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At yesterday's G7 summit, Keir Starmer offered his congratulations to Trump for his peace deal in Iran. Simon Marks is joined by former minister Sir Alan Duncan to debate if the President really deserves a 'slap on the back' for his 'war of choice'. The Prime Minister congratulated Donald Trump and key mediators on the “breakthrough” after the US president said an agreement “is now complete” and the Strait of Hormuz oil and gas shipping route is to be reopened without tolls. Sir Keir said in a statement: “I warmly welcome today’s agreement reached between the United States and Iran." President Trump and JD Vance both signed the agreement virtually on Tuesday to end the US blockade of Iranian ports. Listen to the full show on the all-new LBC App: https://app.af.lbc.co.uk/btnc/thenewlbcapp #simonmarks #donaldtrump #trump #iran #iranwar #ceasefire #LBC LBC is the home of live debate around news and current affairs in the UK. Join in the conversation and listen at https://www.lbc.co.uk/ Sign up to LBC’s weekly newsletter here: https://l-bc.co/signup
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0:00
The Prime Minister, the President and Iran
0:03
Let me first say how much we welcome the deal that President Trump has been able to get in this situation
0:10
and congratulate him and the mediators on the work that they have done
0:14
because this is a really important breakthrough. At the G7 here we've been discussing the details of that deal
0:21
and how we get the Strait of Hormuz open as quickly as possible. The Prime Minister in Evian today at the G7 summit congratulating President Trump
0:29
on negotiating a ceasefire extension with Iran. But are congratulations really in order
0:34
given the extent to which this deal is on its face selling the Iranian people down the river
0:40
And could Vice President J.D. Vance, as he said last night, find the United States in a position where they reward the Iranian regime
0:49
to the tune of $300 billion if the Iranians give America everything it wants
0:56
in the detailed negotiations that are to follow? 300 billion. The prime minister was at pains today to talk about how positive his conversations
1:04
with President Trump have been in Evian. I get on really well with Trump, Sakhir said today
1:10
indicating that he had sat alongside the US leader at dinner last night and that the two men had
1:16
buried the hatchet. But should they and should we be slapping Trump on the back for resolving a war
1:22
of choice that he didn't need to fight and that has caused untold damage to our economy
1:28
never mind his own. A short time ago, I spoke to Alan Duncan, former Foreign Office Minister
1:33
and Europe and America's Minister in Theresa May's government during the first Trump administration
1:39
I asked him if he thinks it's right for the Prime Minister to congratulate the President
1:44
on the Iran deal. Yeah, because you're in a room with the G7, so you're backing the President on
1:52
what he says is the case. And we have to hope it is because it was essentially where the negotiations
1:58
were the best part of four months ago before this utterly unnecessary Israeli led war started
2:07
with no clear strategic objective. And clearly any objective that was supposedly there
2:14
like removing the regime, has been a failure. They were never going to remove the regime
2:18
And so I think that Starmer is right. And I hope that President Trump will now deliver on this and bring this useless purposeless costly conflict to an immediate end But when J Vance went on American television last night and posited the possibility of Iran
2:36
if it does all the things that the Trump administration wants it to do during the 60-day negotiating period
2:42
that is due to begin once the agreement is signed, Iran could eventually have access to $300 billion in incoming funds
2:52
that is a staggering victory for the Iranian government, isn't it? Well, I think they were always going to do quite well out of this
2:59
And it was complete strategic idiocy to think that they were not as clever as they obviously are
3:06
And I think the people who have misled the president on this are the Israelis
3:10
And the real loser in this is Benjamin Netanyahu. And he deserves to lose
3:15
I mean, he is the man who creates all the turmoil in the region, even more than Iran
3:21
But if we can end up with a stable Iran with no nuclear capability, either through enrichment or towards a nuclear weapon, then we will have a much more stable region
3:33
And, of course, what's happening here is far more than just Iran. We need the Israelis out of Lebanon
3:39
We need the Israelis out of Syria because they're destabilizing the south there
3:46
And we need the Israelis, the biggest issue of all, to get the hell out of Palestine because it's not their country
3:53
But the Israelis have made it very clear. Netanyahu made it very clear 24 hours ago
3:57
He's not pulling troops out of Lebanon. Do you worry that between now and Friday, when the signatures are meant to be applied to this memorandum of understanding by the Americans and the Iranians
4:09
that there is going to be more jiggery-pokery by the Israelis in a bid to undercut this deal from even being inked
4:17
Yes, of course they'll try. And they successfully derailed the talks four months ago
4:23
But what I think is clear is that President Trump is becoming rather exasperated
4:29
not to say very angry with Netanyahu. And if he doesn't buckle on that
4:36
that puts the Israelis in a very isolated position at a time when Netanyahu is personally vulnerable
4:43
when they've got elections looming, and where I think he has completely overreached himself
4:47
and is so in breach of international law and all the decencies of conduct
4:53
he deserves to have the world turn on him and say back in your box Let look more at Sir Keir Starmer relationship with Donald Trump which has been catastrophic over the last several months
5:04
Well, certainly in terms of the language that Donald Trump has used to describe the Prime Minister
5:09
No Winston Churchill and all of the other insults that have been thrown in London's direction
5:15
The Prime Minister says that at the G7 summit, they've got on famously. The relationship is being repaired
5:21
Is that true? And is it wise? Let's be clear about what we can all see is that one day President Trump will love someone, the next day he won't
5:31
And it swings both ways. And, you know, everyone has to have a strategy for handling this very, very unique president
5:39
And it's inevitably going to involve good days and bad days. And I actually think that by and large, Keir Starmer has handled him as well as we could
5:51
given that there are clear differences on Iran and potentially possibly, you know, Gaza as well
5:58
And, you know, the so-called border peace and all that. So I actually think he's done all right on this
6:03
And it's very difficult to know how it could have been handled much better, given our obvious differences
6:10
And with regard to the news of the day, which is now dominated by this Russian frigate in the English Channel
6:15
firing warning shots at a yacht on the day on which former Defence Secretary John Healey said
6:23
to the Commons, our adversaries do not make decisions on the Treasury's timetable. I mean
6:30
definitely pointing the finger of blame at Rachel Reeves for undercutting the defence investment plan
6:36
How serious is the damage that has been done to the Prime Minister by these accusations that the
6:43
country is inadequately defended, its national security is at risk, and now by this news that
6:49
we've had tonight from the English Channel about the events of earlier today. You know, there are a few things tied up in your question. The first is how we handle Russian
6:57
warships doing things they shouldn't, and it was quite right to seize the shadow tanker
7:05
The exchange of fire was actually outside our territorial waters. It doesn't make it any better
7:11
but nonetheless it makes it legally slightly different. In terms of the damage to our reputation as a country for having serious defences
7:22
yeah I think Kirstama has made a big mess of this But it points to the main problem not just of the issue of defence but also of his plight
7:33
which is that no one is adequately focusing on Rachel Reeves. And she is the total disaster of this government
7:41
She is the weak spot. Everyone's homing in on Keir Starmer. And there's hardly a mention from the media of Rachel Reeves
7:49
And I think she has created the complete collapse in this government's reputation
7:54
But he is first Lord of the Treasury. That's what it says on the front door at number 10
7:58
You're right. Yeah, it does. And he is. And of course, it illustrates his weakness
8:04
But nonetheless, this goes back, I think, quite a long way before he looked as weak as he does now
8:11
And I think right from the start, she did some very stupid things like national insurance is basically the jobs tax
8:19
an attack on farmers, an attack on private schools, the pensions attack and the winter fuel payment
8:29
Everything she has done has been a five-star catastrophe. But anyone who fills the role of Prime Minister
8:37
assuming that we see a leadership contest and there might be a change at the top
8:42
over the course of the next few weeks, is going to have to confront this central issue
8:46
of how do you persuade the Treasury that you've got to provide more funding
8:51
for the Ministry of Defence and that the Treasury has to get past
8:55
its traditional antipathy towards the way in which the MOD has, you know, on occasions in the past, misspent public money
9:03
not spent it to the greatest degree of efficacy. Well, I think you're right, but it's not just defence
9:09
I think whoever's Prime Minister has to get a really firm grip
9:13
on the Treasury on so many other issues. as well as defence, such as welfare and other spending commitments
9:21
The only way to do that is to change the Chancellor. But my forecast, for what it's worth, if I stick my neck out
9:28
is it may be that Starmer is going to last a little bit longer than people think. It may not all happen next week
9:34
There are rules. Things don't necessarily implode straight away, although they could
9:40
But if he were to hang on for a bit, I think the attacks against him would then peter out a bit
9:46
he can have a massive reshuffle, get rid of this useless Chancellor
9:50
and maybe restore his reputation a bit by suddenly being tough and having an agenda which begins to make sense
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