Prime Minister written statement – made at on 18 July 2024.
Keir Starmer
Leader of the Labour Party, The Prime Minister
I attended the NATO Leaders’ Summit in Washington DC on 9-11 July, with the Foreign Secretary, the Defence Secretary and the Minister for the Cabinet Office (Minister for the Constitution and European Union Relations).
The Summit marked the 75th anniversary of the world’s most successful defensive Alliance. Following Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, NATO stands bigger, stronger and more united than ever. Sweden attended for the first time as a full Ally. Ukraine, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, the Republic of Korea and the EU also participated.
Allies welcomed Mark Rutte’s confirmation as NATO’s next Secretary General, following on from Jens Stoltenberg’s outstanding decade of leadership.
The Summit agreed an ambitious set of outcomes which will help to ensure the safety, security and prosperity of the one billion citizens of NATO Allies. This included: further measures to boost our deterrence and defence, particularly against Russia, including ensuring that readier and more capable forces are available to deliver NATO’s new war-fighting plans; agreeing a NATO Industrial Capacity Expansion Pledge to accelerate defence industrial production; a new cyber defence centre; and a refreshed AI strategy. We welcomed the fact that 23 Allies now invest at or above NATO’s target of 2% of GDP on defence.
I emphasised this Government’s steadfast commitment to the NATO Alliance. Our Strategic Defence Review will ensure that a NATO-first policy is at the heart of Britain’s defence plans. I confirmed that the UK will commit almost all of our armed forces to NATO, maintain our presence in Estonia and Poland, lead the land arm of the Allied Reaction Force this year, and maintain and modernise our nuclear deterrent.
NATO Allies met with President Zelenskyy in the NATO-Ukraine Council and agreed measures to enhance NATO’s support to Ukraine as it advances on its irreversible path to NATO membership. These included establishing the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU), which will coordinate the provision of military equipment and training for Ukraine by Allies and partners. We made a Pledge of Long-Term Security Assistance for Ukraine, with Allies proportionately contributing a minimum baseline of funding of €40 billion over the next year. This pledge includes this Government’s commitment to providing £3 billion a year of military support for Ukraine until 2030/31 and for as long as needed. I joined 22 other countries in signing a Ukraine Compact, that draws together the bilateral security assurances that we have each signed with Ukraine.
Allies also met with leaders from New Zealand, Australia, Japan, the Republic of Korea and the EU. We agreed with our Indo-Pacific partners that we should continue to work together on shared challenges of the future, as security developments in their region directly affect Euro-Atlantic security. I had bilateral discussions with Prime Minister Kishida of Japan, President Yoon of the Republic of Korea and Prime Minister Luxon of New Zealand to discuss a range of topics, including advancing a shared approach that protects our interests, security and values.
I met with President Biden at the Summit and at the White House, where we reaffirmed our shared commitment to NATO and the special relationship as the bedrock of our collective security and prosperity. We will continue to work side by side across the breadth of the relationship including on shared geopolitical challenges and our aligned ambitions for greater economic growth.
I also held bilateral meetings with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine, Prime Minister Kristersson of Sweden, Prime Minister Støre of Norway, President Erdoğan of Türkiye, Chancellor Scholz of Germany, and Prime Minister Trudeau of Canada. I engaged with all other Allied and visiting leaders at the Summit. I met with Congressman Mike Johnson (Speaker of the United States House of Representatives), Congressman Hakeem Jefferies, (Democratic Leader of the United States House of Representatives), Senator Chuck Schumer (Majority Leader of the United States Senate), and Senator Mitch McConnell (Republican Leader of the United States Senate). Additionally, I met with Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and had a discussion with other key Senators.
I look forward to continuing to strengthen relations with European counterparts at the European Political Community Summit at Blenheim Palace today.
The Chancellor - also known as "Chancellor of the Exchequer" is responsible as a Minister for the treasury, and for the country's economy. For Example, the Chancellor set taxes and tax rates. The Chancellor is the only MP allowed to drink Alcohol in the House of Commons; s/he is permitted an alcoholic drink while delivering the budget.
The cabinet is the group of twenty or so (and no more than 22) senior government ministers who are responsible for running the departments of state and deciding government policy.
It is chaired by the prime minister.
The cabinet is bound by collective responsibility, which means that all its members must abide by and defend the decisions it takes, despite any private doubts that they might have.
Cabinet ministers are appointed by the prime minister and chosen from MPs or peers of the governing party.
However, during periods of national emergency, or when no single party gains a large enough majority to govern alone, coalition governments have been formed with cabinets containing members from more than one political party.
War cabinets have sometimes been formed with a much smaller membership than the full cabinet.
From time to time the prime minister will reorganise the cabinet in order to bring in new members, or to move existing members around. This reorganisation is known as a cabinet re-shuffle.
The cabinet normally meets once a week in the cabinet room at Downing Street.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
The term "majority" is used in two ways in Parliament. Firstly a Government cannot operate effectively unless it can command a majority in the House of Commons - a majority means winning more than 50% of the votes in a division. Should a Government fail to hold the confidence of the House, it has to hold a General Election. Secondly the term can also be used in an election, where it refers to the margin which the candidate with the most votes has over the candidate coming second. To win a seat a candidate need only have a majority of 1.
The Speaker is an MP who has been elected to act as Chairman during debates in the House of Commons. He or she is responsible for ensuring that the rules laid down by the House for the carrying out of its business are observed. It is the Speaker who calls MPs to speak, and maintains order in the House. He or she acts as the House's representative in its relations with outside bodies and the other elements of Parliament such as the Lords and the Monarch. The Speaker is also responsible for protecting the interests of minorities in the House. He or she must ensure that the holders of an opinion, however unpopular, are allowed to put across their view without undue obstruction. It is also the Speaker who reprimands, on behalf of the House, an MP brought to the Bar of the House. In the case of disobedience the Speaker can 'name' an MP which results in their suspension from the House for a period. The Speaker must be impartial in all matters. He or she is elected by MPs in the House of Commons but then ceases to be involved in party politics. All sides in the House rely on the Speaker's disinterest. Even after retirement a former Speaker will not take part in political issues. Taking on the office means losing close contact with old colleagues and keeping apart from all groups and interests, even avoiding using the House of Commons dining rooms or bars. The Speaker continues as a Member of Parliament dealing with constituent's letters and problems. By tradition other candidates from the major parties do not contest the Speaker's seat at a General Election. The Speakership dates back to 1377 when Sir Thomas Hungerford was appointed to the role. The title Speaker comes from the fact that the Speaker was the official spokesman of the House of Commons to the Monarch. In the early years of the office, several Speakers suffered violent deaths when they presented unwelcome news to the King. Further information can be obtained from factsheet M2 on the UK Parliament website.
