All articles tagged with #starmer
Sir Keir Starmer argues Britain must become more resilient to global shocks—promoting energy independence and domestic reforms (renewables, stronger workers’ rights, and scrapping the two-child benefit cap)—as he visits the Gulf and discusses securing shipping routes amid a fragile Iran ceasefire and rising UK energy prices.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer grants British forces new powers to board and potentially detain sanctioned vessels passing through UK waters, intensifying efforts to disrupt Russia’s shadow fleet and starve its war profits by moving from tracking to active interception in coordination with allies like Finland, Sweden and Estonia.
During PMQs, Kemi Badenoch pressed Keir Starmer over Peter Mandelson’s appointment as UK ambassador to the US and whether he spoke to Mandelson about Jeffrey Epstein; Starmer defended the vetting process, apologized for the appointment, and said an independent adviser is reviewing it. The session also featured debates on Iran policy, cost of living, and leadership contrasts as both leaders traded criticisms.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visits London for talks with Prime Minister Keir Starmer and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, urging continued Western support for Ukraine as Russia’s invasion continues, while noting that attention to Iran’s war has shifted focus away from Ukraine.
First batch of Mandelson papers shows Keir Starmer was warned of reputational risks ahead of appointing Peter Mandelson as US ambassador, connected to his Epstein ties and prior sackings; documents reveal Mandelson sought a severance of over £500k (settled at £75k), a senior adviser calling the appointment 'weirdly rushed', and Mandelson helping arrange a 2002 Blair–Epstein meeting. No proven wrongdoing is established, and more documents are expected as police investigations continue.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was warned in 2024 that appointing Peter Mandelson—linked to Jeffrey Epstein—as ambassador to the United States posed a general reputational risk, with vetting documents noting a long, close relationship and even Mandelson staying at Epstein’s home. The affair deepened after Mandelson was fired in 2025 amid the controversy, as U.S. and U.K. investigations continued and authorities redacted documents pending legal or security concerns. Starmer apologized for the decision and called for ethics reforms as more files are released.
US President Donald Trump publicly accused UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer of wanting to “join wars after we’ve already won” and said Britain doesn’t need its aircraft carriers as the US and Israel press strikes on Iran; Britain weighs potential carrier deployment and continues to use bases for defensive operations in the Middle East.
A massive fire engulfs a Kuwait City tower amid escalating Gulf-wide clashes, with reports of missile and drone attacks across the region as the war in the Middle East intensifies. Concurrently, US President Donald Trump accuses UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer of seeking to join wars after they’ve supposedly been won, as Britain’s HMS Prince of Wales is placed on advanced readiness.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer says the UK will not join the initial US-Israeli strikes on Iran, favoring negotiated de-escalation, while dispatching four additional Typhoon jets to Qatar and reinforcing regional defenses as the US-UK relationship remains active.
Amid US-Israel strikes on Iran, the UK allowed US base use but rejected “regime change from the skies,” highlighting how Starmer must steer a deeply entwined security alliance with Washington even as Trump notes the relationship has changed and analysts warn Britain could be exposed if Washington redefines the bond.
Keir Starmer dodged Donald Trump's attacks on Britain’s Iran policy at PMQs, arguing that the UK-U.S. 'special relationship' is demonstrated by actions such as shared intelligence and base access rather than Trump’s latest statements. Downing Street aims to secure tangible benefits from the alliance and protect British interests, while Starmer presents himself as a pragmatic broker between the US and Europe despite mixed public opinion on the Iran operation.
President Donald Trump criticized UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer for initially refusing to basing American airstrikes in the UK against Iran, saying the UK-US relationship isn’t what it used to be. Starmer later agreed to allow limited US use of two British bases for defensive operations as tensions with Iran continue, highlighting ongoing strains in the long-standing alliance.
President Trump attacked UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer for denying initial US access to British bases for strikes on Iran, calling him 'not Winston Churchill.' The UK had refused Diego Garcia but later allowed US access to bases for defensive strikes on Iranian missile sites; London says it will not back regime change from the air, while continuing to cooperate with the US, and the Royal Navy dispatched HMS Dragon to Cyprus after drone attacks.
UK Labour leader Keir Starmer publicly defended Britain’s cautious stance on Iran, pushing back against Donald Trump’s push for strikes and insisting any action must be lawful and well-planned; London initially blocked US access to bases but later allowed limited strikes against Iran’s missiles and storage sites, while not joining offensive action, highlighting a strained but still intact US–UK relationship amid broader European divisions.
Trump attacked Keir Starmer over the 99-year Diego Garcia/Chagos lease with Mauritius, warning the deal could compromise sovereignty and suggesting the United States might deploy the base to deter Iran; Washington had signaled backing, while the UK defends the agreement as securing long‑term security and decolonisation, with the cost to Britain around £3.4 billion.