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Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer set out his response to the crisis in a Downing Street press conference (Brook Mitchell\/PA)<\/p>\nIran has effectively shut the vital oil and gas shipping route by targeting vessels in response to the US-Israeli air strikes.<\/p>\n
Mr Trump has called for countries, including the UK, to join a mission to protect shipping.<\/p>\n
But the Prime Minister, who has so far resisted the US president\u2019s demands, said: \u201cWe\u2019re working with all of our allies, including our European partners, to bring together a viable collective plan that can restore freedom of navigation in the region as quickly as possible and ease the economic impacts.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Trump said the UK\u2019s approach to the conflict was \u201cterrible\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was very surprised with the United Kingdom, because the United Kingdom, two weeks ago, I said, \u2018Why don\u2019t you send some ships over\u2019 and he really didn\u2019t want to do it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI said \u2018You don\u2019t want to do it? We\u2019ve been with you. You\u2019re our oldest ally and we spend a lot of money on Nato and all of these things to protect you\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cI think it\u2019s terrible. I was very surprised.\u201d<\/p>\n
The US President suggested the UK will \u201cmaybe\u201d be involved in the Strait of Hormuz mission, but they should be involved \u201centhusiastically\u201d.<\/p>\n
He also appeared to criticise Sir Keir for seeking the advice of aides on the issue following a call between the two leaders on Sunday, claiming the premier had said he was \u201cmeeting with my team\u201d before making a decision.<\/p>\n
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer set out his response to the crisis in a Downing Street press conference (Brook Mitchell\/PA)<\/p>\n
UK Government sources said the Prime Minister had referred to wanting to speak to partners and military planners, rather than No 10 advisers.<\/p>\n
\u201cI said you don\u2019t need to meet with your team, you\u2019re the Prime Minister, you can make your own\u2026 why do you have to meet with your team to find out whether or not you\u2019re going to send some minesweepers to help us or to send some boats,\u201d Mr Trump said.<\/p>\n
Speaking to reporters in the White House later on Monday, he said the US had considered Britain the \u201cRolls-Royce of allies\u201d and described Sir Keir as a \u201cvery nice guy\u201d, but insisted the response to the war had been \u201cvery disappointing\u201d.<\/p>\n
Mr Trump repeated his claim that the Prime Minister had offered to send over the UK\u2019s two aircraft carriers to the Middle East and that he had told Sir Keir \u201cI don\u2019t need your aircraft carriers after we\u2019ve already won.\u201d<\/p>\n
There was speculation that HMS Prince of Wales, one of the two warships which had previously been earmarked for deployment in the Arctic, could be sent to the region after it was placed in a state of advanced readiness earlier this month.<\/p>\n
At a Downing Street press conference earlier, Sir Keir said he would not allow the UK to be drawn into a \u201cwider war\u201d in the Middle East.<\/p>\n
Britain could potentially provide mine-hunting drones to the mission rather than a warship, although the Prime Minister insisted no final decisions had been made.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a discussion, we are not at a point of decisions yet, I want to really stress that,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The Prime Minister said he had discussed the issue with countries in the Gulf and Europe, as well as Mr Trump.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019ll have to be something which is agreed by as many partners as possible, is my strong view. We\u2019re not at that stage yet, but we are working hard.\u201d<\/p>\n
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(PA Graphics)<\/p>\n
In a joint statement with the leaders of Canada, Germany, France and Italy issued later on Monday evening, he called for de-escalation and talks over the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are gravely concerned by the escalating violence in Lebanon and call for meaningful engagement by Israeli and Lebanese representatives to negotiate a sustainable political solution,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe strongly support initiatives to facilitate talks and urge for immediate de-escalation.\u201d<\/p>\n
The leaders demanded Hezbollah cease its attacks on Israel and disarm, while warning that a significant Israeli ground offensive would have \u201cdevastating humanitarian consequences and could lead to a protracted conflict\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt must be averted,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n
The Prime Minister has acknowledged the impact of rising oil and gas prices on households in the UK, announcing his administration had issued a \u201clegal direction\u201d to energy firms to pass on savings from Government policies already announced.<\/p>\n
And he set out a \u00a353 million package of support for \u201cvulnerable\u201d heating oil customers, focused on \u201cthose households that are most exposed\u201d.<\/p>\n
He also raised concerns about claims that suppliers of heating oil have cancelled orders and then hiked bills as prices have spiked.<\/p>\n
For rural communities, recent rises in heating oil prices are a real and urgent problem.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s why we\u2019re providing over \u00a350m to help those who need it most \u2013 including funding for the @niexecutive<\/a> to deliver support where this hits hardest. pic.twitter.com\/2EVMpa8lRx<\/a><\/p>\n