Sir Keir Starmer said economic growth was his “number one mission” as he held talks with Saudi Arabia’s crown prince Mohammad bin Salman.
Downing Street insisted Sir Keir would still be able to raise concerns about the Saudi government’s human rights record, despite it being a lower priority than the economy.
Campaign group Reprieve called on Sir Keir to raise the issue of children facing the death penalty in Saudi Arabia, while the widow of murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi urged the Prime Minister to question the crown prince about the case.
Sir Keir accused predecessor Boris Johnson of “going cap in hand from dictator to dictator” when the former prime minister met the Saudi crown prince in 2022.
But the Prime Minister defended his decision to visit Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates on Monday.
Following his talks with the crown prince, he told broadcasters in Riyadh: “Last week I launched my plan for change and made it clear that economic growth in the UK is my number one mission, and I want that to be people feeling better off, living standards driven up across the United Kingdom, in all parts of the United Kingdom.
“For that to happen we have to win contracts and investment around the world, and UAE and Saudi Arabia are key partners of ours.
“So I’ve been making the case that now’s the time for further investment into our country.”
Adding that recent deals with Saudi Arabia have “yielded” 4,000 jobs to the UK, he said: “So I’m here driving growth with the sole intention of making sure that when I say that living standards will go up in the UK, people will feel better off, that we’ve got the plan to follow through and deliver on that.”
Sir Keir also offered to host the crown prince on a visit to the UK and suggested they watch a football match together.
In a readout of the talks, a Downing Street spokesperson said: “The Prime Minister invited the Crown Prince to the UK, and said he hoped the leaders would be able to watch a game of football in between meetings if he took up the offer.”
The two men also discussed steps Saudi Arabia was taking to improve human rights, the spokesperson added.
The spokesperson added: “Turning to the situation in Israel and Gaza, the Prime Minister updated on his view of the situation and welcomed the Crown Prince’s reflection on how the suffering on all sides could be ended.
“It was also vital there was an acceleration of aid into Gaza, the Prime Minister added.”
The UK and Saudi Arabia have agreed a new defence partnership, including on combat air capabilities, which is set to last for generations.
The Royal Saudi Air Force has operated UK-manufactured Typhoon combat aircraft since 2008.
Before the talks with the Saudi leadership, No 10 said Sir Keir would not shy away from raising human rights concerns.
“No aspect of the relationships that we’re building internationally … stops us from raising issues around human rights and protecting our protecting our values globally,” the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said.
Reprieve deputy executive director Dan Dolan said: “When Boris Johnson visited Mohammed bin Salman in 2022, three days after the mass execution of 81 people, Sir Keir Starmer was rightly scathing of Johnson’s unconditional embrace of one of the world’s most prolific executioners of protesters.
“Now he is the Prime Minister, he has the opportunity to address the escalating execution crisis in Saudi Arabia.
“If he publicly raises the cases of child defendants Abdullah al-Howaiti and Abdullah al-Derazi when he meets with the Crown Prince, he could save their lives.”
Mr Khashoggi’s widow Hanan Elatr Khashoggi told the Guardian that Sir Keir should demand answers about what happened to her husband, who was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018.
“I hope my husband’s case has not been forgotten, and I will always maintain to make sure it is not forgotten,” she said. “There is unfinished business here. There has to be justice for Jamal Khashoggi.”
The long-planned trip to the Middle East came amid regional uncertainty following the collapse of Bashar Assad’s regime in Syria.
The UK announced an additional £11 million of humanitarian aid for the most vulnerable people in Syria.
