Pressure grows to postpone king’s state visit to US amid Iran war and Trump’s jibes at allies – UK politics live | Politics

Good morning. Keir Starmer heads the cabinet this morning and foreign policy is still in control of government affairs. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper will later be in the House of Commons, where she will give an update on the UK’s response to the US-Israeli war on Iran, undoubtedly reinforcing the line Starmer laid out yesterday.

Starmer is also meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

European leaders are not keen on going to war with Tehran, but they are determined to support Ukraine and are concerned that Russia is the only country that won the Iran war without paying any price. It will appear this afternoon.

Starmer has largely resisted the temptation to respond to Trump’s escalating provocations yesterday, when he accused the Prime Minister of indecisiveness and over-reliance on his advisers. But this morning Starmer is being encouraged to retaliate with soft power by canceling the king’s state visit to the US planned for next month.

Until now, the priority was to postpone the state visit. Ed Davey obsession – and once an idea becomes a Liberal Democrat policy, Starmer’s chances of approving it tend to fall. But this morning Emily ThornberryThe chairman of the House of Commons foreign affairs committee also endorsed the idea; This means he has a place in Labour’s mainstream thinking, making him slightly more credible as a potential option.

In an interview on the Today programme, Thornberry said when asked if he wanted the visit to be postponed:

If it were to continue next month – the dates haven’t been confirmed yet, but everyone seems to think it will be next month – it would continue on a war footing, and I think that’s quite difficult. The last thing we want to do is embarrass Your Majesty.

The visit is planned to take place at the end of April. Of course, it is possible that the war will be over by then, but there is no guarantee of that given that Trump has no exit strategy and the Iranian regime is intact and determined to continue the fight.

In the interview, Thornberry continued:

I think very careful thought needs to be given to whether it is appropriate to continue now, have a limited schedule, or postpone. But we cannot pretend that there is no background to the war.

When asked what he thought should happen, Thornberry said:

I think it would be safer to delay, but I don’t know the details.

Here is the agenda of the day.

9.30: Keir Starmer chairs the cabinet meeting, which includes the political cabinet.

Morning: Kemi Badenoch visits east Surrey.

11am: Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and Treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick held a press conference. as BBC reportsThey will propose getting rid of VAT and green taxes on energy bills – while also announcing a free-for-all lottery prize draw in which Reform UK will pay the winner and the entire street’s energy bills for a year.

11.30: Deputy prime minister and justice minister David Lammy answers questions in the House of Commons.

Afternoon: A lobby briefing is being held in Downing Street.

After 12.30: Minister of Foreign Affairs Yvette Cooper is making statements to MPs regarding the US-Israeli war against Iran.

13.30: Chancellor Rachel Reeves gives the Mais lecture. Graeme Wearden will identify innovation and artificial intelligence, closer ties with Europe and regional growth as the three big opportunities for economic growth in the UK, as he reports on his business live blog.

Afternoon: Starmer meets Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Downing Street. Starmer is also meeting with NATO secretary general Mark Rutte.

Afternoon: MPs discuss all stages of the process ministerial salaries (amendment) billThis will increase the number of government ministers eligible for a salary from 109 (the limit set by a law passed in 1975) to 120.

15.40: Culture secretary Lisa Nandy speaks at the Society of Editors conference.

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