Prime Minister Keir Starmer has expressed frustration over the effect of US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on British energy bills, in remarks that appeared to draw a comparison between the two leaders. Speaking to ITV's Robert Peston on Thursday, Starmer said he was 'fed up' with families and businesses seeing their energy costs fluctuate because of the actions of Putin or Trump across the world.
Starmer also condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for continued strikes on Lebanon, despite a ceasefire agreed on 7 April. 'That should stop – that's my strong view,' he said, rejecting technical arguments about whether the strikes breached the agreement. He stressed that the attacks on Lebanon were 'wrong'.
During a phone call with Trump on Thursday, Starmer discussed the need for a 'practical plan' to restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz following the Middle East ceasefire. A Downing Street spokesperson said the leaders agreed that with a ceasefire in place and an agreement to open the strait, the next stage required a viable plan to get shipping moving again quickly.
In a Guardian article published on Thursday, Starmer wrote that Britain should be 'a country where people are not at the mercy of events abroad' and vowed that his government would do more than simply manage crises. He called the war in Iran 'a line in the sand' that will define a generation.
Starmer's relationship with US allies has been strained since the war with Iran began in late February. Trump has mocked Starmer, sharing a video from SNL UK depicting the prime minister as fearful and avoiding his calls, and stating that Starmer is 'no Winston Churchill'.
