Keir Starmer says he does not accept UK has to choose between US and EU – UK politics live | Politics

Here is the full reply from Keir Starmer to a question Beth Rigby, the Sky News political editor, who asked him if, in the light of Donald Trump’s tariff threats, it was time to recognise that Trump was “a bad thing for Europe’s economic prosperity and security”. (See 4.16pm.)

Starmer replied:

On the question, firstly of tariffs, obviously, it’s early days, and I think what’s really important is open and strong trading relations, and that’s been the basis of my discussions with President Trump.

And I know that intense US-EU discussions are planned.

In relation to … Ukraine, I do think it’s right for us to acknowledge the role that the US have played in relation to the joint efforts on Ukraine. And that’s pivotal, because it’s not just a question of a war or the sovereignty of Ukraine, it is not just a European issue, it’s a question of global security. And I think it’s very important that we see it in that context.

Starmer also said that the Ukraine war had led to Nato becoming “stronger and bigger”.

Q: [To Starmer] What happens if you are forced to choose between the US and the UK?

Starmer says it is vital for the UK that it works with both Europe and the US.

It’s really important that we work with both, and we don’t see it as an either/or.

We are working very closely with our European allies every day, particularly in Ukraine, but not only in Ukraine. But equally on defense and security with the US and the special relationship in relation to defense and security

He also says the UK has a huge amount of trade with both the US and the EU.

It’s important that I always act in the national interest, the best interests of the UK … it’s important that we work with both sets of partners, particularly at this volatile time.

And that’s the end of the press conference.

Q: [To Rutte] Isn’t the threat to Greenland far more serious than any previous disgreement with the US. Doesn’t Europe have to start planning a way of defending itself in future without the US?

Rutte says the idea of Nato without the US is a “silly thought”.

He says he is a “staunch Atlanticist” and thinks the west has to stay connected.

And he says he knows that thinking is still prevalent in the White House.

Q: Will you water down the EU reset to keep Trump onside?

Starmer says the US and the EU are both important to the UK.

That has always been the case, he says.

He says, in talks with president Trump, he has spoken about defence and trade.

Both of these relations re very important between us. We are not choosing between them.

Starmer and Rutte are now taking quesions.

Q: [To Rutte] Do you fear the Atlantic alliance is unravelling?

Rutte says there are always issues between allies.

He says the US sells more to Europe than Europe does to them.

And he claims this issue will “not have an impact on our collective deterrence”.

Q: [To Starmer] Trump is threatening allies. Isn’t he a bad thing for security?

Starmer says, on tariffs, it is “early days’.

He says it is “really important” to have “open and strong trading relations”.

And he plays tribute to the role the US has played in relation to Ukraine.

Rutte says Nato countries need to spend more on defence.

In a dangerous world, spending 2% of GDP on defence (the current Nato target) will not be enough, he says.

He says the UK understands this.

We need to invest considerably more. We also need to replenish our stocks, and fast, there’s no time to waste.

Reviving our defense industries, to ramp up defense production is an absolute mus.

During the world war two, factories in the UK and the US produced billions of rounds of ammunition. That was before digitisation and automation.

With all the might of British manufacturing, just imagine what we could achieve now.

Mark Rutte, the Nato general secretary, is opening the press conference with Keir Starmer.

He starts by paying tribute to the contribution the UK makes to the Nato alliance.

The Commons procedure committee has launched an inquiry into whether MPs should be able to vote electronically. Currently they have to vote in person, by going through the division lobbies on either side of the Commons chamber, and there is very little scope for proxy voting. This takes time, and a division normally last 15 minutes, from start to finish.

In the past MPs have always resisted a move towards electronic voting, because many of them like the chance to meet colleagues in the division lobbies. For government backbenchers, it can be the one chance they get in the week to speak to cabinet ministers.

But more than half of MPs in the Commons now were only elected at the last election, and some of the new arrivals feel parliamentary procedures are too antiquated.

Announcing the inquiry, Cat Smith, the Labour chair of the procedure committee, said:

Electronic voting is already in use in other legislatures in various forms – including in the House of Lords – and the new parliament gives us the chance to investigate whether it’s time for the House of Commons to adapt its procedures.

There are several factors to consider before any major changes, such as the historical context for in-person divisions, the impact of the recent introduction of pass readers in the voting lobbies, and the robustness of our technological systems.

The NAHT, the school leaders’ union, has joined other teaching unions in criticising the plans for new Ofsted report cards. In a statement Paul Whiteman, the NAHT general secretary, said:

School leaders share the education secretary’s determination to ensure that all children, no matter what their background, receive a first-rate education, and they welcome fair, proportionate accountability. However, we are deeply concerned that many of Ofsted’s proposals will hinder, not help in this mission.

The inspectorate previously struggled to offer a fair reliable and consistent single-word rating during a two-day inspection, harming teacher and leader retention and driving sky-high rates of ill health. Rather than engage in fundamental reform it seems to think it can judge multiple complex areas in the same timeframe, piling more unnecessary pressure on school leaders and their staff working hard to deliver for pupils.

What’s needed is a constructive approach to schools facing the greatest challenges to improve, supported by significantly more investment. We urgently need to better understand how RISE [regional improvement for standars and excellence] teams will work alongside schools – but make no mistake, if their operation is informed by a flawed inspection framework this will undermine their effectiveness.

The Green party has gone further, saying Ofsted should be abolished. The Green’s education spokesperson Vix Lowthian said:

Ofsted isn’t working. For teachers or parents.

We’ve seen the toxic impact it can have on teachers and we know it doesn’t serve children.

These reforms are too close to the previous failed model.

We must instead scrap Ofsted and end the era of forcing teachers into narrowly defined boxes.

To replace it we need a collaborative model connecting teachers on the frontline with local experts.

By connecting them with specialists in pedagogy, child development and social care we can encourage teacher retention, tailor support to local circumstances and drive much better local and national outcomes.

Britons think a proportional representation voting system would better than first-past-the-post by a margin of almost two to one according to new polling by YouGov.

There is a full write-up here.

Bridget Phillipson has said she expects the “first priority” of unions to be “children and their life chances”, after her new proposals for Ofsted inspections were criticised for being worse than the system they would replace, PA Media reports.

The education Secretary said she will “always seek to engage in dialogue” with unions, but she “won’t let anything get in the way” of her responsibility to families and children.

Asked by reporters what her message to unions would be given they have criticised the plans and unhappiness over pay proposals, Phillipson replied:

My first priority is children and their life chances, and that’s what I’d expect their first priority to be as well.

Of course I’ll always seek to engage in dialogue and have a constructive relationship where that’s possible, but my first responsibility as secretary of state is to children and families and to their life chances and I won’t let anything get in the way of that.

Pushed more on whether she was listening to teachers and their concerns, she added:

I think there’s been a lot of discussion about how I as secretary of state am apparently in hock to the trade unions. I think we’ve seen today from the reaction to what we’re setting out that that’s very far from the truth.

I will always seek a constructive relationship with trade unions representing our teachers and workforce, they’ve got an important role to play.

But my first priority will always be children and their life chances. That has to be my focus and that’s my first responsibility.

Here is the full text of Phillipson’s speech, in which she she said the new report cards would provide “rich, granular insight”.