Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has emphatically defended the significance of the G20 summit in South Africa, describing it as a 'really important' forum for promoting British business interests, despite former US President Donald Trump's decision to boycott the international gathering.
Defending International Engagement
Speaking to journalists aboard his flight to Johannesburg, Starmer addressed Trump's absence directly, stating the American leader had simply 'set out his position'. The Prime Minister emphasised the critical nature of face-to-face diplomacy, saying his attendance was essential for discussing global issues that impact British citizens and for advancing trade agreements that benefit the UK economy.
This trip marks Starmer's 45th country visit since taking office, a travel record that has drawn considerable domestic criticism, particularly with a challenging budget announcement looming next week.
Economic Stakes and Budget Pressures
Starmer robustly justified his international focus by highlighting the G20's economic importance to Britain. 'The G20 are the 20 strongest economies in the world, they are very important to the UK,' he stated, revealing that 200,000 UK jobs have been generated from G20 nations over the past three years.
As part of Britain's trade offensive, the government will announce £400 million worth of export deals with South Africa during the summit. This comes as Chancellor Rachel Reeves prepares to deliver a difficult budget on Wednesday, needing to address a £30 billion black hole in public finances.
The Prime Minister will cut his G20 attendance short, returning to Britain on Sunday to finalise budget preparations amid expectations of further tax increases, including extending a freeze on tax thresholds that could raise approximately £10 billion.
International Diplomacy and Ukraine Concerns
Trump's absence marks the first time in the G20's 26-year history that a US president has skipped the summit, with diplomatic sources acknowledging this development raises serious concerns about American engagement in multilateral forums.
Meanwhile, the Ukraine conflict features prominently on the summit agenda amid reports that Trump administration officials and Russian representatives have drafted a new peace plan requiring significant concessions from Kyiv. Starmer firmly stated that 'the future of Ukraine must be determined by Ukraine', echoing European leaders' insistence that any peace negotiations must involve Ukrainian and European input.
European diplomats are also progressing discussions about using frozen Russian assets to generate a €140 billion loan for Ukraine, though the plan faces legal hurdles in Belgium where most Russian assets are held.
Looking beyond the G20, Sky News has revealed that Starmer is preparing for a likely visit to China in the new year, a trip that promises to be controversial given recent espionage allegations and ongoing tensions in UK-China relations.
