Starmer confirms UK will not support US blockade of strait of Hormuz – UK politics live | Politics

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Government change in intelligence evidence could revive stalled Hillsborough law
The delayed Hillsborough law could come into force after the government moved to force intelligence services to give evidence to public inquiries. Peter Walker reports.
Fried nuggets and steamed sponges are off the menu in overhaul of UK school meals
Keir Starmer is at a school in Angela Rayner’s constituency this morning (see 9.45am) to promote. This government announcement about school meals. Raphael Boyd The story is here.
Keir Starmer He joined former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner and Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham on a visit to the school, the Press Association reported. PA says:
The trio met in the Greater Manchester area on Monday to present a united front despite Rayner having previously challenged Keir Starmer’s leadership and Burnham being blocked from standing in the Gorton and Denton by-elections.
They all shared a joke as they sat among the school kids and asked the youngsters about their favorite breakfast foods and favorite sports.
The visit comes after the government announced that deep-fried foods would be banned from school menus and sugary treats would be limited.
Starmer defended proposed legislation that would allow the UK to easily comply with EU regulations, saying a ‘closer relationship with Europe’ is vital
In his Radio 5 Live interview, Keir Starmer also asked about this Guardian story: Alexandra Hill And Peter Walker “Ministers plan to fundamentally reshape the UK’s relationship with the European Union with new legislation that could result in the UK signing EU single market rules without a normal parliamentary vote,” he said.
star player He defended the proposed law, saying a closer relationship with the EU was in the national interest. He said:
We are in a world of enormous conflict, great uncertainty, and I strongly believe that the UK’s interest is in a stronger, closer relationship with Europe; Whether it’s defense and security, whether it’s energy… but also our economy…
10 years on from the Brexit referendum, I think there is a sense that we need to look forward rather than backward.
Let’s put aside all the old debates from the last decade. Let’s go forward and recognize that it is in the UK’s interest to have a stronger, closer relationship with Europe, especially in an unstable world as it is now, and I know that worries a lot of people.
In response to the suggestion that allowing the UK to comply with EU regulations using secondary legislation amounted to integration by stealth, Starmer said this would only happen under a bill “voted in parliament”.
Starmer confirms UK will not support US blockade of Strait of Hormuz
Good morning. The parliamentary recess is over, the Iran war disaster is not over, campaigning is ramping up with the May election less than four weeks away and MPs will have plenty to discuss when they meet in the House of Commons this afternoon. As always, the full schedule is below.
Keir Starmer He is in Greater Manchester this morning on a visit in connection with the UK local elections. But he is expected to give an update on Britain’s response to the Iran war in the House of Commons later, and just minutes ago he confirmed in an interview on Radio 5 Live that Britain would not join the US in enforcing the new blockade of Hormuz proposed by Donald Trump.
When asked whether the UK would support the US on the blockade, Starmer replied:
We do not support the blockade.
Starmer confirmed the UK has “mine-sweeping capability”. He said he would not get into “operational matters” but confirmed he had spoken to Britain’s allies, citing discussions about what could be done to keep the strait open after the conflict between Iran and the US ends.
He said that opening the strait is a priority.
The strait is closed or not as open to navigation as it should be. This means that oil and gas are not released to the market. This means the price has increased. This means anyone listening to this will face higher energy bills. And I don’t want that to happen.
I want energy bills to be stable and lower. Therefore, I think it is vital to open the throat completely.
I will publish the rest of the interview soon.
Here is the agenda of the day.
Morning: Keir Starmer visits Greater Manchester and is interviewed by Radio 5 Live.
Morning: Kemi Badenoch is on a campaigning visit to Clapham, south London.
10.30: Anas Sarwar has published Scottish Labour’s manifesto for the Holyrood elections.
10.30: Health secretary Wes Streeting gives a speech to the IPPR think tank about NHS funding.
11am: Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and Reform chief Zia Yusuf held a press conference.
11.30: A lobby briefing is being held in Downing Street.
Afternoon: The Southport investigation has published its phase one report.
14.30: Housing secretary Steve Reed answers questions in the House of Commons.
After 15.30: Starmer is expected to make a statement to MPs about the Iran war and Gulf tour last week.
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