“Economic security is domestic security”: Starmer tells world leaders a Labour led Britain will be their economic ally to counter global insecurity
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Keir Starmer was at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday to
meet with a series of world leaders from across the US, Europe and
the Middle East. Starmer is the first Labour Leader to join world
leaders in Munich since 2010. Alongside Shadow Foreign Secretary
David Lammy, and Shadow Defence Secretary John Healey, Starmer said
that a UK Labour government's "first priority is to grow the UK
economy, for living standards for the British people, and to enable
Britain to...Request free trial
Keir Starmer was at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday to meet with a series of world leaders from across the US, Europe and the Middle East. Starmer is the first Labour Leader to join world leaders in Munich since 2010. Alongside Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy, and Shadow Defence Secretary John Healey, Starmer said that a UK Labour government's "first priority is to grow the UK economy, for living standards for the British people, and to enable Britain to rise to our role in an unstable world. With Labour, Britain will be reconnected, NATO defended and democracy strengthened.” Coming days after the UK was confirmed as in recession, the Labour leader was in Munich to demonstrate his Party's commitment to a "stronger Britain on the world stage," slamming the Conservative government’s record for "putting our economy in reverse, and threatening our domestic security." Across a series of bilateral meetings, including with Chancellor Scholz, Commission President Von Der Leyen and US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, Keir Starmer showcased his changed Labour Party’s offer of stability, investment, and reform. Restating and amplifying UK Labour's "unshakeable commitment” to NATO, Starmer, Lammy and Healey recognised the need for new partnerships and new structures to face the threats of the modern era, including Labour’s proposal for a new UK-EU security pact. They said the Conservatives have time and again failed to show they're capable of responding to the future of global politics. Starmer asserted that only Labour has the ideas and relationships to be able to pursue new structures to strengthen international ties and keep Britain secure. For the first time, Keir Starmer committed his Labour government to:
On the death of Alexey Navalny, Keir Starmer said: “Alexey Navalny is the latest victim of Putin’s cruel system. Labour pays tribute to Navalny’s tremendous courage in fighting for truth and democracy. The Russian threat is expanding, through kleptocracy, corruption and war. This is a generational security challenge that will require a long term response, but also an agile response in the way we organise with our allies. It will require new structures and alliances. “When we pay tribute to Alexey Navalny, let it be not just in words, but deed. We must work together to ensure change is his legacy.” Keir Starmer added that when it comes to future threats, “we must rebuild, renew, and resource, not divide and threaten. Bad faith politics risks our security.” In meetings with European allies, including Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, President of the Czech Republic Petr Pavel, and Kaja Kallas, Prime Minister of Estonia, the Labour delegation raised the Conservatives’ refusal to harness enduring international relationships, and Labour’s concern this approach has left the UK on the outside looking in, for example, on work to stabilise global supply chains, an issue costing UK business and working people’s pockets. Starmer said that while Labour will not be re-joining the EU, the Customs Union or the single market, the Party will seek a stronger partnership. He argued that a smoother post-Brexit relationship would help deliver greater security for Britain, and the European Union. He raised that British shoppers and businesses are already impacted by new border checks and that his Labour government will be seeking to agree measures such as a veterinary agreement with the EU to reduce checks, maintain standards but lower prices. Keir Starmer also set out Labour’s proposal for a new UK-EU security pact to complement NATO ties. He said, “The UK and EU face the same threats: not just growing Russian aggression but, instability in the Middle East, a climate emergency and global health crises. Closer UK-EU security cooperation through a new security pact can strengthen our shared capacity to respond to these threats and challenges.” Keir Starmer also challenged leaders to take stronger action on climate security, arguing that the destabilising effect of the climate crisis “is a national security issue.” He set out Labour’s proposals for a new Clean Power Alliance. In addition, against a backdrop of British economic stagnation and referencing recent warnings about resourcing, the Labour leader condemned the Conservatives’ “degradation of the UK’s armed forces.” He said shortages of personnel and equipment “is a shameful indictment of the Tories’ short sighted politics and refusal to take the blinkers off to face worsening global security.” Speaking in Munich, Keir Starmer, Leader of the Labour Party, said: “The world is getting more dangerous, divided and disordered. Putin’s war in Ukraine, conflict across Africa and the Middle East and the climate crisis are contributing to a breakdown of the multilateral system that has kept us safe. These threats are compounded by an insecure UK economy now in recession. “Labour is unshakeably committed to the traditional alliances like NATO that our security depends on, but in a changing world we also need to seek new partnerships and build new alliances to face down 21st century threats. The Conservatives have proven they’re unable to grasp the international future. “We cannot be the ally we want to be, the partner we should be, nor provide the domestic security we owe, without economic security at home. My Labour government will stabilise and grow our economy, enabling us to realise our full and dutiful responsibilities to our global partners in an increasingly unstable world. We will reconnect Britain on the global stage, offering leadership, energy and ambition to tackle evolving threats. Only then can we provide working people in the UK with the economic and national security they deserve.” ENDS Notes to editors Keir Starmer met with: Mark Rutte - Prime Minister - Netherlands Petr Pavel - President of the Czech Republic Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission Alexander Stubb, President-Elect, Finland Leo Varadkar, Taoiseach Kaja Kallas, Prime Minister, Estonia Olaf Scholz, Chancellor of Germany Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of NATO Magdalena Andersson, Party Leader, Social Democratic Party, former Swedish PM US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Qatar PM Prince Faisal bin Salman Al Saud, Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia Jonas Gahr, Prime Minister of Norway Mette Frederikson, Prime Minister of Denmark |