Keir Starmer UN speech - live: PM urges Middle East to ‘step back from the brink’ in address before Trump meet
Keir Starmer to meet Donald Trump after UN speech
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Sir Keir Starmer is set to meet Donald Trump in New York after he delivers a speech to world leaders at the UN General Assembly.
Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly, the prime minister urged Israel and Hezbollah to agree a ceasefire and for the two sides to “step back from the brink”.
In a speech to world leaders in New York, Sir Keir said: “I call on Israel and Hezbollah: Stop the violence, step back from the brink.”
The 79th UN summit comes as the Middle East teeters on the brink of all-out conflict and the bloody war in Ukraine grinds on.
It follows an intervention at the UN Security Council where he tore into Russia over its actions in Ukraine, saying Vladimir Putin was treating his own citizens as “bits of meat to fling into the grinder” in the conflict.
Sir Keir has been embroiled in a donations row after borrowing an £18m penthouse flat from Labour donor Lord Waheed Alli during the general election and to film a Covid video. But Downing Street claims he did not break the rules.
Can Keir Starmer simply ignore a vote of Labour’s annual conference?
Russia treating own citizens as ‘bits of meat to fling into grinder’, says Starmer in UN speech
Keir Starmer to promise ‘global leadership’ in UN General Assembly speech
Keir Starmer ‘not discussing individual members of staff’ including Sue Gray
Starmer to hold post-Brexit ‘reset’ talks with EU chiefs
Sir Keir Starmer will visit Brussels in an effort to “reset” the UK’s relationship with the European Union.
The visit comes as the prime minister plans to repair post-Brexit ties to boost trade and security co-operation.
He will meet European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen next week after the pair held a bilateral in New York on Wednesday.
After the meeting, Sir Keir said: “I want to reset our relationship with the EU and make Brexit work for the British people.”
Pictured: Keir Starmer meets Volodymyr Zelenskiy during UN General Assembly
Labour chair defends Starmer for using flat of donor during pandemic
Labour’s Tan Dhesi has appeared on the morning media round to defend Sir Keir Starmer after claims emerged he took £20,000 in donations from Lord Alli.
Sir Keir reportedly used a flat from the donor during his son’s GCSE’s and to record a video urging people to work from home during Covid.
Asked whether this was acceptable, the defence select committee chair told Sky News Sir Keir was “fearing for the safety of his family” and worried about his son failing his exams.
But when put to him that the prime minister also stayed during the pandemic, he said: “For me the key thing around the accommodation it is a fact that outside the prime minister’s home there were people camped out.”
Mr Dhesi added: “We do need to bear in mind that the hoome of leader of the opposition at the time was constantly being deluged by protesters, journalists, investigators.
“As the prime minister said, nothing illegal happened and all the rules were followed. I will take him by his word. He is a man of integrity.”
POLITICS EXPLAINED | Can Starmer ignore his Labour conference defeat on fuel payments?
Rank-and-file members at conference – Labour’s supreme policy-making body – have voted against the government’s decision to means-test pensioners’ winter fuel payments. John Rentoul explains why the cuts will go ahead regardless:
Can Starmer ignore his Labour conference defeat on fuel payments?
Rank-and-file members at conference – Labour’s supreme policy-making body – have voted against the government’s decision to means-test pensioners’ winter fuel payments. John Rentoul explains why the cuts will go ahead regardless
Starmer and Palestinian president urge immediate ceasefire in Middle East
Sir Keir Starmer has been busy meeting world leaders at the annual United Nations General Assembly ahead of his keynote speech today.
He held bilateral talks last night with Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas as Israel’s war on Gaza continues.
Both leaders have condemned the attacks of 7 October and agreed on the need of an immediate ceasefire across the Middle East.
In a read out, No 10 said: “He also highlighted the civilian death toll in Gaza since then, with 41,000 killed and 100,000 injured, plus 70 per cent of infrastructure devastated.
“The prime minister agreed that the loss of civilian life had been intolerable.”
Downing Street added: “The president and prime minister also condemned the increase in settler violence and settlement activity there has been on the West Bank.”
£10bn data centre investment shows UK ‘open for business’, says Starmer
A £10 billion US investment in a new artificial intelligence data centre will create 4,000 jobs in the UK, the Government has announced.
The deal with private equity giant Blackstone will create Europe’s biggest AI data centre in Blyth, Northumberland.
Sir Keir Starmer, who is in New York attempting to woo US bosses, said the investment showed the UK is “open for business”.
You can read the full story below:
£10bn data centre investment shows UK ‘open for business’, says Starmer
The deal with private equity giant Blackstone will create Europe’s biggest AI data centre in Blyth, Northumberland.
Healey to host Australian and US counterparts to discuss submarines deal
Defence secretary John Healey will meet his Australian and US counterparts in London to discuss a deal to build a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines.
He will host Asutralian deputy prime minister Richard Marles and US defence secretary Lloyd James Austin III at an AUKUS security partnership meeting today.
The leaders will discuss a treaty to create a new SSN-AUKUS submarine project worth billions of pounds.
Ahead of the meeting, Mr Healey said: “As AUKUS partners, we stand shoulder-to-shoulder in an increasingly unstable world.
“This is a partnership that will boost jobs, growth and prosperity across our three nations, as well as strengthening our collective security.
“I’m delighted that we will soon be commencing negotiations on a bilateral AUKUS treaty with Australia, which will help create a more secure and stable Indo-Pacific for decades to come.”
Starmer Covid video urging work from home shot in Lord Alli’s £18m penthouse
Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of using Labour donor Lord Alli’s £18million penthouse to shot a video urging Britain to work from home during Covid.
The clip from December 2021, showed the then leader of the opposition attacking Boris Johnson’s government for its pandemic response.
According to political news website Guido Fawkes, the penthouse belongs to former fashion boss Lord Alli. But Number 10 has insisted no rules were broken during Sir Keir’s stay.
The flat located in Covent Garden, central London, was also used by Sir Keir’s family during the general election.
ICYMI: Keir Starmer accepted £20,000 of accommodation to help his son study for GCSEs
Sir Keir Starmer accepted £20,000 worth of accommodation to help his 16-year-old son study for his GCSEs, it has emerged.
The prime minister was asked by the BBC about a £20,437 donation from Labour peer Waheed Alli between May and July, confirming that the sum was for somewhere his son could study “peacefully”.
He told the broadcaster: “At the beginning of the election, which we didn’t know when it was going to be called, my boy was in the middle of his GCSEs.
“I made him a promise that he’ll be able to get to his school, do his exams without being disturbed.”
Sir Keir said there were “lots of journalists outside our house where we lived”.
You can read the full story below:
Keir Starmer accepted £20,000 of accommodation to help his son study for GCSEs
The prime minister said Lord Alli had provided him somewhere that his son could study ‘peacefully’
Pictured: Keir Starmer holds bilateral meeting with Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas
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