Keir Starmer press convention seven main factors – from power payments assist to Trump name
The Prime Minister unveiled an emergency £53million package for heating oil customers at the sharp end of the spike in prices as a result of the US-Israel war with Iran
Keir Starmer said the UK can weather the storm of the Middle East conflict(Image: PA)
Keir Starmer insisted the UK economy can weather the storm of the fallout from the Middle East conflict in a Downing Street press conference.
The Prime Minister unveiled an emergency £53million package for heating oil customers at the sharp end of the spike in prices as a result of the US-Israel war with Iran. He said ending the war in the Middle East “is the quickest way to reduce the cost of living” as he pledged to work towards de-escalating the conflict.
The Prime Minister also stressed the UK will not be drawn into the wider US-Israel war with Iran and defended his initial decision not to give the US permission to use British bases.
General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) said it was right the PM had acted quickly to support those most acutely affected by rising energy prices. But he added: “This illegal war and ongoing chaos will continue to threaten living standards. More support will likely be needed to stave off ‘Trumpflation’. The Prime Minister is right to call for rapid deescalation in the Middle East. The Government must stand ready to pull out all the stops and shield households and firms from this global shock.”
Here The Mirror looks at the major points from Mr Starmer’s press conference.
Help for poorest heating oil customers
The key announcement from the PM was immediate support for vulnerable people exposed to the spike in prices of heating oil due to the Iran war. Mr Starmer said today £53million will be made available for the most exposed customers.
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The Treasury said this would help low-income families in rural communities. He also raised concerns about claims that heating oil suppliers cancelled orders and then hiked prices.
He said: “I simply will not allow companies to make huge profits from the hardship of working people. That kind of conduct is completely unacceptable, so if the companies have broken the law, there will be legal action.”
Energy firms warning
Energy bills for other customers are protected by the price cap until early summer.
The PM made clear the average household will save £117 when the cap comes down next month and will remain in place until June. He said it was “simply not sensible” to rule out other measures beyond this date.
But he warned firms: “I can announce today that we’re giving a legal direction to the energy companies to ensure that every penny of the savings that we delivered through last year’s budget is passed directly on to customers to keep bills as low as possible.”
Fuel duty remains ‘under review’
The Prime Minister said any decision to increase fuel duty is being kept “under review”. At the moment a 5p cut is in place, but this is due to expire at the end of August, to be phased out over several years.
Pressed on what the Government plans to do in the face of rising prices at the pumps, Mr Starmer said: “I know people are urging me, ‘what are you going to do after September?’ That is six months away. There’s obviously a lot of change that can happen in that period and we need to keep the situation under review and we will keep the situation under review.
He had earlier said: “Look, my instinct, my first priority is to protect people in relation to the cost of living. And that’s one of the measures that are already there, the capping of energy bills. And to be really clear, because I know people worry about this, but that is in place until the end of June… and a fuel duty through to September.
“The announcement today in relation to those that heat their homes through oil, which is a big issue in rural communities.”
He went on: “As to what might happen in three months, or six months, I’m not going to stand here and pretend to you that we know what the situation will be in three or six months’ time. We don’t. The best way to do this is to de-escalate, and reduce friction, because that is the most effective way to do it for a living.”
British nationals in Middle East update
The Prime Minister said over 92,000 British national have returned to the UK from the Middle East region since the outbreak of the conflict three weeks ago. This includes commercial and government chartered flights. He said the Armed Forces are also working 24/7 with thousands of service men and women stationed in Cyprus working “night and day”.
Strait fo Hormuz ‘plan’ – and Trump call
Keir Starmer said the UK is working with other countries, including in Europe, to develop a “viable, collective plan” to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. He said this was not a simple task.
It came after the US President Donald Trump warned the future of Nato could be at stake unless allies agreed to his demand to provide ships. The PM, who said he discussed the issue with Trump during a call on Sunday evening, said: “It is a discussion, we are not at a point of decisions yet, I want to really stress that.”
He said: “We’re 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. It’ll have to be something which is agreed by as many partners as possible, is my strong view. We’re not at that stage yet, but we are working hard.”
UK will not be drawn into ‘wider’ war
The Prime Minister insisted the UK will not be “drawn into the wider war” in the Middle East and work towards a “swift resolution” to the conflict. “I want to see an end to this war as quickly as possible because the longer it goes on the more dangerous the situation becomes and the worse it is for the cost of living back here at home,” he said.
In a pop at Reform and the Tories, he went on: “Moments like this also tell you about leadership. Whether to commit British troops to military action is the most serious responsibility for any Prime Minister. I have been attacked by some for my decision not to join the offensive against Iran. But at every stage I’ve stood by my principles – principles which I held just as strongly when it came to debate the Iraq war in 2003. Principles I believe are shared by the British people.”
He added: “Now, there are others who would have made a different decision two weeks ago. They would have rushed the UK headlong into this war. Without the full picture of what they were sending our forces into. And without a plan to get us out. That is not leading, it’s following.”
MIddle East war cannot be ‘windfall for Putin’
Mr Starmer warned the war in the Middle East must not turn into a “windfall” for Russian despot Vladimir Putin.
Speaking at the press conference today, the Prime Minister said he will soon be meeting Ukraine‘s wartime leader President Volodymyr Zelensky. He said: “It’s vital that we continue to focus on supporting Ukraine. We cannot allow the war in the Gulf to turn into a windfall for Putin.”
It comes after the US last week eased sanctions preventing countries for buying Russian oil as a “short-term measure” amid spiralling costs sparked by the war in the Middle East.
