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UK announces Strait of Hormuz meeting with 35 countries
United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer will convene with 35 countries to discuss reopening the Strait of Hormuz, after it was effectively closed due to the U.S.-Israel war with Iran. In a Wednesday news conference, Starmer said UK foreign minister Yvette Cooper would host a virtual meeting of 35 countries to assess measures to open the strait “after the fighting has stopped”. This comes after the United States Donald Trump said it was up to other countries to open the Strait after they refused to help him in the war. In his address, Starmer made it clear that the UK will not be involved in the war. “First - let me say once again: this is not our war,” Starmer said. “We will not be drawn into the conflict.” This would be the first time the countries have met to discuss a viable plan to open the strait. The prime minister said British military planners would meet afterwards “to look at how we can marshal our capabilities and make the strait accessible and safe after the fighting has stopped”. Countries involved in the talks include the UK, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Australia, Japan, Canada, South Korea, New Zealand, the United Arab Emirates and Nigeria. Many of these countries were part
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Keir Starmer pressured to step down amid Epstein scandal
United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing more pressure amid calls to step down over the fallout from the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. The calls are coming from Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar. “The distraction needs to end, and the leadership in Downing Street has to change,” he said. This comes as Starmer’s chief of staff and his communications director quit within the last 24 hours. The UK prime minister has also come under fire for appointing Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the United States despite his known links to convicted sex offender Epstein. Starmer’s office made it clear on Monday that he does not plan to step down. “The prime minister is … getting on ‌with the task of delivering change across the ‌country,” a spokesperson told reporters. Starmer also emphasised the importance of moving forward after the resignations. “We must prove that ‌politics can be a force ‌for good. I believe it ⁠can. I believe it is. We go forward from here. We ‌go with confidence as we continue changing the country,” Starmer told his Downing Street staff. Despite calls for him to step down, the UK prime minister has received some support from senior members of his government. David Lammy, deputy prime
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Rumours mount over UK Labour leadership challenge
Leadership challenge rumours are looming for the United Kingdom's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, but the British leader has maintained that his party is a united front. Starmer was forced to address the whispers surrounding the Labour Party, and that his rivals are seeking to replace him, calling them "counterproductive nonsense". But by Wednesday, the whispers had grown much louder, as media outlets had quotes from Starmers' own allies in their reporting, saying that his role as leader of the party and the nation was under threat. A name that cropped up in these quotes was Health Secretary Wes Streeting, with ambition that was being watched with "particular suspicion". Claims about Streeting made the front page news on Wednesday morning, local time, splashing across The Times and The Telegraph and leading on the BBC. The Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, additionally accused Starmer of creating a toxic atmosphere in Downing Street, while Streeting did interviews reaffirming his loyalty to Starmer. Labour has a comfortable majority, and while the next election is not due until August 2029, the federal Budget is in just two weeks' time, which will put pressure on Starmer to perform.
UK
Trump arrives in the UK for his second state visit
United States President Donald Trump has touched down for his second state visit to the United Kingdom, where he will be hosted by King Charles III at Windsor Castle. During his visit, he is also set to meet with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer to seal investment deals and a renewal of a “special relationship” between the two nations. Starmer is hoping to turn his focus onto geopolitics and investment after enduring recent events that undermined his authority, including being forced to fire his deputy and U.S. ambassador due to links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The Prime Minister is hoping to pitch Britain as a destination for U.S. investment to closely align its financial, tech and energy sectors to drive much-needed economic growth. This comes as U.S. finance firms have already invested US$1.7 billion in the U.K.. As well as this, Microsoft has invested US$30 billion, and other tech giants like Nvidia, Google, OpenAI, and Salesforce have announced investments that total over US$40 million. A spokesperson for Stamer said the state deal was a “historic opportunity” that came at a “crucial time for global stability and security. "The prime minister will discuss the challenges that both our count
UK
Keir Starmer appoints new economic team in shake up
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has appointed Minouche Shafik, a former deputy governor of the Bank of England, as his chief economic adviser. Shafik has also held senior academic and civil service roles in Britain and served a brief term as Columbia President. She later left her role at New York University after scrutiny of her handling of protests and campus divisions over the Israel-Hamas war. Alongside this, Starmer has also brought finance minister Rachel Reeves’ deputy, Darren Jones, to his Downing Street office. This suggests that Starmer believes he requires economic advice before presenting a budget later this year, which is expected to include further tax rises. “I think the creation of a role for Darren Jones is a good move,” said one Labour lawmaker. “He’s clearly got an eye for the details but understands the politics too.” Starmer has also replaced his private secretary, who runs his team’s office and appointed a new director of communications. This comes as Starmer’s team has been criticised by some in his party for failing to sell his government’s sometimes difficult policy decisions as Labour’s poll ratings slump.

UK
UK threatens Palestinian recognition by September
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced that the United Kingdom will formally recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly in September, unless Israel takes “substantive steps” to end the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. These steps include agreeing to a ceasefire, halting annexation plans in the West Bank, and committing to a long-term peace process that supports a two-state solution. Starmer made the statement following an emergency Cabinet meeting and discussion with international leaders. The U.K.’s conditions also demand that Hamas release all hostages, disarm, and accept no role in Gaza’s governance. Starmer stressed the urgency of the situation, citing images of starving children and widespread suffering in Gaza as driving factors behind the decision. The U.K. aims to see at least 500 aid trucks enter Gaza daily and has joined international efforts to increase humanitarian deliveries. Israel has strongly condemned the announcement, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accusing the U.K. of “rewarding Hamas' terrorism” and warning that recognition could embolden jihadist groups. Domestically, Starmer faces criticism from Conservative leaders and some Labour figures. However
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UK set to lower voting age to 16 next national election
The British government is lowering the voting age from 18 to 16 for the next national election, in a bid to increase voter participation. This would be the largest change in voting since the United Kingdom became the world’s first major democracy, lowering the voting age from 21 to 18 in 1969. The change would see the U.K. join countries like Austria, Argentina, Germany, which have already allowed 16 and 17-year-olds to vote. In the U.K., 16-year-olds can already vote for representatives in parliaments and local councils in Scotland and Wales but not in England and Ireland. U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the move would increase trust in democracy. "They're old enough to go out to work, they're old enough to pay taxes … and I think if you pay in, you should have the opportunity to say what you want your money spent on, which way the government should go," Starmer told Britain's ITV News. This comes as the U.K. experienced the lowest voter turnout since 2001 in 2024, with a turnout of around 60%. Research has shown that first-time voters at the age of 16 and 17 can be more engaged and more likely to go to the polls than 18 to 20-year-old first-time voters. "That's plausible when you think about 18-19-2
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Sultana starts fundraising for new leftwing UK party
Zarah Sultana has started fundraising efforts under her own name for the formation of a new left-wing party in the United Kingdom. This comes after Sultana announced she would leave the Labour Party to co-lead the new party with Jeremy Cobryn. Sultana used the platform Action Network to set up the fundraising and supporter sign-up page which has recorded more than 64,000 ‘actions taken’ so far. However there has been some controversy with the launch with some skepticism around it being put in Sultana’s name. Concerns were fuelled by the fact that the movement between Sultana and Cobryn lacked wider infrastructure, causing fears that Sultana could retain ownership of the data and donations in the absence of them. But some concerns appear to have been allayed after a week of silence and off-stage manoeuvring – culminating in an apparent agreement to fold all assets into the new party’s collective structure. One ally said the backlash over the launch was overblown and noted the scale of support Sultana had generated. While the future of the new party remains uncertain, it has already garnered some support. A poll seen by the New Statesman showed the new Corbyn-led party polling at 10% of the electorate and acc
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Prince Harry heads to court, seeking security reinstated
Prince Harry has headed home to the U.K. for an appearance in court, as he looks to overturn a decision that he would automatically no longer receive British security detail once he stood down from royal duties. The decision was made by the British government, and saw him and his wife the Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, stripped of their tax payer funded security detail when they both stepped down from being working members of the royal family back in 2020. The decision was made by the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures, known as RAVEC. The High Court in London already ruled the decision was lawful last year, and refused permission to challenge that ruling in a higher court, but the Court of Appeal agreed to hear the case, which is where it sits now. The Duke of Sussex and his lawyer, Shaheed Fatima, launched the legal proceedings by stating at the hearing he had been “singled out for unjustified and inferior treatment", and that his trips home to the U.K., from California where he, his wife and two children now live, were so rare in part due to these security concerns. Sir James Eadie, the government's senior barrister, led the opposing side with the explanation that Prince