Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has set out a resilience agenda, arguing the UK must be better insulated from external shocks in what he described as a “volatile and dangerous” world. The message coincides with a three‑day visit to the Gulf to coordinate with regional partners as a fragile ceasefire around the Iran conflict comes under strain, including disagreements about whether the truce covers Lebanon. Downing Street said Starmer spoke with US President Donald Trump on Thursday evening about a practical plan to restore safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz and restart trade flows.
Officials link the disruption in Hormuz to pressure on the cost of living, with petrol and some food prices moving higher. Starmer met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah on Wednesday before travelling to the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Qatar on Thursday for further talks with regional allies on security and shipping.
Writing in the Guardian, Starmer said he is focused on the long term and on remaking the country so that households and businesses are not at the mercy of events abroad. He argued that Britain has been buffeted by the 2008 financial crisis, Brexit and Covid‑19, and criticised a pattern of crisis management in Westminster followed by attempts to reinstate the pre‑crisis status quo. He said the current Iran conflict should mark “a line in the sand”.
In an interview with ITV’s Talking Politics podcast, the prime minister tied recent price volatility to the UK’s energy exposure, expressing frustration that family and business bills can fluctuate in response to decisions by leaders such as Vladimir Putin or Donald Trump. He said the events of the past two months underline the case for energy independence to reduce vulnerability to geopolitical shocks.
Starmer highlighted three domestic levers he argues would strengthen resilience: accelerated investment in renewable energy, stronger workers’ rights and scrapping the two‑child benefit cap. “Resilience is what gives us control,” he wrote, presenting these measures as part of a plan to deliver more predictable costs for households and employers during periods of international turbulence.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper echoed the message in the Mansion House speech, warning that instability is now persistent rather than exceptional. Citing the pandemic, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the Iran conflict, she said global events have sent repeated economic waves through the system in the past six years and cautioned that reopening Hormuz alone will not end a more turbulent era.
Political responses were swift. Conservative Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake said Starmer’s call for resilience and energy security is incompatible with what he described as bans on new North Sea drilling and a reluctance to pursue welfare reform, arguing that turning away from domestic oil and gas would increase dependence on foreign suppliers and keep too many people on benefits rather than in work.
Other parties pressed alternative priorities. Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesperson Calum Miller MP said resilience requires acknowledging the challenge of a Trump‑led America and urged stronger ties with European allies. A Reform UK spokesperson argued for greater use of domestic energy, stricter border control and a UK‑first approach. Green Party leader Zack Polanski welcomed a renewed focus on European security partnerships but said ministers still lack a credible plan to phase out fossil fuels and reduce inequality.
Policy Wire analysis: the immediate operational issue is maritime security and insurance in and around Hormuz. Prolonged disruption pushes up freight and rerouting costs, lengthens delivery times for energy and food imports, and can feed through to petrol, diesel and supermarket prices. Energy‑intensive industries face higher input costs, while small exporters to Gulf markets may experience cash‑flow stress from shipping delays.
If progressed, the government’s stated priorities would imply parallel workstreams at home: scaling renewables and storage to cut exposure to imported fuels, legislating on workers’ rights and enforcement, and revisiting the two‑child benefit cap. Ministers have not set out timelines or draft legislation in these remarks; subsequent statements, the legislative programme and any fiscal events will indicate pace and scope.