Starmer says, with global volatility, UK’s long-term national interest requires ‘closer partnership’ with EU
Starmer rattles through a list of other measures taken by the government to help with the cost of living.
But he says, in the future, “it is not going to be easy”.
He goes on:
double quotation markWe will continue to stand up for the British national interest, and we continue to do what we must to guide our country calmly through this storm.
However, it is increasingly clear that as the world continues down this volatile path, our long-term national interest requires closer partnership with our allies in Europe and with the European Union.
Key events
Show key events only
Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature
Starmer describes Trump’s Nato threats as ‘noise’, and says they won’t stop him acting in national interest
Q: How seriously do you take President Trump’s threat to withdraw from Nato?
Starmer repeated the suggestion that this was Trump using a threat as a negotiating tactic. (See 10.32am.) He said:
double quotation markThere’s been a good deal of pressure on me to change my position in relation to joining the war. And I’m not going to change my position on the war.
So, whatever the pressure, whatever the noise, I’m the British prime minister, and I have to act in our national interests.
I should say that on defence and security and intelligence, we’re obviously working closely with the US, as we always do.
And in relation to the planning on the strait of Hormuz, of course, that involves talking to the Americans, as well.
That was the last question at the press conference.
ShareStarmer does not accept that he is choosing Europe over America as UK’s best long-term partner
Q: [From Jack Elsom from the Sun] Do the manifesto commitments not to join the single market or the customs union still stand? And in the past you said you would not be forced to choose between the US and the EU. But are you now choosing Europe over America?
Starmer said the manifesto commitments remain. But the manifesto also said Labour wanted a closer relationship with the EU, he said.
He went on:
double quotation markI’m not going to choose, because I think it’s in our interest to have a strong relationship with the US and with Europe.
But I do think that, when it comes to defence and security, energy emissions and the economy, we need a stronger relationship with Europe.
I actually think that will help strengthen our relationship with the US because, successive presidents have said that Europe needs to do more on their defence and security.
I’ve long argued that with European colleagues that we should be doing more. And that’s not just, for example, on defence spend; it’s also on how we spend, how we collaborate, cooperate.
And that’s why I’ve focused on deals, for example, that we’ve done with Norway in relation to frigates. Really good deal, very good for trade, very good jobs in the Clyde.
But really importantly, the inter-operability of the frigates. We can have our crews on their frigates, they can have their crews on our frigates. That to me is the future of a stronger European defence, which is bringing together the capability that we’ve had.
ShareStarmer says he is ‘ambitious [to] do more’ in relation to alignment with EU single market
Q: [From the Guardian’s Jessica Elgot] You have ruled out joining a customs union with the EU. Are you planning something more like rejoining the single market? Would that be good for the economy?
Starmer said that the UK and the EU have already taken “steps … in relation to the single market” and he said he was “ambitious that we can do more in relation to the single market, because I think that’s hugely in our economic, interests”.
(Starmer seemed to be referrring to alignment with EU standards – rather than formally joining the single market.)
He went on:
double quotation markObviously, this is a matter of negotiation and discussion with the EU. but, the summit we have this year will not be just be a stock-take summit where we look at actually the 10 strands that we put in place last year.
It will be a deliberate, ambition on our part to go further than that and to cooperate more deeply, including in the economic sphere.
Q: [From Natasha Clark at LBC] Do you support calls for the king to meet victims of Jeffrey Epstein when he goes to the US? And why do you think polls show that only 10% of the public think you are doing well on the cost of living?
On the cost of living, Starmer said he does not think everybody knows that fuel bills are coming down this quarter as a result of decisions taken by the government.
double quotation markI want as many people as possible to know that that’s the case, because I know they’re going to be anxious.
And, on the king, Starmer just said it was a long-planned visit. He did not address the Epstein question.
Q: People say you have been dithering. When will you give details of the energy support package that you will set out?
Starmer says:
double quotation markA lot of the measures on the cost of living were measures that were taken at the budget last year. So we were ahead of this.
On energy, Starmer says fuel bill are far less of a problem for people during the summer.
He says the energy bill people get for the summer accounts for only 7% of the annual cost.
double quotation markIt doesn’t mean [people are] not worried about it, but I think most people would be looking to watch the one that comes when it gets colder later in the year.
He says the government is working on contingency plans that would cover the autumn energy bills.
double quotation markA lot of it will depend on how long the conflict goes on, how quickly the straits are opened, because it’s very difficult to assess at the moment what might be needed …
In the end, the focus has to be on de-escalation.
Q: [From Andy Bell from 5 News] Isn’t it time to tell people they need to start changing their behaviour because of this crisis?
Starmer repeats points he has already made, saying the government has a five-point plan, it is monitoring the situtation, and de-escalation is neeed.
Q: Do you think people should change their behaviour now, in terms of using petrol?
Starmer says the government is monitoring the situation carefully. He says the best thing that could happen for petrol prices would be de-escalation in the Gulf.
ShareStarmer suggests Trump’s Nato threat an attempt to put pressure on UK and other allies
Q: [From ITV’s Harry Horton] Donald Trump says today he might pull out of Nato. Is your reference to a closer relationship with the EU an acknowledgment that the relationship with the US is changing?
Starmer replies:
double quotation markFirstly, Nato is the single most effective military alliance the world has ever seen. And it has kept us safe for many decades. And we are fully committed to Nato.
Secondly, that, whatever the pressure on me and others, whatever the noise, I’m going to act in the British national interest in all the decisions that I make.
And that’s why I’ve been absolutely clear that this is not our war, and we’re not going to get dragged into it.
But I’m equally clear that, when it comes to defence and security and our economic future, we have to have closer ties with Europe.
Starmer is now taking questions.
Q: [From the BBC’s Henry Zeffman] No one thinks the government will push ahead with the fuel duty rise in the autumn. Can you confirm it won’t happen?
Starmer says fuel duty is frozen until September. The government will keep this under review, he says.
ShareStarmer says summit with EU later this year will lead to ‘more ambitious’ plans for cooperation
Starmer says he will push for a closer relationship with the EU at a summit coming up later this year.
double quotation markAs the chancellor has rightly pointed out, Brexit did deep damage to our economy and the opportunities to strengthen our security and cut the cost of living are simply too big to ignore.
So in the coming weeks, we will announce a new summit with our EU partners.
And I can tell you that at that summit the UK will not just ratify existing commitments made at last year’s summit.
We want to be more ambitious, closer economic cooperation, closer security cooperation, a partnership that recognises our shared values, our shared interest and our shared future.
ShareStarmer says, with global volatility, UK’s long-term national interest requires ‘closer partnership’ with EU
Starmer rattles through a list of other measures taken by the government to help with the cost of living.
But he says, in the future, “it is not going to be easy”.
He goes on:
double quotation markWe will continue to stand up for the British national interest, and we continue to do what we must to guide our country calmly through this storm.
However, it is increasingly clear that as the world continues down this volatile path, our long-term national interest requires closer partnership with our allies in Europe and with the European Union.