Keir Starmer insisted the landmark AUKUS deal signed by Australia, the UK and the US was ‘really important’ – and dismissed fears Donald Trump could abandon the crucial pact
Donald Trump will back a multi-billion pound nuclear submarine pact despite a Washington review, Keir Starmer has suggested.
The PM insisted the landmark deal signed by Australia, the UK and the US, which would give Australia its first nuclear powered subs, was “really important”.
It was first agreed by former PM Boris Johnson and ex-US President Joe Biden in 2021.
The Aukus deal involves the three nations building a new generation of nuclear-powered attack submarines and cooperating in other areas of advanced defence technology.
The deal will also see Australia buy three Virginia-class submarines from the US ahead of the new vessels being built.
READ MORE: Alarm as Donald Trump ‘throws a grenade’ at crucial defence deal with UK
But last week it was reported the White House was reviewing the deal, saying the security pact must fit with Trump’s “America First” agenda.
It raised fears the US administration could pull out of the deal.
But asked whether he was confident Mr Trump would back it in the end, Mr Starmer replied: “Yeah, I think so. It’s a really important project. So I don’t have any doubt that this will progress.”
He added: “Aukus is really important. We’re fully committed to it.
“It’s not unusual for an incoming government to do a review of a project like that. But I’m 100% committed to it. I’m really clear about that.
“We, of course, looked into the issue when we came into government…and they’re doing their own review. But I’m 100% committed to it. I’m really clear about that.”
Last week, Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds branded it a “first class” partnership. He told a press gallery lunch in Westminster: “The US is reviewing a lot of its international relationships, whether those are with multilateral bodies or agreements like that.
“AUKUS is, on both the defence and industrial level, a genuinely first class agreement of how we treat each other’s suppliers and the supply chain, and what outcome we’re seeking to do and the level of collaboration.
“So I would have a lot of confidence in anyone looking at the various bits of that agreement and saying that it is an incredibly strong and important agreement for the future.
“So US colleagues want to look at it? Okay, that’s their right to do so.
“I think it is an incredibly compelling and strong agreement. When they look at it, I’m pretty certain they’ll be in agreement.”
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