By D. Maan, Jadetimes News
Starmer to Meet Biden at the White House
Sir Keir Starmer will have his first face to face meeting with US President Joe Biden at the White House later today. The prime minister traveled to the US overnight for a NATO summit, marking the 75th anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. Speaking on the plane, Sir Keir expressed his hopes that the bilateral meeting in Washington DC will provide an opportunity to discuss NATO and the so called UK US special relationship.
Emphasizing the Special Relationship
“This is obviously a very special relationship we have between the UK and the US,” Sir Keir stated, highlighting the unique aspect of defense and security, including their commitment to NATO. The Labour leader's comments come as more than 300 new MPs continue to be sworn in at Westminster, preparing for the state opening of parliament next week when the government's program will be outlined in the King's Speech.
House of Lords Age Restrictions
Sir Keir also faced questions about the government's plan to introduce age restrictions in the House of Lords, which would force peers to retire at the age of 80. The size and role of the House of Lords have been increasingly scrutinized, with 784 sitting members. Sir Keir has previously suggested an alternative, elected second chamber based on models from other parts of the world.
Reducing the Size of the House of Lords
Sir Keir emphasized the need to reduce the number of members in the House of Lords, stating, “We’ve got 800 plus members of the House of Lords it’s simply too big.” He clarified that this reduction is not about reflecting how other elected representatives are chosen in other countries, but rather addressing the sheer size of the House of Lords. This would impact Labour peers like Lord Alf Dubs, a 91 year old refugee rights campaigner who fled the Nazis as a child.
