Starmer says he does not accept UK has to choose between US and EU Q: Will you water down the EU reset to keep Trump onside? Starmer says the US and the EU are both important to the UK. That has always been the case, he says. He says, in talks with president Trump, he has spoken about defence and trade. Both of these relations re very important between us. We are not choosing between them. UPDATE: See 5.05pm for a fuller version of the quote. Early evening summary Keir Starmer has repeatedly insisted that he does not think it will be necessary for the UK to choose between the US and the EU. He made this point at a press conference in Brussels with Mark Rutte, the Nato secretary general. Later this evening he will become the first PM since Brexit to attend a European Council dinner with all leaders of the EU. (See 5.40pm.) Starmer adopted a diplomatic, even-handed tone after President Trump contrasted the “nice” treatment he was getting from Starmer with the “atrocity” EU, in comments that implied Trump wants to force the UK to side with the US as the price for avoiding tariffs. (See 9.34am.) Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, has urged parents to ensure their children attend school consistently, warning of “a casual kind of attitude increasingly emerging” over attendance in England. Keir Starmer stopped using a personal email account when he was opposition leader after being warned about a suspected hack by a Russian group, it has been reported. The EU will stand up for itself if its interests are targeted, Emmanuel Macron has said, as the bloc’s leaders urged talks but a firm response if needed to Donald Trump’s weekend threat to impose punishing tariffs. Rayner says 6 English councils to be allowed to raise council tax by more than 5%, as part of local government settlement Angela Rayner, the deputy PM and housing secretary, has published details of the final local government settlement for 2025-26 for councils in England. She has also announced that six councils will be allowed to raise council tax by more than 5% – the cap that applies unless councils can get voters to back a higher council tax increase in a referendums. Referendums have been held in the past, but they have never resulted in an increase of more above 5% being approved. In a written ministerial statement, Rayner said she had agreed “small increases for six councils”. Councils are allowed to raise council tax by up to 5% if they have adult social care responsibilities. If they don’t, it is only 3%. But the six councils are all social care councils, and it means these upper limits will apply: Windsor and Maidenhead borough council – 9% Birmingham city council – 7.5% Bradford council – 10% Newham council – 9% Somerset council – 7.5% Trafford council – 7.5% The full details of the final local government settlement are here. The TaxPayers’ Alliance, a rightwing campaign group that does not often praise Labour, has welcomed the news. It campaigned in particular against a proposal by Lib Dem-run Windsor and Maidenhead council to raise council tax by 25%. It posted this on social media. As the press conference was winding up in Brussels, Keir Starmer was asked by a reporter from the Sun if he broke lockdown rules during Covid by designating his voice coach as a key worker. Starmer replied: “Of course not.” That is a reference to this allegation, which has been obsessively promoted on the CCHQ X feed all day. Rutte says Trump raising Greenland as issue has been "very useful" because it has highlighted security concerns there Here are the main lines from the Starmer/Rutte press conference. They covered defence policy, and tariffs. Keir Starmer repeatedly insisted that he did not think it would be necessary for the UK to choose between the US and the EU. Playing down the signficance of Trump’s threat to impose tariffs on the EU, he said that he did not accept the need to choose (see 4.18pm) and that it was not an either/or (see 4.35pm). Mark Rutte, the Nato general secretary, said it was “silly” to suggest that Trump’s threats to annex Greenland meant Europe should start considering how it could defend itself without relying on the US. When first asked if he had a message for the US and Denmark, in relation to the dispute over Greenland, Rutte at first suggested that Trump was doing the west a favour by highlight the security issues in that region. He said: And on Greenland, what I think is very useful is that President Trump alerted us to the fact that when it comes to the high north, there is a geopolitical and strategic issue at stake. I would say that it’s not only about Greenland. This has to do with Finland. It has to do with Sweden, Norway, Iceland. Yes, Greenland, and therefore Denmark. Also Canada and also the US. And clearly, collectively as an alliance, we will always look at the best way to make sure that we can tackle those challenges. In response to a later question from ITV’s James Mates, who pointed out that it was unprecented for one Nato member to threaten another in the way Trump has threatened Nato because he wants Greenland, Rutte said: Your question about Nato and the assumption that you could run Nato without the US – that is for so many reasons a silly thought …. For many reasons, that will not work. First of all, because we are not, as the prime minister was saying, when you look at Ukraine, it is not just Ukraine and Russia. It is a geopolitical thing which is going on. The US realises that, the European side of Nato realises that. It is China, North Korea, Iran, all getting connected to Russia … So for so many reasons, we have to stay connected. I am a staunch transatlanticist. I absolutely believe that the best thing the west can do is to stay united. And I know that the same thinking is still prevalent in the US, including in the White House. Rutte insisted that the Greenland dispute would not undermine Nato. Asked if the alliance was unravelling, he replied: There are always issues between allies. It is never always tranquil and happy going. There are always issues, sometimes bigger, sometimes smaller. But I’m absolutely convinced that will not get in the way of our collective determination to keep our deterrence strong. Starmer played down the significance of Trump’s decision to threaten the EU with tariffs, saying it was “early days” and that further talks were planned. (See 4.50pm.) Rutte claimed that the US had a trade surplus with Europe anyway. He said: And when you talk trade, it is interesting to see that the trade surplus of the US getting into Europe since 2022 – they sell more to Europe than we sell to them. And the net surplus is $180bn since 2022. And Rutte said Europe was dramatically increasing its defence spending, implying US firms would benefit. He said: When you look at the defence industrial base, it is clearly it’s very clear that the US is selling much more into Europe than [Europe is selling to the US]. And by the way, collectively, we have to produce much more. There is so much money floating around, and much more will come in because we are spending more. Last year non-US allies spent 18% more on defence than the year before … That means more money available for the defence industrial base, and we have to buy it from everywhere. And this is what Keir Starmer told the BBC’s Chris Mason when Mason asked if he would water down his EU rest to avoid upsetting Trump. Starmer replied: Look in relation to the relationship between the UK and the US and the EU, I’ve always been clear that both are important to us. Now that for me isn’t new. I think that’s always been the case and will be the case for many, many years to come. That’s why, in my discussions with President Trump, we’ve touched on issues of trade and on issues of security, both in relation to the trade we already do between our two countries, but also the security, the defence and the intelligence partnership that we’ve founded over many, many years … Both of these relations are very important to us. We are not choosing between them, but that’s historically been a position of the UK for many, many decades now. What Starmer said when asked if he accepted it"s now clear Trump is "bad thing for Europe"s prosperity and security" Here is the full reply from Keir Starmer to a question Beth Rigby, the Sky News political editor, who asked him if, in the light of Donald Trump’s tariff threats, it was time to recognise that Trump was “a bad thing for Europe’s economic prosperity and security”. (See 4.16pm.) Starmer replied: On the question, firstly of tariffs, obviously, it’s early days, and I think what’s really important is open and strong trading relations, and that’s been the basis of my discussions with president Trump. And I know that intense US-EU discussions are planned. In relation to … Ukraine, I do think it’s right for us to acknowledge the role that the US have played in relation to the joint efforts on Ukraine. And that’s pivotal, because it’s not just a question of a war or the sovereignty of Ukraine, it is not just a European issue, it’s a question of global security. And I think it’s very important that we see it in that context. Starmer also said that the Ukraine war had led to Nato becoming “stronger and bigger”. "We don"t see it as either/or" – Starmer says it is "really important" for UK to work with US and Europe Q: [To Starmer] What happens if you are forced to choose between the US and the UK? Starmer says it is vital for the UK that it works with both Europe and the US. It’s really important that we work with both, and we don’t see it as an either/or. We are working very closely with our European allies every day, particularly in Ukraine, but not only in Ukraine. But equally on defense and security with the US and the special relationship in relation to defense and security He also says the UK has a huge amount of trade with both the US and the EU. It’s important that I always act in the national interest, the best interests of the UK … it’s important that we work with both sets of partners, particularly at this volatile time. And that’s the end of the press conference. Rutte says it is "silly" to suggest Europe should start planning defence pact without US in light of Greenland threat Q: [To Rutte] Isn’t the threat to Greenland far more serious than any previous disgreement with the US. Doesn’t Europe have to start planning a way of defending itself in future without the US? Rutte says the idea of Nato without the US is a “silly thought”. He says he is a “staunch Atlanticist” and thinks the west has to stay connected. And he says he knows that thinking is still prevalent in the White House. Starmer says he does not accept UK has to choose between US and EU Q: Will you water down the EU reset to keep Trump onside? Starmer says the US and the EU are both important to the UK. That has always been the case, he says. He says, in talks with president Trump, he has spoken about defence and trade. Both of these relations re very important between us. We are not choosing between them. UPDATE: See 5.05pm for a fuller version of the quote. Starmer plays down significance of Trump"s tariff announcements, saying it is "early days" Starmer and Rutte are now taking quesions. Q: [To Rutte] Do you fear the Atlantic alliance is unravelling? Rutte says there are always issues between allies. He says the US sells more to Europe than Europe does to them. And he claims this issue will “not have an impact on our collective deterrence”. Q: [To Starmer] Trump is threatening allies. Isn’t he a bad thing for security? Starmer says, on tariffs, it is “early days’. He says it is “really important” to have “open and strong trading relations”. And he plays tribute to the role the US has played in relation to Ukraine. Starmer goes on: Things that would have provoked utter outrage just a few years ago have now become almost commonplace. Russian spy ships loitering off the British coast, a campaign of sabotage across Europe, cyber attacks, election interference and attempted assassination. Russia is seeking to destabilise our continent and target our values. So we should still be outraged, and we must harden European defence … Our defence spending is, of course, 2.3% of GDP now, and we’re working hard to set the path to 2.5%. Keir Starmer is speaking now. He recalls visiting Ukraine recently and stresses the need for Nato countries to keep up the pressure on Russia, using the quotes briefed overnight. (See 10.11am.)