Sir Keir Starmer is 'fed up' of bills going up 'because of Putin or Trump'

The Prime Minister, who has been visiting allies in the Gulf for talks on how to support what he described as a “fragile” truce, said he was “fed up” with bills going up in the UK “because of the actions of Putin or Trump”.

Despite the ceasefire agreed between the US and Iran, it appears as if the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping lane through which 20 per cent of the world’s traded oil once passed, remains blocked.

Reports have suggested that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is charging tolls for vessels, and only Iranian tankers appear able to travel through.

Mr Trump posted on his Truth Social platform: “There are reports that Iran is charging fees to tankers going through the Hormuz Strait — They better not be and, if they are, they better stop now! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”

He added in a separate post: “Iran is doing a very poor job, dishonorable some would say, of allowing Oil to go through the Strait of Hormuz. That is not the agreement we have!”

Sir Keir spoke to the bombastic president about the need for a “practical plan” to get shipping going through the strait.

Prior to this the Prime Minister appeared to draw parallels between Mr Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin as he expressed frustration over rising costs for Britons after global oil prices skyrocketed.

“I’m fed up with the fact that families across the country see their bills go up and down on energy, businesses’ bills go up and down on energy, because of the actions of Putin or Trump,” he told ITV’s Talking Politics Podcast.

He added that allies share “a very strong sense that can’t be tolling or restrictions on that navigation” on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz as part of the ceasefire.

This comes as North Sea oil prices have risen to a new record high as traders rushed to secure supplies.

Forties Blend, the marker used for cargoes of oil produced off the coast of the UK, rose to almost 147 US dollars (£109.50) a barrel late on Thursday.

It surpassed the previous high reached during the 2008 financial crisis, according to data from LSEG.

This price is significantly higher than Brent crude oil, which ticked slightly higher amid tension over the ceasefire deal agreed earlier this week.

Yesterday morning, Brent was up by 1.9 per cent to 97.79 dollars a barrel.

Meanwhile, ACI Europe, which represents airports within the European Union, said they could experience fuel shortages within weeks.

In a letter to the EU’s Transport Commissioner, it said if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened it would “severely disrupt airport operations and connectivity”.

The letter explained: “If the passage through the Strait of Hormuz does not resume in any significant and stable way within the next three weeks, systemic jet fuel shortage is set to become a reality.”

This comes with US and Iran negotiators expected to travel to Pakistan today to start talks.

However, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency, close to the Revolutionary Guard, claimed these would not happen unless Israel stopped its attacks in Lebanon.

Preparations for the talks between Iran and the US appeared to be moving forward, with US vice president JD Vance making his way to Pakistan from Washington.

Negotiations between Israel and Lebanon, meanwhile, are expected to begin next week in Washington, according to a US official and a person familiar with the plans.