UK’s newly elected Prime Minister Keir Starmer, opened the European Political Community summit at Blenheim Palace with a speech focused on strengthening cooperation between the UK and Europe. One week later, Keir Starmer faced a relatively smooth first Prime Minister’s Questions, but also addressed criticism regarding the recent suspension of seven MPs. In Wales, Eluned Morgan is poised to become the first female First Minister, following her success in the election as leader of Welsh Labour. Meanwhile, the Belfast-based Thales UK missile factory has secured a £176 million contract for Lightweight Multirole Missiles, in an attempt to create more military safety nationwide. A greener future for the UK is on the horizon, as a major partnership between Great British Energy and The Crown Estate has been established. Lastly, the crisis in UK universities persists, with calls for increased funding and tuition fees to address financial challenges.

Sir Keir Starmer Makes International Debut at the European Political Community Summit

Two weeks into his mandate as UK’s new Labour Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer has successfully stepped onto the international political stage as chairman at the European Political Community summit, marking a reset in attitude considering ex-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s previous reluctance to host the event. This shift also reflects a renewed and improved approach to relations with Europe, after 14 years of Tory leadership.

During the opening plenary session on 18 July 2024 at Blenheim Palace, the PM emphasized the importance of re-establishing positive bonds across the continent. The first major theme addressed by the PM was the necessity to support and protect Ukraine and its neighbouring regions, such as Moldova and the Western Balkans, in the ongoing conflict with Russia. He stated: “So President Zelenskyy, in your struggle to uphold those values…I, we, salute you, once again. Have no doubt: we will stand with you for as long as it takes.”

Sir Keir Starmer’s speech also highlighted the issue of people smuggling. Drawing on his 5-year experience as the former Director of Public Prosecutions in Britain, the Prime Minister advocated for a counter-terrorism style approach to combat the smuggling gangs. Lastly, the PM emphasized the need to accelerate the transition to green energy and the importance of maintaining and increasing independence from Russian oil and gas.

Keir Starmer’s Smooth First PMQs and Initial Challenges

Newly elected UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, for the first time on the receiving end of Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, 24 July 2024, was greeted with an unexpectedly smooth exchange from former Prime Minister and Conservative Party leader, Rishi Sunak. In the session’s introduction, the leader of the opposition chose to emphasizethe importance of cross-party support for Ukraine and the discussion was largely centred on a shared commitment to maintaining military aid, mentions BBC. Later during the session, Sir Keir Starmer faced questioning from the Scottish National Party, following the recent rebellion and suspension of seven MPs who supported the two-child benefit cap. The seven lawmakers had previously voted against the new government and backed a SNP-led amendment to the King’s Speech on the two-child benefit cap, which urged the PM to have their whip removed. The two-child benefit cap limits the amount of government- provided financial support that parents can claim, restricting it to cover only the first two children in a family. According to a spokesperson for Sir Keir Starmer, as reported by The Independent, the new government decided to maintain the cap due to the economic situation it inherited. Stephen Flynn, the SNP leader in Westminster, pressed the Prime Minister during his first PMQ on his refusal to abolish the cap and sought explanations for Labour’s shift in policy. Despite criticism over his decision to remove the whip from the seven lawmakers, Starmer emphasised during the PMQ session that the issue of child poverty remains a priority: „The last Labour government lifted millions of children out of poverty: something’s very, very proud of. And this government will approach the question with the same vigour,” as reported by Reuters.

Eluned Morgan Poised to Become Wales’ First Female First Minister

Eluned Morgan is closer than ever to becoming Wales’ first female First Minister, having recently been elected as the new leader of Welsh Labour. She was the sole eligible candidate for the position and enjoyed the backing of nearly all 30 MSs in the Labour group. According to BBC, Baroness Morgan is “only the fifth full-time female politician from Wales – and the first from Wales to have a baby while in office.” She is expected to secure the vote to elect the new First Minister, which will be scheduled once the current First Minister Vaughan Gething formally resigns. In an interview for BBC, Eluned Morgan stated “I imagine that they would want a much stronger economy than we’ve got at the moment, focusing on good quality, ideally, green jobs. I imagine that they would like an NHS that works better, better education standards, better buses and transport.”

Thales UK Secures £176 Million Missile Contract

The Belfast-based Thales UK missile factory has received a £176 million order for Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMM), placed by the Government to supply short-range and precision air defence systems for the British Army. Deployed from Wildcat helicopters, the LMMs weigh only 13 kg each and are designed to target threats such as drones, helicopters, other aircraft, and small, fast maritime targets, mentions the Ministry of Defence. The contract reportedly supports 135 local jobs at Thales’ Belfast site and is expected to positively impact the local economy and supply chain. Maria Eagle, Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry, stated that “in a more dangerous world, we must continue to provide weapons to Ukraine but also replenish our own stocks.” She added, “This contract is also a great example of how defence investment can support economic growth and sustain jobs in the UK for years to come.”

Major Partnership Established to Boost UK’s Green Energy

The UK Government has announced an unprecedented partnership between Great British Energy and The Crown Estate, aiming to attract up to £60 billion in private investment to bolster the nation’s energy independence. Great British Energy, Labour’s publicly owned energy company, was funded with £8.3 billion by the government and will focus on using the Crown Estate-owned British seabed to build windfarms, propelling the UK towards a cleaner and more self-reliant future. The partnership will expedite the development of offshore wind projects, aiming to generate enough power for 20 million homes by 2030. This initiative is supported by the recently introduced Great British Energy Bill, which had its first reading on 25 July 2024. The project was part of Labour’s election campaign and promised to lower household energy bills by £300 in the next 6 years. However, according to The Independent, scepticism remains on the Tory side regarding the feasibility of this ambitious project.

UK Universities Crisis Set to Persist in the Coming Period

The crisis facing UK universities, inherited by the new government, continues to be a pressing concern. With limited mention of solutions in Labour’s election manifesto, The University and College Union (UCU) has recently called onthe new Government to intervene and help universities nationwide that are facing financial difficulties. For the past decade, the system has grappled with a notable decline in the number of international student fees and a freeze ondomestic tuition fees, leading to financial challenges as inflation continues to rise. Financial Times reports that Vivienne Stern, chief executive of Universities UK, proposes three steps to alleviate the system’s financial struggles:increased public funding to prevent university insolvency, welcoming international students and raising student fees and maintenance loans. On BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Labour’s education secretary Bridget Phillipson stated:“To your point about whether we have any current plans around university finances, we have no plans at this stage. We want to look right across the board to make sure that we are putting our universities on a sustainable footing into the long run.” (The Telegraph) However, Bridget Phillipson also mentioned that universities are expected to manage their own budgets.

Whilst measures such as increasing tuition fees, merging less stabilized universities with prosperous ones or public bail-outs may be slow to implement and uncertain in outcome, an alternative perspective is presented by Andrew Tettenborn, professor of law at Swansea Law School. In The Spectator, Tettenborn argues that allowing struggling universities to close might be the most sensible solution: “In short, it would be no bad thing if some of the institutions at the bottom which cannot make ends meet were allowed to fold. “

“True, in a literal sense demand remains for places at all the 160-odd UK universities; even ex- polytechnics at the bottom of every academic league, with rock-bottom entry requirements, can end up over-subscribed. However, there must be doubt whether most of their students are fitted for, or even want, the kind of self-motivated study weassociate with a college education.”