Starmer Concludes Gulf Tour Amid Ongoing Iran Conflict
Good morning. Keir Starmer is concluding his three-day visit to Gulf states today, and initial assessments are emerging. However, there remains no clear plan for resolving the conflict involving Iran. Starmer is not a central figure in this dispute, and his public comments about discussions with Gulf leaders have largely been general statements. There is still uncertainty about when, if at all, the Strait of Hormuz will reopen fully. The eventual outcome depends on Iran and the unpredictable actions of the US president.
Meanwhile, Starmer has been reflecting on the UK's response to the current era of global instability. He has outlined some of his perspectives in an article for , which can be accessed in full here.
Our detailed report on this, authored by Peter Walker and Jamie Grierson, provides further insights.
Starmer Advocates for UK Resilience Amid Global Crisis
Starmer contends that the ongoing crisis underscores the necessity for the UK to enhance its resilience through a strong economy, energy security, closer economic ties with Europe, and increased European defence cooperation. While these priorities were already on the agenda, Starmer argues that the Iran conflict has emphasized their critical importance. He suggests this moment should be pivotal for Britain to "forge a new path." Notably, he previously made similar statements regarding the Covid-19 pandemic during his time in opposition.
Starmer has elaborated on these themes in an interview with Robert Peston, ITV’s political editor. Contrary to some reports, Starmer did not explicitly state he was "fed up" with former US President Donald Trump, although it is likely he holds strong views. However, he did express frustration over rising energy bills in the UK, attributing increases to decisions by both Putin and Trump.
"I’m fed up with the fact that families across the country see their bills go up and down on energy, businesses’ bills go up and down on energy, because of the actions of Putin or Trump across the world, and saying to families across the country, saying to businesses across the country, ‘we’ve just got to … put up with being on the international market’."
Starmer is known for his diplomatic approach when discussing Trump; even under significant provocation, he refrains from overt criticism and seldom reveals his full opinions. Nonetheless, this statement represents a relatively strong critique by his standards, explicitly holding Trump responsible for higher energy costs faced by British consumers and placing him alongside Vladimir Putin in this regard.
Agenda for the Day
- 9am: John Healey, the Defence Secretary, delivers a speech at the London Defence Conference.
- Morning: Keir Starmer holds meetings in Qatar before concluding his Gulf tour and returning to the UK.
- 10am: Anas Sarwar, Scottish Labour leader, unveils his party’s campaign battlebus at an event in Glasgow.
- 11am: Reform UK leader announces the party’s election slogan at a campaign event.
Contact and Interaction
If you wish to contact me, please post a message below the line when comments are open (between 10am and 3pm), or reach out via social media. While I cannot read all below-the-line messages, including the word "Andrew" in your message increases the likelihood I will see it, as I search for posts containing that term.
For urgent matters, social media is the best channel. I am available on Bluesky at @andrewsparrowgdn.bsky.social. also has a presence on Bluesky, and individual journalists maintain accounts. You can message me at @AndrewSparrow there, and I will see and respond if necessary.
I appreciate when readers point out errors, including minor typos. No mistake is too small to correct. Your questions are also welcome; while I cannot guarantee replies to all, I will attempt to respond to as many as possible, either below the line or occasionally within the blog.
