Starmer to strike deals on trip to G20 summit shunned by Trump

Sir Keir Starmer has vowed to focus on making deals with other nations on his trip to the G20 summit in South Africa, as he said it is “really important to be” at the gathering shunned by Donald Trump.

The Prime Minister will touch down in Johannesburg on Friday, just days before the crunch Budget is widely expected to bring tax rises.

He will use the trip to announce £400 million worth of deals for trains, planes and submarines, No 10 said.

The November 22-23 leaders’ summit was threatened to be overshadowed by the boycott of the US president and American officials over widely rejected claims that white people are being persecuted in South Africa.

But South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday said discussions were taking place about a change of mind on US participation.

Asked about Mr Trump’s absence, Sir Keir told reporters travelling with him: “In terms of attendance, obviously President Trump set out his position.

“I think it’s really important to be there and to talk to other partners and allies so we can get on with the discussions around global issues that have to be addressed and do have an impact back at home, but also to take the opportunity face to face to further the deals that I want to do for our country.”

He also said: “In the last three years the jobs that have been generated in the UK from countries in the G20 is 200,000 and that focus in the Budget will be very much the economy and the cost of living.

“And I will focus on the deals we can do, the business we can do with our partner countries and make sure that the work we do internationally is impacting directly at home.”

Chinese President Xi Jinping is also among the leaders expected to skip the multilateral forum, designed to bring together the world’s leading economies.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang is set to take his place, but Sir Keir declined to say whether they will meet.

Pressed on whether he would raise MI5’s warnings this week that Chinese intelligence services are targeting UK parliamentarians, the Labour leader reiterated the Government’s approach, “which is co-operate where we can and challenge where we must, particularly on national security”.

Sir Keir will visit a train depot with Derby-built trains on Friday to announce a deal under which Government-owned Crossrail International will advise on driving investment in South Africa’s railways.

The UK has also launched a new partnership with Vietnam to support a digital overhaul of its railway system.

Other deals include:

– A new UK-South Africa mutual recognition arrangement that is estimated to boost exports by up to £700 million over five years

– British Steel has secured a further £35 million contract to supply products for Turkey’s high-speed network

– UK firm Rolls-Royce will supply new jet engines for 10 Air Algerie aircraft as part of a £370 million package of air deals with Algeria

– UK defence firm Babcock has won an initial contract to assess the readiness of and help maintain South African navy submarines

The Prime Minister is expected to meet a series of Indo-Pacific and African leaders during the G20 gathering, the first to be held on African soil.

South Africa currently holds the rotating G20 presidency, with the US due to take over at the end of the year.

Asked whether in striking business deals with African states, he was ignoring their ties to Russia, Sir Keir said: “We’re allies with South Africa and of course I want to get deals with South Africa and other countries over the line.”