Britain must be prepared for the war in Iran to continue “for some time”, the prime minister has warned MPs.
Speaking before the liaison committee on Monday, Sir Keir Starmer warned the country must not fall into the “false comfort” of thinking there would be “a quick and early end” to the war.
“I think all our focus and energy has to be in the swift de-escalation, but we’ve got to plan on the basis that it could go on for some time, and that’s the way in which we’ll plan this afternoon,” he told MPs.
“Since the conflict started, I’ve been really clear with the team that we mustn’t fall into the sort of false comfort of thinking that there will necessarily be a quick and early end to this.
“We have to plan on the basis there may not be.”
The prime minister was speaking ahead of a meeting of the Government’s emergency Cobra committee to discuss how to handle the economic impact of the conflict.
His words come after his US counterpart Donald Trump signalled a degree of de-escalation in the conflict, posting on Truth Social that talks between the US and Iran had been “very good and productive conversations”.
Starmer said the UK was aware these talks were taking place, and reiterated his view that we must “de-escalate and bring an end to this conflict as swiftly as possible.”
There were also suggestions from MPs that the UK may face supply shortages, due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and a dwindling global oil supply.
Addressing this, the prime minister said: “I can reassure the committee that we haven’t any meaningful concern about energy supplies.”
Defence Secretary John Healey confirmed British ship HMS Dragon would begin operating in the region on Monday night.
Meanwhile, Defence Secretary John Healey confirmed British ship HMS Dragon had arrived in the region and would begin operations on Monday night.
“Tonight, [it] begins operational integration into Cyprus’s defence, alongside allies,” Healey told MPs while speaking in the house of commons.
Addressing the news that two missiles were fired towards the British-US military base Diego Garcia, Healey said the government had been “blunt” and “open” with the public.
“There is no assessment that we are being targeted in the UK in that way,” Healey added.
Unusually, the Governor of the Bank of England Andrew Bailey will also join the Cobra meeting later on Monday.
The public has already seen everyday prices for things like petrol and mortgages rise in response to Iran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking to the liaison committee ahead of this meeting, the prime minister confirmed his cabinet would discuss what measures could be implemented to help ease these rising costs for the public.
“This afternoon we will be looking at a wider set of measures,” said Starmer.
“The Chancellor will then make a statement to the House tomorrow… to announce the outcome of the COBRA meeting.”
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