No.10 has denied that Keir Starmer ever pledged to boycott Qatar – regardless that he refused to go to the nation when it hosted the World Cup.

The prime minister is internet hosting Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the nation’s Emir, on Wednesday throughout his state go to to the UK.

Qatar is trying to make investments £1bn in British local weather know-how.

However the deal has put Starmer in a clumsy state of affairs as, earlier than he obtained into Downing Road, he mentioned he wouldn’t go to Qatar even when England reached the ultimate of the World Cup.

Talking in 2022, he mentioned: “No I wouldn’t [go to Qatar]. I’d like to however I believe that the human rights file is such that I wouldn’t go and that’ll be the place of the Labour Get together.”

Starmer additionally used PMQs to slam Qatar, the place homosexuality is unlawful, saying: “It’s completely unacceptable that in this match homosexual soccer followers are unable to acknowledge who they love.”

However when requested right this moment if the PM had ended this obvious boycott, a spokeswoman for Starmer advised journalists Starmer did go to Qatar final yr on his approach again from the COP local weather change summit.

She claimed his earlier remarks in regards to the nation “have been in relation to the precise points across the World Cup.”

Pressed if that was across the remedy of building staff who constructed the stadium, she mentioned: “I might simply level to his feedback on the time and make the purpose he did go to Qatar.”

Requested if he regrets boycotting the nation, she mentioned: “Once more, I don’t settle for that he boycotted Qatar.”

The PM’s official spokesman additionally mentioned: “Extra broadly as we mentioned earlier within the week, the PM is evident that the place now we have issues, we all the time increase them.

“The PM has all the time been clear we’re performing within the pursuits of the British folks.”

Starmer can also be anticipated to say the one British hostage in Gaza, Emily Damari, when he meets the Emir of Qatar on Wednesday, because the nation has change into a key negotiator within the Israel-Hamas warfare.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman mentioned: “Qatar has performed a number one mediation function within the battle and you may anticipate the discharge of hostages to function.

“I might additionally level you to what he mentioned earlier within the week on the LFI (Labour Pals of Israel) occasion, that in each diplomatic dialog he has he urges world leaders to do all the things they’ll to see the return of hostages.”

The brand new transport secretary Heidi Alexander additionally defended the PM on LBC this morning, saying: “The World Cup – a soccer recreation, one thing you do for enjoyable – is kind of totally different to the duties that you’ve got if you end up prime minister of a rustic to make sure that you keep diplomatic relations.

“A number of the time you’ll want to have tough conversations, however it’s typically vital to keep up channels of communication in order that these tough conversations can generally be had.”