Chancellor Rachel Reeves has publicly criticised Donald Trump for launching a war in Iran without a clear exit strategy, marking one of the strongest rebukes from a UK minister. In an interview with Jeremy Vine, Reeves expressed anger over the decision, stating: 'I’m angry that Donald Trump has chosen to go to war in the Middle East, a war that there’s not a clear plan of how to get out of.'
Reeves emphasised the government's focus on mitigating the impact on energy supplies, saying: 'We are monitoring very closely what’s happening, trying to bring the oil and gas into the UK so that those supplies are there, and to try and get the prices down.' She added that the government is preparing for 'every single eventuality'.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has also weighed in, arguing that Britain's long-term national interest requires closer partnership with the EU, citing the volatile international situation. The UK is convening 35 countries—excluding the US—to explore ways to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route blocked by Iran.
In a separate development, Reform UK has refused to rule out rerunning a controversial attack ad against Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, which claimed he would 'prioritise the Pakistani community'. Senior party figure Thomas Kerr said Sarwar's statements should be 'under massive amounts of scrutiny', while the party displayed vans with anti-immigration slogans in Glasgow.
On domestic energy policy, Reeves confirmed that any future support package would be targeted rather than universal, a move opposed by the Green Party, which insists on help for every household amid rising energy bills.
