Sir Keir Starmer Says He Is ‘Fed Up’ With Trump and Putin’s Actions Driving Up UK Energy Bills

Sir Keir Starmer has said he is “fed up” with the actions of Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin impacting energy prices in the UK, in what marks his strongest public criticism of the US president to date.

Speaking during a visit to the Middle East, the prime minister argued that the UK must push for energy independence and said renewables are the fastest route to achieving it.

Sir Keir told ITV’s Talking Politics podcast: “I’m fed up with the fact that families across the country see their bills go up and down… because of the actions of Putin or Trump across the world. We need energy independence, and the only way to get energy independence is to go even more quickly to renewables.”

His comments came shortly before a scheduled phone call with President Trump. When asked by broadcasters whether he repeated the same message directly to the US leader, Sir Keir said he “set out the views of the region” and focused the call on the situation in the Strait of Hormuz.

He said the UK has been working with more than 40 countries on plans to reopen the vital shipping route and ensure long‑term security for global trade.

Middle East visit and regional security

Sir Keir’s remarks came as he concluded a three‑day trip to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Qatar, where discussions centred on the war in Iran, regional defence cooperation and efforts to protect Gulf states from missile and drone attacks.

He said there was “a real desire” in the region to work more closely with the UK on defence and economic resilience, adding: “This conflict is going to define us for a generation, and we must respond with strength.”

Response to Trump’s NATO comments

The prime minister also addressed a recent social media post from President Trump, who wrote: “NATO WASN’T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WON’T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN.”

Sir Keir said NATO remains essential for both Europe and the United States, calling it “the single most‑effective military alliance the world has ever known”.

He added that the UK will continue to make the case for a stronger European role within NATO and said he has been encouraging European partners to contribute more for “the best part of two years”.

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