PM vows UK will ‘weather the storm’ as Middle East war drives fresh cost-of-living fears

Prime Minister Keir Starmer holds a press conference on the situation in the Middle East in 10 Downing Street.

(Pictures by Lauren Hurley / No 10 Downing Street)

UK will not be drawn into the conflict in the Middle East, the Prime Minister insisted today, as he moved to reassure households facing fresh anxiety over fuel prices, energy bills and wider economic uncertainty.

In a significant Downing Street address on Wednesday, the PM said the war — now entering its second month — is already reshaping the future of the UK, warning that while this is “not our war”, its consequences are being felt in homes across the country.

With petrol prices and energy costs again under pressure, he sought to strike a balance between calm reassurance and long-term political direction, promising that Britain would emerge from the crisis “a stronger and more secure nation”.

Diplomatic push to reopen vital shipping route

At the heart of the Government’s international response is an urgent effort to restore freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy shipping routes.

The Prime Minister confirmed that the UK has now brought together 35 nations in support of a joint statement aimed at restoring maritime security across the Gulf.

A major diplomatic meeting will take place later this week, hosted by the Foreign Secretary, bringing those countries together for the first time to assess political and diplomatic options.

The Government will then convene military planners to examine how the UK and its allies can help make the route safe again once fighting ends.

He acknowledged the scale of the challenge, telling the country: “This will not be easy.”

Business leaders from shipping, insurance, finance and energy sectors have already warned ministers that the biggest issue is no longer cost, but the physical safety of ships and crews.

The PM said this required a united response built on diplomacy, defence capability and close cooperation with industry.

‘People see it at the pumps’

Turning to the impact at home, the Prime Minister directly addressed public fears that the conflict could worsen the cost-of-living crisis.

He said families can already see the effects “at the petrol pumps” and are increasingly worried about household bills.

Drawing on personal experience, he referenced the economic shocks of the 1970s, recalling how his own family struggled to pay bills during that era’s energy crisis.

That memory, he said, has shaped his determination not to allow Britain to simply return to “business as usual” once this crisis passes.

Instead, he framed the Government’s response as part of a broader generational reset focused on economic security.

Five-point plan to ease pressure on households

The Prime Minister reiterated the Government’s five-point plan for the immediate crisis, with several measures taking effect immediately.

These include:

• Energy bills cut by more than £100 per household from today

• Fuel duty reduction extended until September

• £53 million support package for households affected by heating oil price rises

• Further investment in clean British energy

• Continued diplomatic pressure for de-escalation in the Middle East

In one of the speech’s sharpest political lines, he said he was “sick and tired” of British households being exposed to global price shocks.

He argued that greater investment in domestic renewables is the only sustainable way to stabilise bills.

More support from next week

The PM also highlighted a raft of measures due to come into force from next week, presenting them as part of a wider strategy to strengthen household resilience.

From Monday:

• The state pension will rise

• The two-child benefit limit will be scrapped, which he said would lift 450,000 children out of poverty

• A major package of workers’ rights reforms will become law

• Prescription charges will remain frozen for a year

• National living wage increases are already taking effect

He said the package demonstrates that the Government’s long-term economic direction was already designed for a “new and dangerous world”.

Closer partnership with Europe signalled

In a major political development, the Prime Minister also signalled a move towards closer ties with the European Union, arguing that the UK’s long-term national interest now requires deeper economic and security cooperation with European allies.

He said a new summit with EU partners will be announced in the coming weeks.

Going beyond previous commitments, the Government wants the summit to deliver a more ambitious partnership covering economic cooperation, energy, security and shared strategic interests.

In a striking passage, he said the opportunities to strengthen national security and lower living costs are “simply too big to ignore”.

A defining moment

The address marks one of the clearest attempts yet by the Government to frame the Middle East conflict not just as a foreign policy crisis, but as a defining domestic economic moment.

For households already facing pressure on budgets, the message from Downing Street was clear: Britain is not entering the war, but its effects are already being felt — and how the country responds now could shape the next generation.

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At a glance

• Middle East conflict has entered its second month

• PM says Britain will not be drawn into the war

• UK leading diplomatic effort involving 35 nations

• Focus on reopening the Strait of Hormuz

• Energy bills cut by £100+ per household

• Fuel duty cut extended until September

• £53 million allocated for heating oil support

• State pension and living wage rises begin next week

• Two-child limit to be scrapped

• New summit with EU partners planned in coming weeks