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The UK faces a need to strengthen its resilience amid an increasingly unpredictable global landscape marked by frequent crises, the prime minister has cautioned. Describing the world as “volatile and dangerous,” Sir Keir Starmer emphasized the urgency of preparing the nation to withstand shocks such as the ongoing conflict involving Iran. His focus, he stated in an article for The Guardian, lies in long-term solutions that shield citizens from being vulnerable to international disruptions.
During a three-day diplomatic mission to the Gulf region, the prime minister engaged with key allies to address these challenges. He met Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah before traveling to the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Qatar. These visits come amid a fragile ceasefire in the Iranian conflict, which has been tested by disagreements about the extent of the truce, particularly relating to Lebanon. On the same day, Starmer held a phone conversation with US President Donald Trump, where discussions centered on establishing a viable plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping lane currently blocked by the conflict and a factor contributing to rising living costs in the UK.
Speaking on ITV’s Talking Politics podcast, Sir Keir expressed frustration over the impact of international politics on domestic energy bills, highlighting the need for Britain to achieve energy independence. “I’m fed up with the fact that families across the country see their bills go up and down on energy, businesses’ bills go up and down on energy because of the actions of [Russian President Vladimir] Putin or Trump,” he said. He criticized the government’s previous tendency just to manage crises temporarily, noting that Britain has been buffeted by events like the 2008 financial crash, Brexit, and the Covid pandemic over the past two decades. Starmer promised a different approach this time, calling the conflict in Iran a “line in the sand,” and advocated for policies including investment in renewable energy, enhanced workers’ rights, and the removal of the two-child benefit cap to better prepare the country for ongoing global instability.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper echoed these remarks during her Mansion House speech, warning that the Iran crisis is not an isolated event but part of a pattern of increasing global instability. She listed recent shocks such as the Covid pandemic and the Ukraine invasion as evidence of this chronic volatility, stating, “The new reality we face did not begin with the war in Iran, nor will it end with a reopened strait.” Responses from political figures offered a range of perspectives: Conservative Chairman Kevin Hollinrake criticized Starmer’s stance on North Sea drilling and welfare reform, while Liberal Democrat MP Calum Miller urged stronger efforts to rebuild alliances in Europe. Reform UK called for self-sufficiency in energy and border control, and Green Party leader Zack Polanski supported the call for European security partnerships and highlighted the need to end fossil fuel dependence, though he also noted the government’s current efforts remain insufficient
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