Keir Starmer: ‘We are going to have to be unpopular’

In his first major interview in Downing Street, the Prime Minister told Laura Kuenssberg that his government had to do ‘difficult things now’ in order to bring about change. Starmer’s plan to take away winter fuel allowances from most pensioners has drawn criticism, and he faces a potential rebellion in parliament next week over the decision. Starmer claimed the Tories had ‘run away from difficult decisions’, and said he was ‘determined’ to deliver change. The Prime Minister admitted he was ‘worried’ about the rise of the far right, and said ‘delivery in government’ was the only way to tackle the ‘snake oil of the easy answer’.

Starmer: The US ‘understands the decision we’ve taken’

Asked about his upcoming visit to the White House, Keir Starmer said Kuenssberg was ‘wrong’ to suggest that the UK’s decision to suspend some arms exports to Israel has not ‘gone down well’ with US officials. He said the US understands that the UK has a different legal system, and said the purpose of his visit was to have a more strategic discussion about the next few months in relation to Ukraine and the Middle East, hinting that the UK may further increase support for Ukraine.