UK Is Back on World Stage, Starmer Says After India Deal

The UK has restored its international standing after years of “performative” politics under successive Conservative governments, Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in an interview after sealing a long-sought trade deal with India on Thursday.

The trade deal — the biggest struck by Britain since Brexit — will cut the vast majority of India’s tariff lines for the UK, helping exports from Scotch whisky to cars. But speaking at his Chequers country retreat after meeting with Indian Premier Narendra Modi, Starmer said the agreement didn’t mark the limit of the UK’s ambition, and would provide a baseline of cooperation to build on for the two countries.