Starmer says Iran conflict must be 'line in sand' to build more resilience that will define the UK 'for a generation'
Sir Keir criticised previous governments for adopting "sticking plaster" approaches to crises, such as the 2008 financial crash, Brexit and Covid.
The Iran war will be a 'line in the sand' for Britain to build greater resilience, Sir Keir Starmer has said.
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The Prime Minister said on Friday that Britain must become more resilient to cope in an increasingly "volatile and dangerous" world.
The Iran war has seen energy bills for UK consumers soar as a result of the closure of the key Hormuz shipping strait, through which 20% of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas is transported.
It comes as the Prime Minister continued his tour of the Middle East as he met with regional allies in the Gulf, joining Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah on Wednesday, before travelling to the UAE, Bahrain and Qatar yesterday.
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"Because resilience is what gives us control," the PM continued writing for The Guardian. "Without it, we are constantly pushed off course by events beyond our borders."
The Prime Minister spoke to US President Donald Trump on Thursday evening about putting together a plan to "get shipping moving" through the key Strait of Hormuz shipping lane as doubts surround the ceasefire agreed between the US and Iran on Tuesday evening amid confusion over whether it includes Lebanon.
In the article Sir Keir criticised previous governments for adopting "sticking plaster" approaches to crises, such as the 2008 financial crash, Brexit and Covid.
"The response from Westminster has always been the same - manage the crisis, find a sticking plaster and then desperately try to reassert the status quo."
He added: "This time, it will be different."
He said government policies such as capping energy bills, investing in defence, strengthening workers' rights and removing the two-child benefit cap would help prepare Britain against future shocks.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper echoed his remarks in a speech at Mansion House, in which she said the Iran war was not a "once-in-a-generation shock" and that "turbulence is the new normal."
She cited the global economic shockwaves created by the Covid pandemic, Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the Iran war.
Conservative Chairman Kevin Hollinrake questioned why the Prime Minister was "banning North Sea drilling and ducking welfare reform", adding: "You cannot build a resilient economy by turning your back on British oil and gas workers, handing energy dependence to foreign states, and leaving millions trapped on benefits rather than in work."
Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Calum Miller MP said the Prime Minister was "right" but accused him of not addressing the "greatest strategic challenge we face".
He said it was "clear we can't trust a Trump-led America anymore" calling on the government "to rebuild ties with our closest allies in Europe."