Starmer in talks with allies about Strait of Hormuz but warns UK will not be dragged into Donald Trump’s wider war on Iran
Britain is working with allies on a plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz but will not be dragged into Donald Trump’s “full-scale war” against Iran, Sir Keir Starmer said.
The Prime Minister confirmed in Downing Street on Monday that he had spoken to European allies as well as others, including Canada’s Mark Carney, about military intervention to keep the straits open amid new warnings about rising prices and fuel rationing in Britain.
But he insisted Britain would not join Israel and the US in offensive attacks against Iran. It also did not commit to sending warships to the strait, as President Trump requested over the weekend, a move that could escalate the crisis.
This comes as a senior Labor source who is a regular part of security discussions on Iran and Ukraine said. Independent It was stated that the feedback to the government from Democrats as well as Republican allies was “deep despair in the face of the president’s unstable behavior.”
Speaking at a Downing Street press conference, Sir Keir said he wanted the war to end quickly, adding that Britain and its allies were “working hard” on a “workable plan” to end the blockade of the key oil and gas channel.
He said: “While we will take the necessary steps to defend ourselves and our allies, we will not be drawn into a wider war.
“I want this war to end as quickly as possible, because the longer it goes on, the more dangerous the situation becomes and the worse the cost of living here at home.”
Mr Trump called on Britain and other countries to send warships to help secure the Strait of Hormuz and claimed NATO faced a “very bad” future if member states did not help.
But despite growing concerns about the impact of closing the strait on global economies, many countries have so far rejected this call. It is said that ministers in England are preparing plans to send unmanned aerial vehicles to the strait for minesweeping purposes instead.
Sir Keir added: “Ultimately we have to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to ensure market stability. This is no simple task.
“Discussions are ongoing on an appropriate plan.
“We want to make sure that this involves as many partners as possible, that was the directive we set out here, talking to European partners in particular, inevitably talking to Gulf partners and the United States, because we need a credible, workable plan if possible.”
He noted: “It’s not easy to say the least. It’s not simple. So we have to make sure we make it reliable.”
Asked whether he would send a warship to the Gulf, Sir Keir stated that he had not decided yet and said: “We are evaluating the options. This is a discussion. We are not at the decision stage yet.”
Earlier, the prime minister met with his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney in Downing Street to discuss the situations with Iran and Ukraine.
Sir Keir said: “I spoke to Prime Minister Carney earlier this morning and will also meet President Zelensky soon, because it is vital that we continue to focus on supporting Ukraine.
“We cannot allow the war in the Gulf to turn into an unexpected opportunity for Putin.”
Sir Keir made the announcement as he announced that households that need heating oil to heat their homes will receive £53 million in government support to help with their bills. He also threatened legal action against fuel suppliers for price gouging.
He spoke shortly after former Gordon Brown aide and former BP chief Nick Butler told Sir Keir his government needed a plan for “fuel rationing”. There are also concerns about the impact on food prices if the strait remains effectively closed.
The Prime Minister also did not rule out wider government support for energy bills if costs rise when the cap expires in June. However, he stated that it is difficult to predict where oil prices will be.
In an interview with Finance TimesMr Trump reiterated his call for allied assistance in the Strait of Hormuz, telling the newspaper: “It is only appropriate that the people who benefit from the Strait help ensure that nothing bad happens there.”
It had previously called on Britain, China, France, Japan and South Korea to send ships to secure the route.
Mr Trump also lashed out at Sir Keir’s refusal to allow US forces to use UK bases in the first wave of attacks on Iran.
“The UK can be considered the number one ally, the longest-serving etc., and when I asked them to come, they didn’t want to come,” he told the Financial Times.
“As soon as we eliminated Iran’s danger capacity, they said ‘well we will send two ships’, and I said ‘we need these ships before we win, not after we win’. I have long said that NATO is a one-way street.”
A senior cabinet minister later issued a harsh response to Mr. Trump’s threats. He said Britain did not have to fight the US’s “war of choice” and that the Iran conflict had nothing to do with NATO.
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said Sir Keir had made it clear from the beginning of the conflict: “The UK is not a hero in this conflict and that will frame the discussions we have with the US or anyone else about our involvement or (military) equipment or things like that.”
Sir Keir stated that he discussed the issue with President Trump over the weekend.
During the press conference, the prime minister acknowledged the impact of rising oil and gas prices on UK households.
He announced that the government had issued a “legal mandate” to energy companies to transfer savings from previously announced government policies.
It has also drawn up a £53m support package for “vulnerable” heating oil customers, focusing on “households most at risk”.
He also expressed concern about allegations that heating oil suppliers were canceling orders and then increasing bills as prices rose.
“I will certainly not allow corporations to profit greatly from the suffering of working people,” he said. “This type of behavior is completely unacceptable, so legal action will be taken if companies violate the law.”
