Starmer told Trump to be ‘practical’ amid Strait of Hormuz tax rumours
Sir Keir Starmer has said he spent most of a conversation with Donald Trump on Thursday night talking about a “practical plan” to secure the Strait of Hormuz, shortly after he said he was “fed up” of the US president’s impact on energy bills.
Starmer said he spoke to Trump about the blocked strait, which has led to a spike in international oil and gas prices as the Iran war has raged on.
“[I] set out to him the views of the region here, these Gulf states are the neighbours of Iran, and therefore, if the ceasefire is to hold — and we hope it will — it has to involve them,” Starmer said.
“They have very strong views on the Strait of Hormuz. We spent most of the time on the call talking about the practical plan that’s going to be needed to get navigation through the strait and the role that the UK is playing.”
The Prime Minister had told ITV News that he was “fed up” of Trump’s actions impacting people’s energy bills, grouping him in the same sentence as Vladimir Putin.
He said: “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 Putin or Trump across the world, and saying to families across the country, saying to businesses across the country, ‘we’ve just got to … put up with being on the international market’.”
The comment appeared to break away from more diplomatic language that Starmer has used when speaking about the US president and his war in Iran.
Starmer in Qatar
Starmer is attempting to take a more active role in negotiations after a two-week ceasefire was agreed between the US and Israel with Iran. Israel has continued its war with Iran-backed Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, raising concern over the terms of the ceasefire.
He travelled to Qatar to speak to Gulf countries about holding up a peace deal after the war.
Reports have suggested that the Iranian leadership is seeking to add a toll on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
It has been suggested that the tax could range between $1m and $2m per ship, or tax $1 on every barrel of oil.
Starmer has followed foreign secretary Yvette Cooper in calling for ships to be able to pass through the Strait of Hormuz without having to pay a tax.
The Prime Minister said there was a “very strong sense there can’t be tolling or restrictions” in any settlement.
He also called on countries across Europe to step up contributions to Nato.
“Do we Europeans need to do more? Yes, I’ve been making that argument for the best part of two years, to our European partners as much as anybody else.”