UK Politics Live: Starmer Vows To Support Ukraine’s ‘fight For Freedom’ In Meeting With Biden In Washington
NewsUKUK PoliticsThe UK and US are believed to be on the cusp of allowing Kyiv to use long-range missiles inside Russia
Keir Starmer boards plane for Washington DC to meet Joe Biden
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Sir Keir Starmer has vowed to support Ukraine’s “fight for freedom” in a bilateral meeting with US president Joe Biden in Washington.
Speaking at the White House, the UK prime minister said the next few weeks and months would be “crucial” for Kyiv’s fight against Russia which invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
It comes amid reports Sir Keir and Mr Biden could be on the cusp of allowing Kyiv to open up a new front in the war with Russia by lifting restrictions on the use long-range missiles.
Mr Zelensky has pleaded with allies for months to allow his military to fire long-range US ATACMS and British Storm Shadow missiles at Russian targets used to launch devastating daily attacks on Ukraine.
But in a message apparently timed for when Sir Keir and his entourage were over the Atlantic on their way to the US on Thursday, President Putin warned such a move would mean Russia would be “at war with Nato”.
When asked about what he thought about Mr Putin’s threats, Mr Biden bluntly replied that he “didn’t think about Putin much”.
1726277400Pictured: Keir Starmer and David Lammy visit British ambassador in Washington
Sir Keir Starmer (L) and foreign secretary David Lammy (R) at the British ambassador’s residence in Washington DC (Getty Images)
(via REUTERS)Salma Ouaguira14 September 2024 02:30
1726275600Bank of England set to pause interest rate cuts as ‘cautious tone’ sticksThe Bank of England could hit the pause button on interest rate cuts after warning it needs to be “careful” not to rush the decision as pressures on inflation linger.
Experts think that the Bank’s rate-setting committee will likely keep UK interest rates at five per cent on Thursday.
The central bank had cut rates from 5.25 per cent in August, pushing through the first reduction since 2020.
Governor Andrew Bailey said it was able to do so because inflationary pressures had “eased enough”, but stressed that policymakers “need to be careful not to cut interest rates too quickly or by too much”.
UK Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation returned to the Bank’s two per cent target level in May and June, but then crept up to 2.2 per cent in July.
A group of economists for ING said some of the caution can be explained by inflation in the services sector, things like hospitality and culture, which the Bank’s policymakers watch closely when trying to work out how much domestic prices are rising.
Services-only inflation hit 5.2 per cent in July, down from 5.7 per cent the previous month, but still above the levels seen in the US and Eurozone.
They expect the majority of the committee to vote to keep rates on hold this month, before the pace of cuts picks up again in November.
The Bank of England could hit the pause button on interest rate cuts (Aaron Chown/PA) (PA Archive)Salma Ouaguira14 September 2024 02:00
1726273800Winter fuel payments: Starmer admits no impact assessment has been carried outSir Keir Starmer has admitted there has been no impact assessment of how the decision to cut pensioners of winter fuel payments will affect them.
The prime minister said he had not been shown any reports about the consequences of his decision.
Speaking to reporters during a flight to Washington DC, he said: “There isn’t a report on my desk which somehow we’re not showing, that I’m not showing, as simple as that.”
Sir Keir said his cabinet was not legally obliged to carry out an official assessment of the plan to be done in advance.
A Downing Street spokesman said: “There are clear rules on this that we followed carefully.”
Britain’s prime minister Keir Starmer, center, talks to the media on board his plane as he flies to Washington DC (AP)Salma Ouaguira14 September 2024 01:30
1726272000Grangemouth owners urged to reconsider ‘premature’ refinery closureScotland’s First Minister has urged the owners of the Grangemouth refinery to reconsider its “premature” closure.
Petroineos announced it would shutter the refinery in the second quarter of next year as it looks to move to become an import terminal – putting 400 jobs on the site at risk.
The firm – a joint venture between Ineos and PetroChina – said the site “faces significant challenges due to global market pressures and the energy transition”.
A spokesman for Petroineos said that in the last week, the refinery has lost around 500,000 US dollars (£381,000) per day, and absorbed total losses of 775 million US dollars (£590 million).
Following a meeting with unions and workforce representatives on Friday in nearby Falkirk, the First Minister urged the firm to reconsider.
“I talk to the company, my ministers talk to the company, I’ve talked to the workforce,” he said.
“We’ve made the point that we thought this was premature, the UK government has talked to them, but we were told yesterday morning this is what was going to be happening.
“I think the decision is premature and I would encourage Petroineos to consider what options there are to prolong the life of the refinery.”
(Michael Boyd/PA Wire)Salma Ouaguira14 September 2024 01:00
1726270200Labour support drops in first poll since general electionSalma Ouaguira14 September 2024 00:30
1726268400Scottish secretary says Larry the Downing Street cat is a ‘little sh*t’Ian Murray has joked the famous cat of Downing Street was “the most miserable animal you’ll ever meet in your life”.
The Labour minister made the remarks during an on-stage discussion with business leaders at the CBI Scotland annual dinner in Glasgow.
Mr Murray said the 37 Scottish Labour MPs who won the general election wanted to be pictured with the Chief Mouser when they arrived in London, but the cat refused.
He said: “Downing Street rang, and all of us who pretty much knew inevitably that the Cabinet was going to be as the shadow cabinet was with a few exceptions, walked to Downing Street really excited and all we wanted to do was, not get the chat with the prime minister to be appointed, but was to try and get a picture with Larry the cat.
“And without putting too fine a point on it, Larry the cat is a little sh*t. So none of us got a picture with Larry the cat.
“Larry the cat is the most miserable animal you’ll ever meet in your life. I’m not surprised with who he’s had to live with for the last ten years.”
Larry the cat in Downing Street, London (Yui Mok/PA) (PA Archive)Salma Ouaguira14 September 2024 00:00
1726264249Watch: Biden scolds Sky News journalist over shouted question about PutinUS president Joe Biden scolded a British journalist in a fiery exchange during a bilateral meeting with Sir Keir Starmer in Washington.
Mr Biden told Sky News US correspondent James Matthews to be quiet as he shouted a question about Vladimir Putin’s threat of war over Kyiv’s use of long-range missiles.
Mr Biden and Sir Keir met at the White House on Friday amid reports they could allow Ukraine to launch Western missiles deep inside Russian territory.
When asked what he thought about Mr Putin’s warning that doing so would bring Russia into conflict with Nato, Mr Biden snapped back: “You be quiet while I speak, OK?”
The veteran reporter asked a second time what he made of Mr Putin’s remarks, to which Mr Biden again replied: “You have got to be quiet now I have got to make a speech, OK.”
Biden scolds Sky News journalist over shouted question about PutinAlexander Butler13 September 2024 22:50
1726263030Voters want to see MPs working together, Lib Dem chief whip to sayVoters across the UK want to see MPs work together, the Liberal Democrats’ chief whip will say in her conference speech.
North East Fife MP Wendy Chamberlain will address the annual event on Saturday morning – the first party conference since the Lib Dems took back third place in the July election from the SNP, winning 72 seats in the Commons.
Ms Chamberlain will stress the difference between her party, the Conservatives and the SNP in holding the new Labour government to account.
“One of the benefits of our historic general election result is that we have returned to our former position of third party in the House of Commons,” she will say.
“And frankly we aim to take a very different approach to the SNP and the Conservative Party.
“I think what people want to see is MPs working together to try and secure a fair deal for the whole of the UK – not trying to divide us.
“Being the third party is a big responsibility. We have a far greater ability to affect change now than we did in the previous parliament.
“We want to be a constructive opposition. We want to be local champions. We want to do things differently.”
She is also expected to hit out at the former third party in UK politics, claiming the SNP took voters for granted.
Salma Ouaguira13 September 2024 22:30
1726261622Starmer vows to keep supporting Ukraine’s ‘fight for freedom’Sir Keir Starmer has vowed to support Ukraine’s “fight for freedom” in a bilateral meeting with US president Joe Biden in Washington.
Speaking at the White House, the UK prime minister said the next few weeks and months would be “crucial” for Kyiv’s fight against Russia which invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
It comes amid rumours Sir Keir and Mr Biden are on the cusp the cusp of allowing Kyiv to open up a new front in the war with Russia by using Western Storm Shadow long-range missiles.
When asked about what he thought about Mr Putin’s warning Nato would be at war with Russia if restrictions were lifted on the missiles, Mr Biden bluntly replied that he “didn’t think about Putin much”.
Sir Keir Starmer has vowed to support Ukraine’s ‘fight for freedom’ in a bilateral meeting with US president Joe Biden (EPA)Alexander Butler13 September 2024 22:07
1726260951Putin ‘will not prevail’ in war with Ukraine, Biden saysRussian president Vladimir Putin will not prevail in the war with Ukraine, US. President Joe Biden said on Friday during a meeting at the White House with UK prime minister Keir Starmer.
Sir Keir met with US president Joe Biden in a visit to Washington on Friday (AP)Alexander Butler13 September 2024 21:55
