No 10 suggests growth is a priority over human rights

Economic growth is more important than protecting human rights, Downing Street has suggested, amid questions over Sir Keir Starmer’s meeting with Saudi Arabia’s crown prince yesterday.

- MILLIE COOKE

The meeting between the prime minister and Mohammed bin Salman was expected to be focused on boosting growth, with the prime minister saying that such a mission “requires us to strengthen partnerships abroad”.

He insisted his “international agenda starts at home”, as he visited the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia yesterday in a bid to build closer economic ties with the two Gulf states.

Asked if promoting economic growth is more important for the government than protecting human rights, the prime minister’s official spokesperson said: “Promoting economic growth is the prime minister’s number one priority, he has been very clear about that.”

But they added that “no aspect of the relationships that we’re building internationally and abroad stop us from raising issues around human rights and protecting our values globally”.

In 2022, Sir Keir accused predecessor Boris Johnson of “going cap in hand from dictator to dictator” when the former prime minister met the Saudi crown prince.