Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said the special relationship between Britain and the United States is stronger than ever as he met President Joe Biden at Nato’s 75th summit.
Speaking at the White House on Wednesday, Sir Keir said: “The special relationship is so important, it was forged in difficult circumstances and endured for so long and is stronger now than ever.”
The two leader’s formal talks come after the pair met earlier during a heads-of-state event at the alliance’s summit.
The prime minister indicated that Ukraine could use UK-supplied long-range missiles to strike military targets in Russia during their war, before meeting president Volodymyr Zelensky.
Meanwhile, shadow minister James Cartlidge has accused the government of causing “massive uncertainty” for the UK’s armed forces after failing to set a deadline for increasing defence spending.
Sir Keir said he is committed to spending 2.5 per cent of GDP on defence “within our fiscal rules” but he cautioned that he needed to carry out a review before setting a timeline to reach that goal. Armed forces minister Luke Pollard said it would not be completed until next year.
Key Points
- UK PM Starmer says special relationship with US is stronger than ever
- Starmer promises Ukraine new air defences
- Keir Starmer to strengthen ‘special relationship’ in meeting with Biden
- PM suggests Biden not too old to remain in office
- Tugendhat accuses Labour of ‘compromising’ on UK defence
Labour pledges to start a ‘bus revolution’ and fix broken system
05:21
Shweta Sharma
Labour has pledged to start a “bus revolution” and allow services to be taken back under local public control, new Transport Secretary Louise Haigh said.
She will visit Greater Manchester’s pioneering public bus network today to meet Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham to discuss how the area’s Bee Network can be replicated across the country to improve services and grow passenger numbers.
Ms Haigh said: “Buses are the lifeblood of communities, but the system is broken.
“Too often, passengers are left waiting hours for buses that don’t turn up - and some have been cut off altogether.
“Change starts now. This new Government will give local leaders the tools they need to deliver better buses up and down the country.
“We are already seeing how the Bee Network is delivering for people across Greater Manchester - we will ensure every community can enjoy the same benefits.”
Green groups urge Kier Starmer to make nature their ‘top priority'
05:04
Shweta Sharma
Keir Starmer and his government must address five major challenges to protect the UK’s environment and ecosystems, Green groups have urged.
The challenges include doubling the nature and climate-friendly farming budget to £6 bn, introducing new rules to make polluters pay for nature and climate recovery and expanding protected areas, they said.
The coalition of environmental campaigners, including the National Trust, WWF, RSPB and Extinction Rebellion.
It comes after the coalition joined forces for the Restore Nature Now march in central London during the election campaign last month.
The protest saw 400 organisations and an estimated 60-80,000 people rally outside Parliament with the backing of celebrities like Dame Judi Dench and Emma Thompson.
Chris Packham, TV broadcaster and environmental campaigner, said the march “wasn’t a one-off event, easy to ignore by politicians, industry and media”.
“This was the start of a new movement who will not stand by while nature is annihilated. We don’t just want our message to be ‘heard’, we want it to be acted on. Now,” he said.
“Our next government needs to hit the ground running in this escalating ecological crisis; ground that is parched from drought, flooded, overgrazed, burnt, saturated with pollutants... alarmingly devoid of life.”
Jacob Rees-Mogg starts filming reality TV show after election defeat
05:00
Salma Ouaguira
Former Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg is reportedly filming a new a fly-on-the-wall reality TV series following his general election defeat
The Discovery+ series, said to be titled Meet The Moggs, will follow the former minister in his 17th-century country home and star his wife Helena and their six children.
The former MP for North East Somerset was among a number of Tory “big beasts” to have lost their seat last week, with filming thought to have captured his efforts on the campaign trail via the production company Optomen.
Mr Rees-Mogg is not the first MP to turn to TV following politics. The move follows the likes of Nigel Farage on I’m A Celebrity and Matt Hancock on SAS: Who Dares Wins.
Our reporter Jabed Ahmed has the full story:
Bidens tells Starmer ‘football’s coming home’ because of him
04:43
Shweta Sharma
US president Joe Biden told British prime minister Sir Keir Starmer that “football’s coming home” because of him as England landed in the finals of the Euros 2024.
Mr Biden congratulated Sir Keir for the team’s 2-1 victory in the semifinal against the Netherlands.
They were asked by reporters: “Is football coming home?”
“It looks like it,” Sir Keir responded. Mr Biden interjected by saying: “It’s all because of the prime minister.”
The Labour leader replied: “Not lost a game under the Labour government.”
Watch: Reform UK chair blames ‘lefties’ for causing AI candidate theories with ‘nonsense and lies’
04:30
Salma Ouaguira
Rising level of unemployment is ‘unacceptable’, Labour says
04:20
Shweta Sharma
Rising level of economic inactivity is “unacceptable” and requires “immediate action”, the new Labour government’s jobs minister has said.
Liz Kendall said 9.4 million people are currently economically inactive, a record 2.8 million people are out of work due to long-term sickness, and 900,000 young people are not in education, employment, and training.
Labour has said a new so-called Youth Guarantee for 18-21 year-olds will see more opportunities for training, an apprenticeship or help to find work offered to all in this age category “to prevent young people becoming excluded from the world of work at a young age”.
Ms Kendell is on her first ministerial visit as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions today and she is set to announce a more localised approach to upskill for unemployed.
“Economic inactivity is holding Britain back - it’s bad for people, it’s bad for businesses, and it’s bad for growth.
“It’s not good enough that the UK is the only G7 country with employment not back to pre-pandemic levels.
“We’ll create more good jobs, make work pay, transform skills, and overhaul jobcentres, alongside action to tackle the root causes of worklessness including poor physical and mental health.
“Change delivered by local areas for local people, driving growth and delivering opportunity and prosperity to everyone, wherever they live.”
Biden calls UK and US ‘best of allies’ as he suggests Britain-EU to move closer
04:06
Shweta Sharma
Joe Biden described the US and the UK as the “best of allies” as he appeared to back Sir Keir Starmer’s push for the UK to forge closer defence ties with Europe.
In his first face-to-face meeting with the newly elected British prime minister, Mr Biden called the UK the “transatlantic knot” binding the two continents together.
“I kind of see you guys as the knot tying the transatlantic alliance together, the closer you are with Europe. We know where you are, you know where we are.” Mr Biden said.
Sir Keir wants an ambitious new UK-EU security pact to strengthen co-operation and seeks closer work on defence with key allies such as France and Germany.
Sir Keir told the president: “The special relationship is so important. It’s forged in difficult circumstances, endured for so long, and stronger now than ever.
A UK Government spokesman said Mr Biden and Sir Keir “agreed we must continue to do whatever it takes to support Ukraine and ensure aggressors like Putin do not win”.
The spokesman added: “The President welcomed the Prime Minister’s recent comments on establishing closer relationships with our European counterparts, as well as the UK’s commitment to Aukus.”
Tories: Labour ‘failed at first test’ on defence
04:00
Salma Ouaguira
The Conservatives have accused Labour of “failing at the first test” of their time in office after refusing to set out a “clear” timeline to raise defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2030.
Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge said: “This morning, the armed forces minister repeatedly refused to match the Conservatives’ fully funded pledge to spend 2.5 per cent of GDP on defence by 2030 – and could not even set out a timeline for increasing defence spending.
“Labour had a clear choice to match our fully funded commitment. Defence of the realm is the first duty of any government and Keir Starmer’s Labour government have failed at the first test.”
Starmer enters a dangerous world and knows our army isn’t match-fit
03:30
Salma Ouaguira
As Starmer meets Britain’s allies at the Nato summit in Washington, he goes knowing that it’s a more uncertain world than when the party was last in power, says Kim Sengupta, and that Britain’s military might is much diminished.
Cleverly says Tories need to ‘get act together’ after Badenoch leak
03:00
Salma Ouaguira
Former home secretary James Cleverly has warned his party it needs to “get our act together” after the Tories were hit with a damaging leak from the shadow cabinet and a row over the 1922 committee.
Leadership frontrunner Kemi Badenoch hit out at her rival Suella Braverman, saying she appeared to be having a “very public” nervous breakdown, as the Conservative frontbench met for the first time since losing power.
She is also reported to have attacked Rishi Sunak’s decision to call an early election, calling his choice to leave D-Day commemorations early “disastrous” and said colleagues including Penny Mordaunt would have kept their seats if he had stayed longer in France.
Mr Cleverly warned his party against “bitter infighting” ahead of the race to replace Mr Sunak as leader.
Our politics team has the full story:
Environment secretary summons water bosses for urgent meeting
02:30
Salma Ouaguira
Steve Reed summoned bosses of UK’s water companies for urgent talks after Labour vowed to take a tougher approach to regulating the water and sewage industry.
The new environment secretary held meetings with chiefs from 16 suppliers including Thames Water, Yorkshire Water and Severn Trent, Sky News reports.
It comes as water industry watchdog Ofwat is set to publish a report on the companies’ investment plans for the next five years.
Thames Water, which is on the brink of ruining out of money, is reportedly in the most critical situation of the 16 companies.
Mr Reed pledged to bring criminal sanctions against executives who fail to prevent sewage contaminating waters.
Defence spending: How Nato countries compare
02:00
Salma Ouaguira
All members of Nato are signed up to an agreement to spend the equivalent of 2% of their gross domestic product (GDP) on defence per year.
In 2023, 11 Nato countries met this pledge, including the UK, the US and Poland.
The latest annual report from Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg suggests that in 2024, this number is likely to rise to 18 countries.
Here is a list of how much was estimated to have been spent on defence by Nato countries in 2023 as a proportion of their national GDP, ranked from highest to lowest.
Ex-MI6 boss warns increasing defence spending ‘more important’ than NHS
01:30
Salma Ouaguira
Former head of MI6 Sir Richard Dearlove has warned to increase defence spending should be “more important” than the NHS.
Mr Dearlove said political parties during the general election campaign had not “described to voters the seriousness of the situation that we face at the moment”.
He told Times Radio: “I think one of the really terrible things about the election campaign was the fact that neither party really described to the voters the seriousness of the situation that we face at the moment.
“In my view, actually our defence expenditure should be around 3 per cent, maybe even a bit higher. The Poles are already spending 3.9 per cent and gonna go even higher. There is an urgency. This is a major problem.
“It’s more important, and you know, people won’t accept this from me, it’s more important than the National Health Service, I’m sorry.”
Starmer denies suggesting ‘Biden should retire’
01:00
Salma Ouaguira
Keir Starmer has insisted that his suggestion members of the House of Lords should retire at 80 is not a comment on Joe Biden’s ability to continue as US president:
Biden backs Starmer’s bid to renegotiate Brexit and bring UK closer back to EU
Thursday 11 July 2024 00:28
Tara Cobham
Joe Biden has backed Keir Starmer’s ambitions to take the UK back closer to the European Union and undo some of the damage caused by Brexit.
The president, who has been a critic of Brexit and the UK’s departure from the EU, made it clear he values the special relationship but only as a “knot” tying together the US and Europe.
He made his comments as Sir Keir had his first audience with the president in the Oval Office since winning the election last week.
Andrew Feinberg and David Maddox report:
Restoring nature must be priority, Starmer warned
Thursday 11 July 2024 00:01
Jane Dalton
Keir Starmer and his government must make nature one of their top priorities, green organisations have urged.
A coalition of environmental campaigners, including the National Trust, WWF, RSPB and Extinction Rebellion, have called on the prime minister to address five major challenges to protect the UK’s environment and ecosystems.
These include doubling the nature and climate-friendly farming budget to £6 billion, introducing new rules to make polluters pay for nature and climate recovery and expanding protected areas.
The groups are also calling for the government to table an Environmental Rights Bill and take climate actions like increasing home energy efficiency, supporting active travel and public transport, and transitioning to renewables.
It comes after the coalition joined forces for the Restore Nature Now march in central London during the election campaign last month.
The organisations say they will launch further actions as the new government settles into power, including a “mass lobby” which aims for thousands of people to travel to Westminster to talk to their MPs, and the first UK Nature Conference.
They warned of the ongoing declines of vulnerable and beloved species like nightingales and puffins while a quarter of UK mammals are at risk of extinction, including water voles, hazel dormice and pine martens.
Starmer wants Nato to ‘lock in’ Trump proof Ukraine military aid plan
Wednesday 10 July 2024 23:40
Salma Ouaguira
Keir Starmer has indicated that he hopes the Nato summit in Washington will “Trump proof” aid to Ukraine to help it hold off Russia.
Speaking to journalists on his flight over to the summit in the USA, the new prime minister insisted that the defence and security of Britain and its allies will be his first priority.
But he again declined to give a timetable for when his “iron clad commitment” to increase defence spending to 2.5 per cent will come into force.
His comments came as it emerged he had not been included in a discussion on air cover for Ukraine organised by the US government and including other allies.
But Sir Keir made it clear in the press briefing that he believes the summit over the next few days will “lock in” financial aid to Ukraine for its war effort.
Our political editor David Maddox has the full story:
Starmer suggests football is coming home at Oval Office meeting
Wednesday 10 July 2024 23:25
Tara Cobham
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer suggested football was coming home following England's semi-final win.
At an Oval Office meeting with US President Joe Biden, Sir Keir was asked if football was coming home, and said: "It looks like it."
"It's because of the Prime Minister," Mr Biden replied.
Watch: Jeremy Corbyn caught on Commons mic before being sworn in as MP
Wednesday 10 July 2024 23:20
Salma Ouaguira
Biden calls US and UK the ‘best of allies’
Wednesday 10 July 2024 23:13
Tara Cobham
President Joe Biden called the US and UK the "best of allies" and described Britain as "the transatlantic knot" that ties Nato together in his first meeting with Sir Keir Starmer.
Prime Minister Sir Keir congratulated Mr Biden on hosting the 75th anniversary, hailing "a bigger Nato, a stronger Nato and a Nato with the resolve that we need".
UK PM Starmer says special relationship with US is stronger than ever
Wednesday 10 July 2024 23:03
Tara Cobham
Britain's recently elected prime minister, Keir Starmer, said the special relationship between Britain and the United States is stronger than ever as he met President Joe Biden at the White House on Wednesday.
"The special relationship is so important, it was forged in difficult circumstances and endured for so long and is stronger now than ever," he said.
Government’s defence review to be completed ‘within the next year’
Wednesday 10 July 2024 23:00
Salma Ouaguira
Armed forces minister Luke Pollard has revealed the next review into defence will be completed “within the next year”.
It comes Sir Keir Starmer refused to set out a timeline for when the UK will raise defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP.
Mr Pollard did not say when the Labour government will increase defence but claimed a review will be concluded “within the next year”, adding: “We need it to be as urgent as we can. That’s why we will be delivering this at pace, as fast as we can.”
He told Sky News: “We’ve committed to increase defence spend 2.5%, and the first step in that is a strategic defence review that will look at the capabilities that we need to deter the aggression that the UK and our allies are facing.
“That strategic defence review will be launched next week.
“We need that review to set out, importantly, what we want to spend that increased defence spending on, and what sequence that will be spent.”
In pictures: Starmer meets US Speaker of House and House Minority Leader
Wednesday 10 July 2024 22:56
Tara Cobham
Ousted Labour MP Jonathan Ashworth gets new job as think tank chief
Wednesday 10 July 2024 22:40
Salma Ouaguira
Jonathan Ashworth has been appointed chief executive of a Labour think tank after losing his seat in the General Election.
The Labour frontbencher had been expected to play a prominent role in the Labour Government, but was unseated by an independent in Leicester South in part because of the party’s stance on Gaza.
“We are delighted to welcome @jonashworth as our new Chief Executive,” Labour Together posted on X, formerly Twitter.
“After more than two decades working at the highest levels of @UKLabour, Jonathan brings unparalleled insight, relationships and political experience to Labour Together.”
Labour minister: Defence review will be ‘Nato-first’
Wednesday 10 July 2024 22:20
Salma Ouaguira
The government’s strategic defence review will be “Nato-first”, the armed forces minister has said.
Luke Pollard told Times Radio: “This will be a Nato-first strategic defence review, a focus on our unshakeable commitment to the North Atlantic, to the Europe area, to make sure that we’re keeping not only the UK safe but keeping our allies safe.
“Because if we don’t support Ukraine and if they don’t win, Russia won’t stop there.
“If we’re not supporting our allies in the Baltic states there will be continuing threats to the United Kingdom, as well as to the rest of Nato.”
‘Kidnapping Farage would not solve Tories’ issues,’ Rees-Mogg says
Wednesday 10 July 2024 22:00
Salma Ouaguira
Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg has said “kidnapping” Nigel Farage and dragging him into the Tories would not solve the party’s problems.
Asked what the Conservatives could do about Mr Farage and the threat posed by Reform , the former MP told GB News: “It’s not necessarily about the individual it’s about the policies.
“Nigel wouldn’t have needed the vehicle of Reform if the Tories got on with Brexit properly, if we hadn’t raised taxes to their highest level in 70 years and we’d dealt with immigration.
“If we can do that, and we can convince people that we’re serious about that, then the Tory family comes back together, naturally.
“I think there’s this idea that you just sort of try and kidnap Nigel, bring him into the Tory Party, then all the problems are solved. But they’re not, because unless you change the underlying policies and get the message that we’re on the side of the voters, it won’t change.”
Badenoch ‘criticises Sunak’s campaign’ in first shadow cabinet meeting
Wednesday 10 July 2024 21:40
Salma Ouaguira
Kemi Badenoch has reportedly used Rishi Sunak’s first shadow cabinetmeeting to criticise his election campaign.
At the meeting on Tuesday, the shadow housing secretary hit out at the former prime minister’s decision to call an early general election without informing his cabinet, describing the move as a mistake and bordering on “unconstitutional”.
She accused Mr Sunak of instead first telling a small group of colleagues, including his parliamentary private secretary Craig Williams, who she is said to have called a “buffoon” after he admitted placing a bet on the election date.
Lib Dems call for government to take Thames Water back into public administration
Wednesday 10 July 2024 21:20
Salma Ouaguira
Liberal Democrat environment spokesman Tim Farron has called for Thames Water to be brought into public ownership.
Speaking to the BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, the former Lib Dem leader said: “Thames Water is a special case. I think they are the most egregious offender, if you like, and the simple answer is Thames Water should be taken back into administration and directly run by the Government for the time being.”
Thames Water has faced widespread criticism for levels of sewage leaking into waterways. Events including this year’s Boat Race and Henley Royal Regatta faced warnings over levels of E.coli in the water.
The water company is caught in a debt crisis after announcing it was creaking under a debt pile of more than £15 billion, with enough funding to operate until next May.
Tories: Defence spending delays ‘damaging for the armed forces’
Wednesday 10 July 2024 21:00
Salma Ouaguira
Holding a review before deciding how to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP is “damaging for the armed forces”, the shadow defence secretary has said.
James Cartlidge, who was appointed to the shadow cabinet on Monday, told Sky News: “I think that delay is going to be damaging for the armed forces.
“We had an amazing opportunity, Keir Starmer at the Washington summit to confirm he was going to go to 2.5% and set a clear timetable, because that’s what the chiefs running our armed forces need.
“They’ve got some difficult decisions to make, but above all we’ve got this dangerous world where we want to be deterring our adversaries.
“I think this would have been a really powerful signal to send – instead, it’s created delay, and I think that can be damaging.”
Watch: Labour MP protests against monarchy as he is sworn in
Wednesday 10 July 2024 20:50
Jane Dalton
Shadow minister urges Healey to make ‘clear commitment’ on defence spending
Wednesday 10 July 2024 20:40
Salma Ouaguira
The shadow defence secretary has urged the government to provide “clarity” on when it would increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP.
James Cartlidge wrote to new defence secretary John Healey to ask when spending would be increased.
In his letter, Mr Cartlidge said: “Making such a clear commitment is vital for our national security.
“Our armed forces need the certainty and clarity on their funding in order to plan and prepare for the future. It is necessary to prepare everything from accommodation and benefits for service personnel to ensuring that they are equipped with the latest capabilities, equipment and technology.”
He added that it was “high time” the government made its plans on defence spending clear.
UK and US defence secretaries meet
Wednesday 10 July 2024 20:39
Jane Dalton
John Healey, the new defence secretary, met his counterpart Lloyd Austin in Washington.
But in a social media post, Mr Austin misspelled the UK cabinet minister’s name as “Healy”.
“Our shared ideals are at the heart of the US-UK special relationship. I look forward to working closely with my new UK counterpart to tackle today’s security challenges,” the US defence secretary added.
I met for the first time with Secretary Healy at the NATO Summit in Washington today. Our shared ideals are at the heart of the U.S.-U.K. special relationship. I look forward to working closely with my new UK counterpart to tackle today’s security challenges. pic.twitter.com/mwsQtI1Xv4
— Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (@SecDef) July 10, 2024
Welsh leader to face fresh no-confidence vote
Wednesday 10 July 2024 20:30
Jane Dalton
The First Minister of Wales is set to face another vote of no confidence, a month after losing the last one.
The Welsh Conservatives have tabled a motion in the Senedd for next week, in the hope of compelling Vaughan Gething, the Labour leader of Wales, to publish the evidence he used to sack Hannah Blythyn from the government.
This is the second time the First Minister has faced a no-confidence vote since becoming leader in March.
Ms Blythyn was removed from the government in May, following accusations by Mr Gething that she leaked a screenshot of messages to the media.
The member of the Senedd for Delyn denied she was behind the leak in a statement to the chamber on Tuesday and insisted she was shown no evidence before her dismissal.
Defence minister ‘reassured’ UK can defend itself
Wednesday 10 July 2024 20:20
Salma Ouaguira
Armed forces minister Luke Pollard said he has been “reassured” by military officers that “we have the ability to defend Britain”.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme, Mr Pollard said: “Speaking to senior military officers since taking office, I’ve been reassured that we have the ability to defend Britain.
“But what we want to do is to make sure that we’re filling the gaps to deter any future aggression and defeat it if necessary.
“That means making sure that the equipment’s in the right place and is ready and available.”
Starmer gives Biden Arsenal shirt
Wednesday 10 July 2024 20:18
Jane Dalton
Sir Keir Starmer will present Joe Biden with a personalised Arsenal shirt when the pair meet at the White House.
The shirt, with Mr Biden’s surname and the number 46 - a reference to his presidential number - will be handed over by UK officials to White House aides.
The Labour leader is an Arsenal season ticket-holder and he hopes the personalised present will help strengthen what he called the the “very special relationship” between the UK and US on Wednesday.
A senior Downing Street official said: “It’s his team and he thought it would make a personal gift.”
The prime minister will also give the US leader a copy of the Atlantic Charter, which paved the way for the formation of Nato, complete with then Labour leader Clement Attlee’s amendments.
The new prime minister met the US president for the first time at the Nato summit in Washington before their talks in the White House later.
Lib Dem MP ‘kicked out of seat’ because of Reform’s Nigel Farage
Wednesday 10 July 2024 20:00
Salma Ouaguira
A newly elected MP has complained he was ordered out of his seat after Nigel Farage turned up late to his first session in parliament.
Lib Dem Al Pinkerton said the Reform UK leader had been “enjoying the hospitality” instead of taking his place in the chamber on Tuesday.
After Mr Farage appeared, he was allowed to address fellow MPs but all the seats were taken. Mr Pinkerton claimed he was ordered to get up by whips and give up his seat to the right-wing politician.
Posting on X, he said: “I was very comfortable in a seat right at the back of the chamber when Nigel Farage turned up rather late to the occasion. We got been there for quite some time gathering and I had to move.
“I had to give up my seat for Nigel Farage. He had obviously been enjoying the hospitality of the tearooms in the House of Commons prior to coming along. And so one point of note, sadly, I had to give up my seat at the request of, of the whips as he needed a microphone to to give his speech.“
Day 2 - or how I was unseated in the Commons by late-arrival, Nigel Farage. pic.twitter.com/yYz2ziKmXy
— Al Pinkerton MP (@AlPinkerton) July 9, 2024
Keir Starmer jokes that Southgate’s England haven’t missed a penalty under a Labour government
Wednesday 10 July 2024 19:50
Salma Ouaguira
Sir Keir Starmer joked that England has not missed a penalty while he’s been prime minister ahead of Wednesday night’s Euro 2024 semi-final against the Netherlands.
The Labour leader, who is a keen football fan and Arsenal supporter, was asked about the vital clash by reporters travelling with him to the Nato summit in Washington DC.
Sir Keir said he would be reliant on officials to update him on the score as he takes part in his first major foreign trip as prime minister, necause
He said: “I’ve no doubt we’ll be passed lots of notes with really important information about the summit, and one or two of those notes hopefully will be an update on the score, because I’m not going to be able to get it otherwise.”
Our reporter Joe Middleton has the full story:
Rishi Sunak's ‘very sorrowful’ speech to backbench Tory MPs
Wednesday 10 July 2024 18:56
Jane Dalton
Rishi Sunak’s first speech to his backbench MPs since losing the general election was described as “very sorrowful”.
MPs in the room also said there was “no hostility, none whatsoever” to their leader, despite the disastrous defeat to Labour.
While talk of an interim leader was not discussed, one MP said he did not think it would be necessary.
Speaking after the meeting, however, one Tory grandee blasted his party over the loss.
Sir Edward Leigh said: “The Conservative Party will never recover until we start doing Conservative things.”
That included more controls on migration, he added.
He said the meeting has been “fine” and “polite” but added that the party had to “stand for something” and win back the Reform voters it lost at the election.
Starmer gets first big diplomatic win with ‘irreversible’ Ukraine Nato plan
Wednesday 10 July 2024 18:54
Jane Dalton
Hugs as Starmer meets Zelensky
Wednesday 10 July 2024 16:53
Jane Dalton
Sir Keir Starmer has met Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky on the margins of the Nato summit in Washington DC.
The two leaders greeted each other with a hug and a handshake. Sir Keir told Mr Zelensky that there has been “a change of government but no change in position” with regards to the UK’s support for Ukraine.
Defence secretary John Healey and foreign secretary David Lammy joined the prime minister with officials around a table.
Sir Keir said: “As you know from the get go ... there’s a change of government but no change of approach.”
He said the Russian attack on a hospital in Kyiv was “just shocking”.
Mr Zelensky thanked Sir Keir for his words and for Britain’s support.
“Thank you again that you are with us from the very beginning of the war,” he said.
