Keir Starmer has defended his frequent trips out of the country to Labour MPs, attempting to draw a direct link with the cost of living at home, which he warned would not be solved by isolationism.
The prime minister told the meeting of the parliamentary Labour party (PLP) on Monday night that it was essential for him to be “in the room” for international negotiations on trade and defence, which would then have an impact on the domestic economy.
In a significant shift, Starmer also adopted a more upbeat tone than he has to date on how the country would see “change and renewal” under Labour this year, with 2026 seen inside government as the “year of proof”.
However, many of his own MPs and advisers would like the prime minister to spend more time in the UK focusing on domestic issues, with polling suggesting the public views Labour’s handling of cost of living poorly.
Starmer told his cabinet last week that a relentless focus on the issue would mean Labour could win the next election, though his new year plan has already been derailed by international crises in Venezuela, Greenland and Iran.
But the prime minister, who has made more than 40 international trips since he entered office in July 2024, believes that global security and the cost of living are entwined, and that promoting stability abroad will ultimately boost the economy.
He told the PLP: “One thing that is crystal clear is that we are moving into a world that is very different to the one most of us grew up in.
“And in a world this volatile – you have to be on the pitch. You have to be in the room to tackle the issues working people care about.
“The cost-of-living crisis will not be solved by isolationism. You cannot deliver peace in Ukraine without being in the room. And you do not secure trade terms for companies like JLR by putting gesture politics first.”
After Starmer kicked off the new year with a charm offensive to win over disgruntled MPs, some in No 10 believe his international role has the potential to bolster his leadership, encouraging MPs intent on removing him to pause during global turmoil.
Adopting a more upbeat tone about the country’s future, he listed a series of positive changes already delivered on the NHS, wages, crime and infrastructure.
“Britain will see change and renewal this year. Our country is moving in the right direction,” he said.
He added: “With each change we make for the better, we show working people something even more important.
“That decline can be reversed. Opportunity and pride can be restored. The future can be better for them and their families. And politics can be a force for good.”
Starmer, who spent the final months of last year dogged by leadership speculation, has been trying to improve relations with Labour MPs by inviting them to Downing Street and Chequers for events, and spending more time meeting them in parliament.
He sought to rally his cabinet last week, telling them to ignore the polls and prepare to take on Reform UK.
But the latest YouGov poll put the Conservatives ahead of Labour for the first time since the general election, both of them behind Reform, with Labour on just 17%.
