Sir Keir Starmer is in Kyiv to sign a new 100-year agreement pledging the UK’s “steadfast support” to Ukraine. Russian drones attacked the city centre during the PM’s visit. Elsewhere, a suspended Labour MP has pleaded guilty to assault.
Thursday 16 January 2025 13:33, UK
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy has threatened a response to a Russian drone attack on Kyiv earlier.
The strikes on the capital came as the president held talks with the UK’s prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer.
At least one drone flew close to the presidential palace where the two leaders held talks.
Speaking about the attack at a news conference with the PM, Mr Zelenskyy said: “We will say hello to them too.”
Sir Keir said the attacks are “a reminder” of the “unrelenting aggression” Ukraine faces, and the “daily resolve” its people show.
“The route to a just and lasting peace comes through strength,” he added.
“We will work with allies to reject this aggression, uphold international law and strengthen your hand now.”
Over at the Mariinskyi Palace in Kyiv, Sir Keir Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have been holding a news conference.
In it, the prime minister confirmed that the UK will deliver a new mobile air defence system to Ukraine – as part of a 100-year “friendship” deal.
He says this new system would be “developed to meet Ukraine’s needs”.
UK ‘will play full part’ to help Ukraine
Sir Keir says the UK will work with Ukraine on steps that would be robust enough to guarantee their security, in the wake of the war with Russia.
“Those conversations will continue for months ahead,” he says.
The prime minister pledged to “play our full part” when it comes to guaranteeing Ukraine’s security.
Sir Keir says: “We have already committed £3bn for military aid this year, and we’re going further to support the front line, providing a £2.2m loan which will be paid back.
“Not by Ukraine, but from the interest on frozen Russian assets.”
‘Nothing is off the table’
He goes on to announce 150 artillery barrels will be provided to Ukraine, made by Sheffield Forgemasters. These will arrive in a few weeks.
“We will keep going further to train Ukrainian troops,” he says.
Sir Keir says that when it comes to training Ukraine’s defenders, “nothing is off the table”.
“The British people believe in this cause.”
Sir Keir Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have officially signed a 100-year “friendship” deal.
This will guarantee Britain’s support for Kyiv in the long-run.
After signing the agreement, Mr Zelenskyy said: “Today is a truly historic day, our relationship is closer than ever.”
Sir Keir previously said the 100-year agreement underpinned Britain’s “steadfast support” for Ukraine as he reiterated European unity in the face of Russian aggression.
The treaty and political declaration will be laid in parliament in the coming weeks.
The prime minister met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Thursday after travelling on an overnight train from the Polish border to the capital.
The latest round of the COVID inquiry focuses on vaccines and anti-viral treatment across the UK.
Today we’re hearing evidence from former health secretary Matt Hancock.
Watch live in the stream below:
Could we soon have our first by-election of 2025?
Reform UK are pushing for one in Runcorn and Helsby after the constituency’s MP, Mike Amesbury, pleaded guilty to assault.
He had been suspended by Labour following the incident in October, when he was seen on CCTV punching a man to the ground in Cheshire.
Since then he has sat as an independent MP.
Reform UK chairman Zia Yusuf said voters in his constituency “deserve far better than this”.
“We call on Mike Amesbury to do the honourable thing and resign immediately so a by-election can be held,” he added.
The PM’s official spokesperson declined to comment on whether the MP should resign.
Border Force officers seized more than 105 tonnes of weighed drugs in the year to March 2024 – the most on record.
They were spread across 40,639 total seizures – also a record – and included almost 27 tonnes of powder cocaine, which again was the highest ever and a 75% increase on the previous year.
The figures have been revealed in a new Home Office report on illegal drugs seized by police and Border Force in England and Wales.
There were 217,644 seizures in total – a 13% increase.
Police seizures accounted for 81% of those, but rose by a relatively modest 6%.
Border Force saw a much bigger spike of 57%.
Other new records include the highest quantity of herbal cannabis (85 tonnes) and ketamine (2,252 seizures) ever recovered.
The Politics Hub has been partly masquerading as our Ukraine live blog this morning, with the prime minister in Kyiv.
But there’s also been plenty of political news back home – here are the main things you need to know:
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is making a statement in the Commons about grooming gangs from around 1.30pm.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch is also giving a speech this afternoon about how she’ll restore the public’s trust in her party.
We’ll bring you any noteworthy updates from those.
Politics Hub With Sophy Ridge is live from 7pm – we’ll bring you the full line-up for the show later.
By Sarah Taaffe-Maguire, business and economics reporter
There was no panicked market reaction to yet more news of weak UK growth, even though GDP (a key measure of economic expansion) came in lower than forecast.
Low growth has become the norm and unfortunately for Chancellor Rachel Reeves so too has high government borrowing costs and a less valuable pound over the last 10 days.
If Ms Reeves was hoping for continued reprieve from market pressure she did not get it on Thursday morning.
How’s the pound looking?
While news of slower inflation rises on Wednesday somewhat brought down high borrowing costs which inched up over the previous week and boosted the value of the pound, GDP figures did the opposite.
The pound, which is taken as an assessment of investor confidence in the UK economy, dropped below $1.22.
The benchmark for government borrowing costs – the effective interest rate on 10-year borrowing – edged up but didn’t erode the falls from good inflation news yesterday. The same goes for the price of longer-term, 30-year lending.
Bad news for motorists
The UK stock market provided a bright spot with the FTSE 100 index of most valuable London Stock Exchange companies rose a large 0.8%, a second day of growth. Up but to a lesser extent was the more domestic comprised FTSE 250, rising 0.17%.
If Ms Reeves had managed to dip out of the headlines the focus this morning would arguably been on the oil price, which ticked up after Israel and Hamas announced a ceasefire.
A barrel of Brent crude oil now costs $81.87 having been priced in the low 70s for much of November and December.
It’ll mean filling up the car tank becomes more expensive and costs possibly rising throughout supply chains.
Mike Amesbury, who has been expelled from Labour, has apologised after punching a man in Cheshire last October.
After pleading guilty to assault by beating, he said: “I am sincerely sorry to Mr Fellows and his family.”
The judge has adjourned the case to 24 February for a pre-sentence report to be prepared.
District Judge Tanveer Ikram said: “This case is within the high culpability category. I accept that the injury was not serious, the sentencing guideline suggests a sentence starting point of a high level community order or a range up to a prison sentence.
“I have already made mention of the fact whilst there was a single punch to the face, the victim ended up on the floor and he was further attacked again on the floor. That seems to me an additional aggravating factor.
“I hear all said on the defendant’s behalf and I will no doubt hear that again once I have read what the pre-sentence report suggests as workable options in terms of the range of sentence available to the court.”
Mike Amesbury will remain suspended from the Labour Party after pleading guilty to assault by beating.
The MP, who was suspended before entering his plea, punched a man in Frodsham, Cheshire in October.
A Labour Party spokesperson said: “It is right that Mike Amesbury has taken responsibility for his unacceptable actions.
“He was rightly suspended by the Labour Party following the announcement of the police investigation.
“We cannot comment further whilst legal proceedings are still ongoing.”
It is understood the party whip will not be restored.
He will now sit as an independent MP in Runcorn and Helsby.
However, if Amesbury is sent to prison or given a suspended sentence he could face the prospect of losing his seat in the Commons.
A sentence of less than a year, even if it is suspended, would leave him liable to the recall process, which would trigger a by-election if 10% of registered voters in his seat sign a petition calling for it.
A jail term of more than a year would mean Amesbury automatically losing his seat.
Be the first to get Breaking News
Install the Sky News app for free
