"We will not be drawn into conflict. This is not our war. I will not change my stance, nor will I make concessions. Engaging in war does not serve our national interests," British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told parliament on 15/4, referring to the conflict between the United States and Israel with Iran.
This statement followed United States President Donald Trump's threat to adjust a trade agreement signed with Britain. London had previously stated multiple times that it would not be drawn into a war with Tehran, a move that angered Trump.
Although he has criticized Starmer's policies on several occasions, President Trump believes that recent tensions in relations with Britain will not negatively affect King Charles III's state visit to the United States this month.
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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer addresses the British parliament on 15/4. *Photo: Reuters* |
Starmer also told the British parliament that "the long-standing relationship between the two nations is more important than any individual holding office at any given time."
Last year, London and Washington signed a trade agreement, imposing a 10% tariff cap on most British goods exported to the United States. In return, Britain agreed to further open its market to United States ethanol and beef, leading to domestic concerns. Britain viewed this as a favorable agreement, as the country received the lowest tariff rate the United States offered its partners.
However, this advantage weakened after the United States Supreme Court rejected some tariffs, whereby Washington imposed a temporary 10% rate on almost all imports, ahead of a new tariff mechanism in July.
Trump had praised positive relations with Starmer at the time of the agreement's signing, but relations between the two sides subsequently deteriorated, particularly due to disagreements over the Middle East conflict. Starmer angered the United States leadership by refusing to allow the United States to use British bases for initial attacks targeting Iran.
Starmer later agreed to a request from the United States, allowing the use of two British military bases for "specific and limited defensive purposes."
Starmer's government, which has sought to mend relations with President Trump since his return to the White House in 1/2025, recently issued tougher statements towards its long-standing ally. Finance Minister Rachel Reeves on 14/4 criticized Trump for mistakenly launching a war with Iran "without a clear exit strategy."
Speaking before parliament on 13/4, Starmer also stated that Trump was wrong to threaten to "destroy Iranian civilization." Health Minister Wes Streeting had earlier criticized Trump's rhetoric as "incendiary, provocative, and excessive."
By Huyen Le (According to AFP)
