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UK unions urge Burnham to press Trump to end Iran war
Unions cited estimates that the average British household has seen its annual energy bill rise by £221, and monthly food bills are forecast to rise by £32.8 as fighting disrupts prospects for oil and gas prices.
Trade union leaders in the UK have urged Prime Minister Andy Burnham to pressure US President Donald Trump to end the war involving Iran, arguing that continuing conflict is worsening the cost of living by pushing up energy and fuel costs. Leaders from 10 unions, including Unison, said Burnham should oppose further fighting in the Gulf to help bring down prices.
In a letter to Burnham, the general secretaries said he should begin by revoking permission for the US to use RAF bases, specifically to launch airstrikes on Iran. The push came after Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband arrived in Washington for early meetings with Trump administration officials, and after US officials said talks with Iran and Oman on getting more ships through the Strait of Hormuz have shown progress but no final agreement.
The unions linked the latest escalation to renewed uncertainty over the outcome of the war and expectations for oil and gas prices. They also pointed to their members facing higher costs, saying since the war started the average British household’s annual energy bill has risen by £221 and monthly food bills are forecast to rise by £32.8, while warning there would be no end to the cost of living crisis without an end to the conflict.
The unions said they were encouraged by the government’s stated focus on affordability but remained concerned that it had authorized US airstrikes, and they called the conflict “devastating” and “illegal” in their letter.