Starmer says, with global volatility, UK’s long-term national interest requires ‘closer partnership’ with EU<\/p>\n
Starmer rattles through a list of other measures taken by the government to help with the cost of living.<\/p>\n
But he says, in the future, \u201cit is not going to be easy\u201d.<\/p>\n
He goes on:<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n Key events<\/p>\n Show key events only<\/p>\n Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature<\/p>\n Starmer describes Trump’s Nato threats as ‘noise’, and says they won’t stop him acting in national interest<\/p>\n Q: How seriously do you take President Trump\u2019s threat to withdraw from Nato?<\/p>\n Starmer repeated the suggestion that this was Trump using a threat as a negotiating tactic. (See 10.32am<\/a>.) He said:<\/p>\n double quotation markThere\u2019s been a good deal of pressure on me to change my position in relation to joining the war. And I\u2019m not going to change my position on the war.<\/p>\n So, whatever the pressure, whatever the noise, I\u2019m the British prime minister, and I have to act in our national interests.<\/p>\n I should say that on defence and security and intelligence, we\u2019re obviously working closely with the US, as we always do.<\/p>\n And in relation to the planning on the strait of Hormuz, of course, that involves talking to the Americans, as well.<\/p>\n That was the last question at the press conference.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Starmer does not accept that he is choosing Europe over America as UK’s best long-term partner<\/p>\n 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?<\/p>\n Starmer said the manifesto commitments remain. But the manifesto also said Labour<\/a> wanted a closer relationship with the EU, he said.<\/p>\n He went on:<\/p>\n double quotation markI\u2019m not going to choose, because I think it\u2019s in our interest to have a strong relationship with the US and with Europe.<\/p>\n But I do think that, when it comes to defence and security, energy emissions and the economy, we need a stronger relationship with Europe.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve long argued that with European colleagues that we should be doing more. And that\u2019s not just, for example, on defence spend; it\u2019s also on how we spend, how we collaborate, cooperate.<\/p>\n And that\u2019s why I\u2019ve focused on deals, for example, that we\u2019ve done with Norway in relation to frigates. Really good deal, very good for trade, very good jobs in the Clyde.<\/p>\n 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\u2019ve had.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Starmer says he is ‘ambitious [to] do more’ in relation to alignment with EU single market<\/p>\n Q: [From the Guardian\u2019s 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?<\/p>\n Starmer said that the UK and the EU have already taken \u201csteps \u2026 in relation to the single market\u201d and he said he was \u201cambitious that we can do more in relation to the single market, because I think that\u2019s hugely in our economic, interests\u201d.<\/p>\n (Starmer seemed to be referrring to alignment with EU standards \u2013 rather than formally joining the single market.)<\/p>\n He went on:<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n It will be a deliberate, ambition on our part to go further than that and to cooperate more deeply, including in the economic sphere.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 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?<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n double quotation markI want as many people as possible to know that that\u2019s the case, because I know they\u2019re going to be anxious.<\/p>\n And, on the king, Starmer just said it was a long-planned visit. He did not address the Epstein question.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Q: People say you have been dithering. When will you give details of the energy support package that you will set out?<\/p>\n Starmer says:<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n On energy, Starmer says fuel bill are far less of a problem for people during the summer.<\/p>\n He says the energy bill people get for the summer accounts for only 7% of the annual cost.<\/p>\n double quotation markIt doesn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n He says the government is working on contingency plans that would cover the autumn energy bills.<\/p>\n double quotation markA lot of it will depend on how long the conflict goes on, how quickly the straits are opened, because it\u2019s very difficult to assess at the moment what might be needed \u2026<\/p>\n In the end, the focus has to be on de-escalation.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Q: [From Andy Bell from 5 News] Isn\u2019t it time to tell people they need to start changing their behaviour because of this crisis?<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Q: Do you think people should change their behaviour now, in terms of using petrol?<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Starmer suggests Trump’s Nato threat an attempt to put pressure on UK and other allies<\/p>\n Q: [From ITV\u2019s 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?<\/p>\n Starmer replies:<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Secondly, that, whatever the pressure on me and others, whatever the noise, I\u2019m going to act in the British national interest in all the decisions that I make.<\/p>\n And that\u2019s why I\u2019ve been absolutely clear that this is not our war, and we\u2019re not going to get dragged into it.<\/p>\n But I\u2019m equally clear that, when it comes to defence and security and our economic future, we have to have closer ties with Europe.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Starmer is now taking questions.<\/p>\n Q: [From the BBC\u2019s Henry Zeffman] No one thinks the government will push ahead with the fuel duty rise in the autumn. Can you confirm it won\u2019t happen?<\/p>\n Starmer says fuel duty is frozen until September. The government will keep this under review, he says.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Starmer says summit with EU later this year will lead to ‘more ambitious’ plans for cooperation<\/p>\n Starmer says he will push for a closer relationship with the EU at a summit coming up later this year.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n So in the coming weeks, we will announce a new summit with our EU partners.<\/p>\n And I can tell you that at that summit the UK will not just ratify existing commitments made at last year\u2019s summit.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n