By DAVID WILCOCK, DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR Published: 14:18 BST, 9 October 2025 | Updated: 15:48 BST, 9 October 2025
Keir Starmer declined to give a ringing endorsement to predecessor Tony Blair having a role in running post-war Gaza today, amid high hopes of a Trump-pushed deal ending the fighting. The Prime Minister brushed aside a question about Sir Tony today saying he was focused mainly on getting a peace agreement signed and acted on.The three-term-winning former PM was named by Donald Trump as one of a group of international leaders who would sit on a 'Board of Peace' alongside the US president to oversee an interim governing authority for Gaza.He has recently been part of high-level planning talks with the US and other parties about the future of Gaza. The idea sparked fury among his left-wing opponents and Hamas has previously rejected the idea. Speaking at a press conference during trade trip to India, Sir Keir said today's deal was 'a real breakthrough' that needed to be implemented.'I'm less interested, to be perfectly frank, in discussions about personnel than I am in getting it implemented,' he said when asked about Sir Tony. 'The UK has played an important part behind the scenes in relation to these negotiations, working with the US mediators, and we stand ready to play our part in implementing this.' The Prime Minister brushed aside a question about Sir Tony today saying he was focused mainly on getting the deal signed and acted on. The three-term-winning former PM was named by Donald Trump as one of a group of international leaders who would sit on a 'Board of Peace'The US president said late on Wednesday that the warring parties have agreed to the 'first phase' of his peace plan to pause fighting and release at least some hostages and prisoners. The news comes just two days after the second anniversary of October 7, the attacks by Palestinian militant group Hamas on Israel which sparked the current conflict.Nearly 1,200 people were killed during the incursion, and around 250 people were taken as hostages into Gaza.Israel’s military campaign, launched in retaliation, has led to the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians, has devastated Gaza and revealed fault lines in global politics.Hamas is planning to release the 20 living hostages it still has in captivity, and in exchange Israel will free Palestinian prisoners it has in captivity.Sir Keir Starmer added that he had personally thanked Trump for his role in the plan to end fighting in Gaza.Speaking in Mumbai, he said: 'This is a very significant step forward and it would not have happened without President Trump's leadership on this.'And I want to be really clear about that and I say that from the informed position of the UK having played a part behind the scenes in this with the US and with the mediators.'What matters now is to press on and implement this.'
