nation as cuts to [0:16] fuel tax in the country began to bring down petrol prices. And in Germany, gas stations [0:22] will now only be able to raise pump prices once a day as costs spiral. Here, the Prime Minister [0:28] has warned that it's inevitable that the war will impact the future of the UK, but reassured [0:34] the public that his government has put in place the measures to withstand it. Zakir Starmer didn't [0:40] announce any new policies, but pointed to previous measures, including capping energy bills and [0:46] keeping fuel duty cuts in place until September. This is not our war. We will not be drawn into [0:54] the conflict. That is not in our national interest. And the most effective [1:01] way we can support the cost of living in Britain is to push for de-escalation in the [1:08] Middle East and a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, which is such a vital route for [1:14] energy. To that end, we're exploring each and every diplomatic avenue that is available [1:21] to us. The Foreign Secretary and the Chancellor have met their counterparts in the G7. The [1:29] Defence Secretary has been in the Middle East speaking to our partners, and the UK [1:35] has now been in the Middle East. [1:35] We've now brought together 35 nations around our statement of intent to push as one for [1:44] maritime security across the Gulf. And today I can announce that later this week, the Foreign [1:52] Secretary will host a meeting that brings those nations together for the first time, [1:59] where we will assess all viable diplomatic and political measures that we can take to [2:04] restore freedom of navigation, guarantee the safety of trapped ships and [2:09] seafarers, and resume the movement of vital commodities. Following that meeting, we will [2:16] also convene our military planners to look at how we can marshal our capabilities and [2:23] make the Strait accessible and safe after the fighting has stopped. Because I do have [2:31] to level with people on this. This will not be easy. [2:38] The Prime Minister also announced a new summit with the European Union, saying the UK's long-term [2:43] interest requires closer ties with Europe. [2:46] He also responded to comments from the US President, Donald Trump, to the Telegraph, [2:52] saying he was strongly considering pulling the United States out of NATO. [2:56] Firstly, NATO is the single most effective military alliance the world has ever seen. [3:02] And it has kept us safe for many decades, and we are fully committed to NATO. [3:09] Secondly, whatever the pressure on me and others, whatever the noise, whatever the pressure [3:15] on me and others, whatever the noise, we are committed to NATO. We are committed to NATO. [3:17] I'm going to act in the British national interest in all the decisions that I make. [3:21] 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. [3:26] 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. [3:35] That's why we had the summit last year. [3:37] This year, as I've just announced, there'll be a further summit. [3:40] There, we will make good on the commitments that we put in place last year. [3:46] But we will also go further in relation to the alignment. [3:52] Well, let's speak to our political correspondent, Ian Watson. [3:55] And Ian, no new policies or measures today, unlike other world leaders, have announced after what's been going on in the Middle East. [4:04] Will that be something that Keir Starmer is likely to be criticised for? [4:09] Undoubtedly, they will, actually, by the opposition and indeed the media, of course, asking when can they expect to hear details of any package of news. [4:17] But I think it's important to note that Keir Starmer has said that he wants to hear details of any kind of help for people. [4:22] He said not once, but twice, this won't be easy, once in relation to the Strait of Hormuz, where obviously the oil is not flowing from at the moment. [4:30] And secondly, more widely in terms of the economic impact of the conflict. [4:35] So what people wanted to know, I think, including some of the people at the press conference, was when we could expect certain measures to be put in place. [4:43] For example, help with energy bills. [4:45] What he wanted to emphasise was that as a result of government policy, energy bills were going to be put in place. [4:46] So what people wanted to know, I think, including some of the people at the press conference, was when we could expect certain measures to be put in place. [4:46] For example, help with energy bills. [4:47] So what people wanted to know, I think, including some of the people at the press conference, was when we could expect certain measures to be put in place. [4:49] So what people wanted to know, I think, including some of the people at the press conference, was when we could expect certain measures to be put in place. [4:51] So we're coming down and staying down for the next three months. [4:53] But he, like the Chancellor Rachel Reeves, tended to suggest that when any help did kick in if the conflict is protracted, that that wouldn't happen until the autumn. [4:59] He said that only 7% of energy use was during the summer. [5:01] He said that only 7% of energy use was during the summer. [5:07] So some people might be worried when the energy price cap is lifted in July that they will see the bills going up and won't have any immediate help. [5:12] Obviously we know that help, when it does come, will be targeted. [5:15] But again, no more detail. [5:16] on how it will be targeted, what level of household income people should have. [5:21] And with Australia, for example, cutting its fuel duty, Ireland's doing much the same. [5:27] He was asked directly by the BBC what he was going to do about fuel duty here. [5:31] And again, he said, well, the cut remains in place until September. [5:36] So again, no guarantee that that would be reversed, [5:40] even though just about everyone expects that if the conflict is protracted, that is exactly what he'd do. [5:45] So it may well be that Downing Street has a plan to roll out its measures at certain times. [5:50] It's also facing, of course, local elections in England, national elections for the Scottish and Welsh parliaments. [5:56] So there is a lot going on beyond this conflict. [6:00] And it may well be that he wants to make announcements at specific times. [6:03] We didn't get much more detail today. [6:05] I think what we did get in terms of direction of travel, though, was interestingly, [6:10] he chose to emphasise having closer relationships with the EU. [6:14] We knew there was going to be a summit this year. [6:16] And in the summer, but he also talked up the prospects for that summit. [6:21] He said it wouldn't be a stock taking summit. [6:23] He was going to be far more ambitious. [6:25] So I think he was trying to say, look, we have a crisis here, [6:29] but I've also got a long term strategy for trying to grow the economy into and to bounce back. [6:34] It's also one, though, which drew very clear dividing lines with Reform UK, for example, [6:40] going into those elections that I mentioned. [6:43] Yeah, I mean, he was asked very clearly, wasn't he, about the pivot. [6:46] Whether there was a pivot from the US to Europe and in response to the relationship with the US, it was interesting. [6:55] He said sort of the similar thing a couple of times. [6:57] Whatever the pressure, whatever the noise, I am the British prime minister and I have to act in our national interests. [7:05] Yeah, I don't think we should see everything entirely through the prism of the forthcoming May elections. [7:10] But it certainly is the case that Keir Starmer as a party leader is unpopular, that his party is trailing the [7:17] polls. But one thing which seems to have struck a chord with the British public is having this distance, [7:22] perhaps as a matter of circumstance rather than choice, but a distance from President Trump and also his guarantee that [7:30] there wouldn't be any UK involvement in offensive action against Iran, that the action we take is defensive. [7:36] That seems to be playing relatively well in the polls. [7:38] So it's not surprising that he re-emphasises that. [7:42] It was interesting he didn't get involved in some of the rhetoric that Donald Trump has been involved in. [7:47] There's some interesting things that he said. [7:49] He didn't just go on particularly about not getting dragged into the war. [7:53] He also talked about people being worried by the aggressive rhetoric that they heard. [7:57] They didn't say who was responsible for that aggressive rhetoric. [8:00] But I think we could probably have in mind the president and his secretary of state for war in the United States. [8:08] Yeah, and there's plenty more analysis from all our correspondents. [8:11] Ian Watson, our political correspondent. [8:13] Thank you. And plenty more analysis from our correspondents on the BBC News website. [8:17] There is a live page running at the moment, which will keep you updated with all the latest developments.