PM warns against 'false comfort' of thinking Iran war will end quickly

Sir Keir Starmer has said he has has warned his team that they "mustn't fall into the false comfort that there will be a quick and early end" to the Iran conflict.

The prime minister told the parliamentary Liaison Committee, made up of senior MPs, that he wants to see a "swift de-escalation" to the war but that the government had to "plan on the basis it could go on for some time".

He also said the Iran conflict was "not our war" and that there had to be a "lawful basis" for any UK involvement.

The prime minister was speaking shortly after Donald Trump told reporters that talks between the US and Iran had been "very strong" and there was "a very serous chance of a deal" to end hostilities.

Oil prices, which had been hit by the conflict, dropped following the US president's remarks but Iran's foreign ministry has denied negotiations are taking place.

Appearing at the committee hearing, Sir Keir said he "welcomed the talks" and added that the UK had been aware they were happening.

"The immediate priority has to be a swift resolution of the conflict and delivering a negotiated agreement which puts tough conditions on Iran, particularly in relation to nuclear weapons," he added.

However, he warned there was "no certainty" talks would be immediately successful and that he was holding an emergency Cobra meeting with senior ministers and the governor of the Bank of England to discuss the economic impact of the conflict.

Iran has responded to Israeli-US missile strikes by effectively blocking the vital oil shipping lane of the Strait of Hormuz - a move which has pushed up oil and gas prices.

Sir Keir said he was looking at what support the government could offer in June, after the current energy price cap ends and in September, when households typically start using more energy.

He said Chancellor Rachel Reeves would make a statement in Parliament on Tuesday about the outcome of the Cobra meeting.

In an indication that the government might favour targeted support over more widespread help, Sir Keir said he was "acutely aware of how much it cost last time round" and that he was "acutely aware of the state of public finances".

The prime minister appeared to be making a reference to the energy bill schemes introduced under the previous Conservative government, which aimed to limit prices rises following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Over the weekend, the government's cost-of-living adviser Richard Walker urged the government to intervene by putting in place a temporary profit cap to stop energy and fuel retailers from exploiting the crisis to make profits.

Sir Keir said the government was "looking at measures to deal with profiteering" adding: "I think we might look at what further teeth we can give the CMA [Competitions and Markets Authority].

"I think there isn't enough regulation in this area."

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has urged the government to "drill the North Sea, cut carbon taxes and axe the fuel duty hike".

Green party leader in England and Wales Zack Polanski called for a "tighter oil and gas windfall tax, taxing income from wealth the same as from work, and double down on renewables and energy efficiency to protect us from future shocks".

Asked about UK involvement in the conflict, Sir Keir said "there must be a lawful basis and a viable and thought-through plan".

He said that was "why we didn't join the official strikes" but had allowed the US to use UK basis to strike Iranian missile infrastructure.

"This is not our war and we are not getting dragged into this war," he said.

The US president has repeatedly criticised Sir Keir for not allowing the US to use its military bases for its initial attacks.

The tetchiest moment of the committee hearing, came when the prime minister faced questions about the UK's defensive readiness.

MPs have raised concern about how long it it has taken the UK to send the HMS Dragon warship to the Eastern Mediterranean.

Tan Dhesi, Labour MP and chair of the defence committee, suggested the UK's response had been "embarrassing".

There have also been questions about delays to publishing the defence investment plan.

Conservative MP Sir Bernard Jenkin suggested the failure to produce the plan was "holding things up" and he accused the government of lacking "a war-fighting mentality" adding that the process "smacks of enormous complacency".

Sir Keir snapped back that it "smacks of the fact that for years there was under-investment by the last government" and pointed to comments by the former Conservative Defence Secretary Sir Ben Wallace that the armed forces had been "hollowed out".

The prime minister said the defence investment plan was on his desk and being "finalised".

There have been reports that the plan is being held up due to a row between the Treasury and No 10 over funding.

The prime minister was also asked about the UK playing a greater part in the EU's €150bn (£130bn) defence loans scheme, the Security Action for Europe (Safe) partnership.

He expressed his disappointment that the UK hadn't been involved in the first stage of the scheme and said it would be on the agenda at upcoming talks in Brussels