Keir Starmer vowed the UK would play its “full part” in reopening the Strait of Hormuz “as soon as possible” – a promise that risks being overshadowed by a domestic political challenge after Labour’s Andy Burnham won a special election to Parliament, positioning him to confront the embattled prime minister.
Speaking at the G7 summit in France, Starmer said he and French President Emmanuel Macron were bringing together countries prepared to protect vessels in the key oil shipping channel, effectively closed by Iran since the war began in February. The prime minister told reporters the impact of the closure on energy prices had affected “every household across the country”.
“Keir Starmer pledges UK help to reopen Strait of Hormuz as Andy Burnham’s by-election win sparks leadership speculation.”
But back in Britain, Burnham’s victory in the Makerfield by-election has set up a potential showdown. The Greater Manchester mayor, long seen as a rival, now holds a seat in Parliament and is placed to challenge Starmer for the leadership. The Daily Mail, meanwhile, has launched a poll asking: “Would Andy Burnham make a better Prime Minister than Keir Starmer?”
Starmer said he had congratulated US President Donald Trump on striking a deal with Iran, describing it as “a really important breakthrough”. Trump said the strait will fully reopen when the initial agreement is signed this week, adding he did not think it was “a bad idea to have a ship or two” from other countries based in the strategic waterway. On Sunday, Starmer said that if required the UK would support the deal by “standing up the defensive, independent multilateral mission” to restore freedom of navigation to Hormuz, including offering to clear mines. In May, the government said the UK would deploy Typhoon fighter jets, drones and the HMS Dragon warship to a future mission in Hormuz.
“About 20 countries have made concrete contributions,” Macron said on Monday, adding four were “present in the region”. Macron also said France could have fighter jets patrolling the strait soon if required, noting an aircraft carrier was already in the region.
Also on the G7 agenda was the war in Ukraine, with Starmer expected to hold bilateral talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later. The government has announced a package of 70 fresh sanctions targeting Russia, aimed at “choking off” the Kremlin’s war effort, targeting Moscow’s shadow fleet, financial networks and military supply chains.
Starmer said the Hormuz reopening “is going to make a material difference to our economies, to stability in the world, and of course we’re [G7 countries] all united in saying that Iran must not get... a nuclear weapon.” But with Burnham now in Parliament and a poll asking whether he would be a better prime minister, the spotlight on Starmer’s leadership has only intensified.