Keir Starmer wants to use £15trn Commonwealth market to boost UK economy

SIR Keir Starmer wants to usage the £15trillion Commonwealth marketplace to springiness the British system a changeable successful the arm.

Arriving astatine the Samoan acme today, helium volition brushwood disconnected a “protectionist approach” to heighten commercialized wrong the alliance.

The PM is mounting up a caller UK Trade Centre of Expertise to unlock markets for UK business.

Sir Keir said: “We person an accidental to crook astir the lives of radical successful the UK. We can’t bash that with a protectionist approach.”

He has besides dismissed speech implicit Britain paying slave trade reparations.

The PM said: "In each the conversations I've had with them, what they're astir funny successful is tin we assistance them moving with for illustration planetary institutions, fiscal institutions connected the sorts of packages they request close present successful narration to the challenges they're facing close now.

"That's wherever I'm going to enactment my absorption alternatively than what volition extremity up being precise very agelong endless discussions astir reparations connected the past.

"This is astir stance really, looking guardant alternatively than looking backwards.

"Now of people slavery is abhorrent everybody - the commercialized and the practice, there's nary question astir that.

"But I deliberation from my constituent of presumption and taking the attack I've conscionable taken, I'd alternatively rotation up my sleeves and enactment with them connected the existent future-facing challenges than walk a batch of clip connected the past.

"That's my focus."

India and South Africa did not attend, choosing to conscionable with Russian President Vladimir Putin.