Starmer says Putin can end war amid missiles warning before Biden meeting – live

Granting permission to Kyiv to fire Storm Shadow missiles deep into Russia could result in a token nuclear strike in retaliation – but history suggests it unlikely, says Mark Almond:

James Cleverly has said he wants to tacjle the perception that the Tories are “angry” or “grumpy”.

The Tory leadership contender urged members of the Conservative party to shift the they way they are perceived by voters to win new ones.

He told the BBC Radio 4 Political Thinking podcast: “I want to break this artificial perception that being conservative means you are angry or negative or moany or grumpy.

“Because it just turns people off. It is running contrary to the mood of a lot of people that we need to win over, particularly younger voters.”

A new poll has revealed public opinion for Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves has fallen sharply.

It comes as Labour faced criticism for slashing winter fuel payments for millions of pensioners.

The Ipsos survey found 32 per cent of poeple saw the prime minister favourably, which represents a six per cent point drop since August.

Thos who view Sir Keir unfavourably increased by eight points to 46 per cent over the same time perios, leaving a score of minus 14 compared with a net score of zero in August.

The chancellor, who has also been pressured over the upcoming October Budget, has seen her favourability fall by four points to 23 per cent.

The number of poeple who view the Labour party in a positive light has also fallen by four points to 36 per cent.

James Cleverly has said he “outperformed” his rivals during his time in Westminster.

He suggested his political career surpasses that of Kemi Badenoch, Robert Jenrick and Tom Tugendhat in terms of acheivements and experience.

The former home secretary told the BBC Radio 4 Political Thinking podcast: “I have outperformed everyone else on this leadership ticket not just the jobs I have held but what I have achieved in those jobs.

“I’ve outperformed all the other runners and riders by a country mile. I have outperformed almost everyone else in my parliamentary intake.

“If you Tipp-Exed the words ‘James Cleverly’ off my political CV and slid it across the desk, you’d look at it and go, ‘bloody hell’.”

The prime minister’s trip to the White House could provide an answer to President Zelensky’s prayers to use Western-made long-range missiles, writes Mary Dejevsky:

For once, a UK prime minister’s visit to Washington could offer more than the usual formulaic courtesies and obligatory references to the “special relationship”. Sir Keir Starmer’s meeting with President Biden at the White House could provide the opportunity for the US to announce that it is acceding to Ukraine’s long-standing pleas to use US- and UK-supplied missiles to strike targets deep inside Russia.

It is a perilous moment, and those with longer memories might sense the ghosts of another fateful UK-US encounter haunting the scene: the meeting between Tony Blair and George W Bush at Camp David in September 2002, where Blair gave Bush a degree of international cover, in the form of his unconditional support, for the invasion of Iraq.

Read Mary Dejevsky’s full opinion piece below:

While some viewed the arms suspension as a mere ‘token gesture’ that doesn’t go far enough, others argued Israel has a right to defend itself.

Here’s what you had to say:

The latest review of the health service is a substantial, thoroughgoing and even radical piece of work, writes Sean O’Grady. But it doesn’t mention the 2016 referendum once – despite its enormous impact.

Sir Keir Starmer and Joe Biden are set to agree on a deal to allow Ukraine to open up a new front in the war with Russia by using Western Storm Shadow long-range missiles.

But President Putin said such a move would mean that Russia would be “at war with Nato”.

“So this is not a question of allowing the Ukrainian regime to strike Russia with these weapons or not. It is a question of deciding whether or not Nato countries are directly involved in a military conflict,” Mr Putin told Russian state TV.

In response, Sir Keir told journalists on the flight to Washington DC: “First, to reiterate, it was Russia who started this in the first place. They caused the conflict, they’re the ones who are acting unlawfully. And Ukraine obviously has the right to self-defence.

“That is why we have been providing training and capability. And, you know, there are obviously further discussions to be had about the nature of that capability.

“What I want to do is make sure that those discussions, tactical discussions, are set in the proper strategic context of the situation in Ukraine. And there are, equally, tactical issues in relation to the Middle East, which need to be set in a context which is strategic, not just tactical.”

Sir Keir Starmer is in Washington DC to meet the US President Joe Biden to discuss conflicts in Ukraine and Palestine.

The prime minister has a packed agenda at the White House today where he will meet Mr Biden with Kyiv’s request to open up a new front in the war with Russia by using Western Storm Shadow long-range missiles.

The bilateral summit has been carefully choreographed with foreign secretary David Lammy and US secretary of state Antony Blinken making a joint visit to Kyiv this week.

It is understood that the prime minister and the president want to thrash out a long-term victory plan for Ukraine.

Sir Keir Starmer defiantly stared down a threat of retaliation by Vladimir Putin as he flew out to Washington DC for talks with Joe Biden on the Ukraine war.

The prime minister and the US president are believed to be on the cusp of allowing Kyiv to open up a new front in the war with Russia by using Western Storm Shadow long-range missiles.

But in a message apparently timed for when Sir Keir and his entourage were over the Atlantic on their way to the US, President Putin said such a move would mean that Russia would be “at war with Nato”.

Our political editor David Maddox reports from Washington DC: