Significant shift as Starmer says Ukraine must be in ‘strongest possible position for negotiations’

Published

7 months ago

December 3, 2024

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Sir Keir Starmer has for the first time said it was British policy to “put Ukraine in the strongest possible position for negotiations”.

During a speech at the Lord Mayor’s Banquet in London on Monday, the prime minister said he wants Ukraine to be in a position of strength “so they can secure a just and lasting peace on their terms that guarantees their security, independence – and right to choose their own future”.

But make no mistake. This is a significant shift.

Only last month, both Sir Keir and French President Emmanuel Macron were promising to “support Ukraine unwaveringly and for as long as necessary to thwart Russia’s war of aggression”.

War latest: Things ‘look bad’ for Ukraine, key figure admits

In the summer, his predecessor Rishi Sunak stated British policy on Ukraine was based on the principle that “aggression cannot and will not prevail” while also talking of a just and lasting peace “based on international law and the UN charter”.

If negotiations happen and settle on some kind of compromise, as they always do, Russian aggression will have prevailed to some extent at least.

If Russia, as many seem to expect, walks away with de facto control of at least part of the chunk of Ukraine it has taken by force and wins a commitment Ukraine will not join NATO for the foreseeable future, Vladimir Putin will have been vindicated, at least in part.

His decision to wield naked unprovoked brutal aggression against a neighbour will have achieved some of its ends.

That Western leaders are now talking about negotiations between Ukraine and Russia will, say critics, be a sign of their abject failure to “thwart Russian aggression”.

The West failed to deter Russia from invading Ukraine, hoping the threat of “swift punitive” financial sanctions would suffice.

Then it failed to act with sufficient urgency and unity to help Ukraine repel that invasion.

Western leaders seem ready to accept inevitability of negotiations

Russia may be reaching the limit of its ability to support a war it is undoubtedly winning, drafting in North Korean and Yemeni troops to avoid an unpopular second mobilisation of Russians. And with inflation soaring the Russian economy is creaking.

But US President-elect Donald Trump seems determined to press on and expedite negotiations and other leaders, including Ukraine’s own and now Britain’s, seem ready to accept their inevitability.

Sir Keir gave the impression negotiations were around the corner. That could be jumping the gun. We have no idea when they will start, if they do.

For some, Sir Keir’s words will be overhasty.

Many would prefer Europe to hold the line even if the US is about to walk away from giving Ukraine the military support it has relied on for two years.

Politics

MP Zarah Sultana who was ousted from Labour announces she is starting new political party with Jeremy Corbyn

Published

6 hours ago

July 3, 2025

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MP Zarah Sultana who was ousted from Labour announces she is starting new political party with Jeremy Corbyn

An MP who was ousted from the Labour Party has announced she is setting up a new political party with Jeremy Corbyn.

Independent MP Zarah Sultana said she and the former Labour leader will co-lead the new party, which she did not provide a name for.

She said other independent MPs, campaigners and activists from across the country will join them, but did not name anyone.

Politics latest: Zarah Sultana’s stinging resignation letter

Ms Sultana also said she was “resigning” from the Labour Party after 14 years.

She was suspended as a Labour MP shortly after they came to power last summer for voting against the government maintaining the two-child benefit cap.

Several others from the left of the party, including Mr Corbyn, were also suspended for voting against the government, and also remained as independent MPs.

However, Ms Sultana was still a member of the Labour Party – until now.

Mr Corbyn has previously said the independent MPs who were suspended from Labour would “come together” to provide an “alternative.

The other four are: Iqbal Mohamed, Shockat Adam, Ayoub Khan and Adnan Hussain.

Mr Corbyn and the other four independents have not said if they are part of the new party Ms Sultana announced.

In her announcement, Ms Sultana said she would vote to abolish the two-child benefit cap again and also voted against scrapping the winter fuel payment for most pensioners.

Ms Sultana also voted against the government’s welfare bill this week, which was heavily watered down as Sir Keir Starmer tried to prevent a major rebellion from his own MPs.

On Wednesday, Ms Sultana spoke passionately against Palestine Action being proscribed as a terror organisation – but MPs eventually voted for it to be.

She said to proscribe it is “a deliberate distortion of the law to chill dissent, criminalise solidarity and suppress the truth”.

Ms Sultana said they were founding the new party because “Westminster is broken but the real crisis is deeper – just 50 families now own more wealth than half the UK population”.

She called Reform leader Nigel Farage “a billionaire-backed grifter” leading the polls “because Labour has completely failed to improve people’s lives.

The MP, who has spoken passionately about Gaza, added: “Across the political establishment, from Farage to Starmer, they smear people of conscience trying to stop a genocide in Gaza as terrorists.

“But the truth is clear: this government is an active participant in genocide. And the British people oppose it.

“We are not going to take this anymore.”

A Labour Party spokesperson said: “In just 12 months, this Labour government has boosted wages, delivered an extra four million NHS appointments, opened 750 free breakfast clubs, secured three trade deals and four interest rate cuts lowering mortgage payments for millions.

“Only Labour can deliver the change needed to renew Britain.”