Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said there is a “real sense of relief” in the Gulf following the Iran ceasefire, but warned that “a lot of work” remains to make it permanent. Speaking at the King Fahd Air Base in Taif, Saudi Arabia, Starmer addressed British military personnel and highlighted the need to secure the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, which he said has a direct impact on UK energy prices.
“There is a real sense, I think, of relief you can feel it at the base here in Saudi Arabia, for 39 days, they’ve been acting in our collective self-defence. You can feel the relief,” Starmer told broadcasters. “But what they want to know, what people in the United Kingdom want to know, who will share that relief, is that this needs to be permanent.”
The Prime Minister stressed that his job is to protect UK lives and interests, including ensuring the Strait of Hormuz remains open to stabilise energy prices. He added that the UK will work with other countries in the region to support the ceasefire and address the strait’s status. Starmer’s visit to Saudi Arabia is part of a broader diplomatic push to solidify the US-Iran agreement.
Meanwhile, on the domestic front, Labour has pledged £30 million to guarantee a living wage for Scottish artists and musicians, mirroring a similar scheme in Ireland. Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, expressed understanding for former Labour voters “flirting” with other parties ahead of May’s elections, but warned they might regret seeing a Green or Reform-led council. The government also named City veteran Ian Cheshire as its preferred candidate to chair media regulator Ofcom.
