KEIR Starmer has said the UK will play a more active role in the Middle East following the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria.
It comes as the Prime Minister also said no decision has been made on whether to remove a leading Syrian rebel group from the UK Government’s proscribed terrorist list after its victory over Bashar al Assad’s forces.
Alongside the US and other allies, the UK is considering whether to remove HTS, the rebel group which led the offensive against Assad, from its proscribed list of terrorist organisations.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden said the UK Government would “consider” removing the group although, speaking from Riyadh, the PM said, “no decision is pending at all on this”.
“It is far too early. At the moment, the focus has to be on talking to our allies, making sure that this is an opportunity for Syria,” he said.
Starmer (below) had been visiting the Middle East as part of a bid to shore up ties and encourage investment, promising the UK would play a more active role in the region.
He said: “From cutting the cost of living for hardworking British people, to building resilience supply chains or supporting communities in Britain, what happens in the Middle East matters at home.
“That is why we are strengthening our defence partnership with Saudi Arabia, protecting the vulnerable in Syria, supporting our partners in Lebanon and working with the international community to push for a ceasefire in Israel and Gaza, secure the return of all hostages and accelerate aid into Gaza.”
Starmer also announced a further £11 million in humanitarian aid for the most vulnerable in Syria, with hundreds of thousands displaced by the conflict.
He continued: “To deliver on my plan for change, we need a strong foundation of security but that cannot just be built at home, it requires us to play our part on the world stage to support stability and protect partners from threats, both now and in the future.”
As well as vowing to play a more active role in the region, Starmer also said the UK would seek to strengthen the defence co-operation with Saudi Arabia.
