Starmer refutes claim US is angry over UK's Israel arms decision ahead of talks

Middle East crisis will be high on US trip agenda when the Prime Minister meets President Joe Biden

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer in the Cabinet Room inside 10 Downing Street. Mr Starmer will visit the US next week to meet President Joe Biden and discuss the Middle East crisis. AFP

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UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer says the Middle East crisis will be high on the agenda when he travels to the US to meet President Joe Biden this week.

On Sunday, he hit back at claims the US was angry at Britain for its decision to suspend some arms sales to Israel.

It comes as the UK announced an arms embargo on 30 weapons export licences to Israel that authorities said might have been used to commit “serious violations” of international humanitarian law.

Mr Starmer said it was “wrong” to claim the US was angry at Britain.

Asked about the issue by the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, Mr Starmer said: “You are wrong about that. We have been talking to the US beforehand and afterwards. They are very clear that they have got a different legal system and they understand the decision that we have taken.”

Last week, Foreign Secretary David Lammy told the House of Commons that the evidence meant Britain had no choice but to impose the ban.

The Labour government came under pressure during the general election campaign over its support for Israel while civilians were being killed in large numbers in Gaza.

Mr Lammy said it was the government's “legal duty to review this export licence” and while the decision was not “a determination of guilt”, it had been forced into it after the vast scale of violence in Gaza, in which more than 40,900 Palestinians have been killed since October last year.

On Friday, Mr Starmer is due to travel to the US for talks with Mr Biden about continuing efforts to secure a hostage and ceasefire deal in the Israel-Gaza war. It is his second visit since he was elected to office in July.

“The reason I am actually going and having the visit is not about that [the suspension of arms sales] at all,” he said. “It is because the situation in Ukraine is becoming evermore pressing, as is the situation in the Middle East.”

Mr Starmer said he had had a number of discussions with Mr Biden both in person and on the phone and with other allies in recent weeks, adding his coming visit to the US would be focused on a “strategic discussion” about the next few months in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Reports had suggested that the US had privately warned Britain against suspending export licences over concerns it could hamper efforts to achieve a ceasefire.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the leaders will have “an in-depth discussion on a range of global issues of mutual interest”.

Other topics due to be discussed include threats to commercial shipping in the Red Sea posed by Yemen's Houthi rebels, western support for Ukraine as it tries to repel Russia's invasion and shared concerns about the Indo-Pacific.

“They will also discuss opportunities to strengthen US-UK co-operation to secure supply chains and increase climate resilience,” the White House said.

“President Biden will underscore the importance of continuing to strengthen the special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom.”

Asked about Kamala Harris’ selection as the Democrat candidate for US president, Mr Starmer replied: “Of course, it is really good to see the election developing as it is in the US.

“I have been very clear as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom that I will deal with whoever the American people elect in as their president.”