Politics latest: Starmer meets Biden at first NATO summit - but something is going unsaid at crucial gathering (2024)

The latest NATO summit in Washington is well under way, and one of the most striking elements is Sir Keir Starmer's debut on the world stage.

He's met with world leaders including Joe Biden, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and Olaf Scholz - the first of whom welcomed him to the stage before alliance leaders posed for their traditional group photo.

You can watch that moment below:

James Heappey, who stood down at the election last week, is asked bySophy Ridgeabout the future of the Conservative Party.

Could they hope to make a comeback, and again send a Tory prime minister off to a NATO summit?

Mr Heappey criticises the fight being had on social media between Kemi Badenoch and Suella Braverman - who are both expected to run to replace Rishi Sunak.

Asked who he wanted to see run, Mr Heappey said Tom Tugendhat and Victoria Atkins - both at the centre of the party.

He also mentions James Cleverly and Robert Jenrick as candidates he may support. Both of these men are fairly centrist Tories, although Mr Jenrick seems to have tacked right since working in the Home Office.

Mr Heappey says the party should look to occupy the political ground between the Lib Dems and Reform, as that is where the public is.

"If we go off and have an ideological wrestle with Farage, it would be an enormous mistake and would keep us out of power for 10, 15 years."

James Heappey, the former Conservative defence minister, is speaking to Sophy Ridge about the PM's visit to NATO.

He says it is great to see hum so well met in the US - and it's a reminder party politics in the UK is "rather temporary", with whoever's leading the country always welcomed well abroad.

But Mr Heappey says he is "disappointed" the announcement of when 2.5% of GDP will be spent on the armed forces was not made.

The government has committed to doing so when the economic conditions allow, whereas the Tories had set more of a timescale.

With Donald Trump potentially returning to the White House, someone who was a regular critic of how much more the US spent on defence compared to NATO allies, Mr Heappey says it's especially important that Labour increase spending.

By increasing its spend to 2.5% and trying to take others with it, the UK will lead from the front on that issue, the former minister says.

He says the extra money is needed to return the UK's armed forces "back to match fitness" for "war fighting" rather than the counterinsurgency work that has been done in recent times.

Analysis: Can NATO become Trump-proof?

Following Mr Heappey's comments,US correspondent Mark Stonesays NATO members are keen to make the alliance effectively "Trump-proof".

There are concerns that should the former president return, aid for Ukraine may come to an end.

The prospect is something of an "elephant in the room" at the summit, where everyone is "looking over Biden's shoulder".

Some think Trump would be a "complete disaster", but others think there's just lots of "bluff and bluster" - and point to the fact his threats to leave the 75-year-old alliance last time around did in fact lead to members increasing spending.

By Deborah Haynes, security and defence editor

General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the former head of the Ukrainian armed forces, has arrived in the UK to take up his new job as Ukraine's ambassador to London, Sky News understands.

He is expected formally to begin his role on Thursday, a source said.

General Zaluzhnyi was removed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy from his post as military chief in February, having led Ukraine's fightback against Russia's full-scale invasion since it began on 22 February 2022.

Well liked by his troops, his time in charge of the armed forces had made the general a hugely popular figure inside the country.

He had even been seen as a potential political rival to Mr Zelensky.

Important role at time of change

As ambassador to London, General Zaluzhnyi will have a much lower profile, but he is taking on an important diplomatic role at a time of a change of government here.

The Ukrainian embassy has been without an ambassador since Mr Zelenskyy sacked highly-effective diplomat Vadym Prystaiko last July after he was perceived to have criticised the president in an interview on Sky News.

Our weeknight politics showPolitics Hub With Sophy Ridgeis live now on Sky News.

The fast-paced programme dissects the inner workings of Westminster, with interviews, insights, and analysis - bringing you, the audience, into the corridors of power.

With the NATO summit under way, and defence spending on the agenda, Sophy will be joined by former armed forces minister James Heappey.

On Sophy's panel are:

• Sir Ben Bradshaw, former Labour MP;
• Baroness Kate Fall, Tory peer.

Watch live on Sky News, in the stream at the top of this page, and follow live updates here in the Politics Hub.

WatchPolitics Hub With Sophy Ridgefrom Monday to Thursday on Sky channel 501, Virgin channel 602, Freeview channel 233, on theSky News websiteandappor onYouTube.

Sir Keir Starmer is seated next to US President Joe Biden at the NATO council meeting in Washington - the main event so far as the summit is concerned today.

But while the prime minister arrived off the back of a huge election win, his counterpart is under mounting pressure to step down as the Democratic nominee in this November's election.

Old ally Nancy Pelosi has not exactly offered a ringing endorsem*nt tonight - and now Democrat backer and "friend" of the veteran president, George Clooney, has told him to quit.

You can read more on that below:

By Darren McCaffrey, political correspondent

Had Rishi Sunak waited until the autumn to call the election, it would have been him at today's NATO summit instead of Keir Starmer.

Instead, the former prime minister turned up just a little after 5pm for the first full post-election meet of the Tories' backbench 1922 committee in parliament this evening.

And frankly it was a lot less full that it used to be.

The Boothroyd room which was booked has a capacity of 120 - about the right size for the newly shrunken Tory party.

'Sorrowful and apologetic'

The former prime minister, and man who still leads the Conservatives, received the usual banging of the tables as he entered the room - even if it was a little lacklustre.

I was told afterwards the mood was "sorrowful and apologetic" and while critical comments were made, they were not aimed directly at Mr Sunak.

So, what next?

Bob Blackman, who is now chair of the committee, told me nothing "will be rushed through in July" - which means the start of the contest to find a new leader won't begin until parliament reconvenes in September.

That suggests it could be a long campaign into the winter (like David Cameron in 2005), though some still think that is too long and will insist on a shorter election period.

Is an interim leader on the cards?

As for Mr Sunak, he has claimed he is willing to stay on for as long as the party wants. But Mr Blackman told me his expectation is he won't be party leader by party conference in late September.

Might there have to be an interim leader? And can the Conservatives even agree on who that would be?

Away from the NATO summit in the US, we've had an announcement from the new government on water companies.

The sewage scandal was a big campaigning topic in the election.

Environment Secretary Steve Reed is meeting with the heads of all the UK's water firms tomorrow - the same day regulator Ofwat will publish draft determinations on their investment plans for the next five years.

His department has announced the government will write to Ofwat to tell the regulator to ensure infrastructure investment is ringfenced to spend on upgrades benefitting customers and the environment.

If the money isn't spent, the government wants companies to refund customers with "money never allowed to be diverted for bonuses, dividends, or salary increases".

Another step being announced is customers will be able to hold water company chiefs to account using "customer panels" - which will have the power to summon board members and question them.

Compensation to customers will also be increased when services are impacted - with it expected to more than double.

Payments will also be triggered by a wider set of circ*mstances.

'Unacceptable destruction'

Mr Reed says more reforms are on the way but change "will take time".

He added: "We will never look the other way while water companies pump sewage into our rivers, lakes, and seas.

"This unacceptable destruction of our waterways should never have been allowed, but change has now begun so it can never happen again."

The UK will cooperate with China where "necessary" but also offer "robust challenge", Sir Keir Starmer has said.

Speaking to reporters during his trip to Washington DC, the prime minister was asked how his new government would deal with Beijing.

He said there could be some opportunities to cooperate "on issues like climate change", but he would "challenge" the Chinese where necessary, "equally and robustly".

Sir Keir said the government was carrying out an "audit" of relations with China and would then "take action accordingly".

This week's NATO summit in Washington DC makes for a "really important beginning" to Keir Starmer's premiership - but it's even more critical for Ukraine.

Our US correspondent Mark Stonesays members of the alliance are desperately trying to counter the "vibe" that Russia have gained the upper-hand against Kyiv's forces.

We've already had an announcement from the White House of five new anti-aircraft missile systems for Ukraine, with talk of providing even more weapons and ensuring a path to NATO membership.

Keir Starmer has been very on message on this front, too.

But something notable is missing, says Mark: "A roadmap to how this all ends - to peace."

The elephant in the room is that "everyone behind the scenes" likely accepts there will have to be "some sort of peace process".

And while "they won't say it", that will "almost certainly" involve Ukraine conceding some land taken by Russia.

But for now, the message coming out of this summit is "upholding democracy around the world".