UK Politics

Donald Trump has given Keir Starmer the green light to go ahead and recognise the state of Palestine.It came as the prime minister met with the US president at his Turnberry golf resort in Scotland for crucial talks on the Middle East crisis, trade and Ukraine.Speaking to journalists ahead of their meeting in Scotland, the US president took a very different tone to his secretary of state Marco Rubio who last Friday condemned French president Emmanuel Macron for going ahead in recognising Palestine.President Trump and Sir Keir appeared to be on the same page in wanting to end the hunger in the besieged territory, with the UK set to lead a new peace process with American support.On the political issue vexing Sir Keir Starmer over recognising Palestine as a state, Mr Trump said: “I’m not going to take a position. I don’t mind him [Sir Keir] taking a position. I’m looking to getting people fed right now. That’s the number one position, because you have a lot of starving people.”He also made it very clear that he does not agree with Benjamin Netanyahu, after the Israeli PM claimed “nobody is starving in Gaza”.Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (left) is greeted by US President Donald Trump at his Trump Turnberry golf course in South Ayrshire (Chris Furlong/PA) More

The England men’s football team should “take a lesson” from the Lionesses, Sir Keir Starmer has said, following their dramatic Euro 2025 victory. England became European champions again on Sunday evening after defeating Spain in a dramatic penalty shootout in Basel.The prime minister – who is a football fan himself – said the Lionesses have “captured the hearts of the nation”, adding the team are an inspiration for young people across the country.The Lionesses will be welcomed by an open-top bus parade (Nick Potts/PA) More

Keir Starmer will go into his emergency cabinet meeting this week under immense political pressure to change government policy and recognise a Palestinian state.The question which will be troubling the prime minister though will not be whether he wants to recognise Palestine as a country, but determining when formal recognition will have maximum effect.The problem is that recognising a state is a one-time move. Unlike a Brexit agreement or a trade deal, there is no going back to rework some of the details further down the line – with this, there is no room for error.Sir Keir Starmer has an emergency cabinet meeting on Gaza this week (PA) More

Jeremy Corbyn is far more popular among young voters than Sir Keir Starmer, new polling has indicated, suggesting that Labour’s decision to extend the vote to 16 and 17 year olds could backfire.While both leaders remain deeply unpopular among the public, there is a surge in support for Sir Keir’s predecessor among those aged 18-24, a new poll has shown. The survey comes just days after Mr Corbyn launched his own political party alongside former left-wing Labour MP Zarah Sultana. Jeremy Corbyn is more popular among young voters than Sir Keir Starmer More

Sir Keir Starmer will recall his cabinet from their summer break for an emergency meeting on the Gaza crisis after coming under growing pressure to recognise a Palestinian state and amid mounting concern over humanitarian conditions in the region. Ministers, who are in a summer recess until September 1, are expected to reconvene this week to discuss the situation in the Middle East.It comes after peace talks came to a standstill last week after Washington and Israel recalled negotiating teams from Qatar, with White House special envoy Steve Witkoff blaming Hamas for a “lack of desire” to reach an agreement.Since then, Israel has promised military pauses in three populated areas of Gaza to allow designated UN convoys of aid to reach desperate Palestinians.Sir Keir Starmer will discuss the crisis with Donald Trump More

Sir Keir Starmer will plead with Donald Trump to bring about a ceasefire in Gaza and end the suffering of thousands of Palestinians when he meets with the US president in Scotland on Monday.The growing crisis in the Middle East will top the agenda when the two hold their bilateral meeting at President Trump’s Turnberry golf course in Ayrshire, with the prime minister under immense political pressure to change the UK’s policy on recognising Palestine as a state.It comes after the IDF announced a “tactical pause” in fighting to allow aid to get in, with thousands of people trapped in Gaza facing mass starvation. On Sunday, Jordan and the UAE carried out the first airdrops of food and essential supplies.The president will meet with prime minister Keir Starmer during his visit to Scotland More

Some of Europe’s top music festivals will feature half as many British acts as they did before Brexit this summer, as red tape continues to hammer the music industry. Sir Elton John is among those who have warned that the UK’s departure from the EU has caused a “logistical nightmare” and placed “leg irons” on travelling musicians.Last year he warned the issue risks jeopardising artists’ futures and the UK’s status as a cultural force, saying he was “horrified”. Now new figures show fans in France, Spain, Germany and Denmark will miss out as the number of British acts on the bill in some of Europe’s biggest festivals plummets.Sir Elton John is among the world-famous British artists who have warned about the impact of Brexit on the industry More

Kemi Badenoch has offered to work with the Labour government “in the national interest” to tackle the “militant” doctors’ strike – but only if Keir Starmer reverses a key election pledge.With resident doctors – previously called junior doctors – in the middle of a five-day strike over their demand for a 29 per cent pay rise, the Tory leader has warned that “people are going to die” as a result.And speaking to Sir Trevor Phillips on Sky News, she said the government needs to go back on its plans to scrap the minimum service guarantee during strikes which the previous Conservative government brought in to tackle striking doctors.She also wants the government to ban doctors from going on strike in the same category as the police and military.Leader of the Conservative Party Kemi Badenoch wants doctors to be banned from striking, like the police More