UK’s PM Starmer to host industry leaders for Middle East war talks on Monday

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will on Monday convene senior government and military officials alongside energy, shipping, finance and insurance sector leaders to discuss the Middle East war, his office said late on Sunday.

The round table meeting in Downing Street will examine the impact of Iran’s effective closure of the vital Strait of Hormuz, which has driven up oil prices and costs in various sectors around the world.

Participants will include representatives from energy giants Shell, BP and Centrica, shipping firms Maersk and CMA as well as banking executives at HSBC and Goldman Sachs, Starmer’s office said.

Senior officials from Lloyd’s of London, the world’s leading insurance marketplace, will also attend, it said.

“The round table will include an operational update from Commander Maritime Operations, who is responsible for directing and coordinating UK naval and Royal Marine operations globally,” the statement from Starmer’s Downing Street office added.

“He will set out the maritime security picture in the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Middle East, which is having a direct effect on shipping and the freedom of navigation.”