Britain working with allies on plan to reopen Strait of Hormuz, prime minister says

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says the UK is coordinating with allies to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and ease disruption to global oil markets.

Reuters

March 16, 2026

Britain working with allies on plan to reopen Strait of Hormuz, prime minister says

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks to the media on the situation in the Middle East, at Downing Street in central London, Britain March 16, 2026.

Brook Mitchell/Reuters

Britain is working with allies on a collective plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and restore freedom of navigation in the Middle East but it will not be easy, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday.

"Ultimately, we have to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to ensure stability in the (oil) market. That is not a simple task," Starmer told reporters.

"So we're working with all of our allies, including our European partners, to bring together a viable collective plan that can restore freedom of navigation in the region as quickly as possible and ease the economic impact."

-Reporting by Sarah Young and Elizabeth Piper, writing by Alistair Smout; editing by Michael Holden/Reuters