Keir Starmer risks fresh clash with Donald Trump after ignoring President's Iran plea

And with tensions - and oil prices - still rising, the Prime Minister will tomorrow pledge support for families struggling with soaring energy bills during a Downing Street press conference.

The PM will reveal Labour's “first priority” will be helping people through the crisis.

He will add that de-escalation of the war is the quickest way to end the cost of living crisis.

His remarks come as tensions grow in the key strait - through which a significant share of the world’s oil supply travels.

The disruption has pushed global energy prices higher and raised fears among the Government of further economic pressure on households.

Britain is currently refusing to send warships to help reopen the strait despite pressure from the United States, the Telegraph reports.

Mr Trump urged several countries affected by the strait's closure, including the UK and France, to send warships to the region in a post on Truth Social on Saturday.

France outright refused the request on Sunday, and its Armed Forces Minister said the country would maintain its "defensive and protective" position.

Britain, meanwhile, has considered sending mine-hunting drones after the United States shared video of Iranian mine hunting ships being destroyed in the waterway.

The minesweeping ships are autonomously controlled and operate up at 10 times the pace of a traditional minesweeping ship.

Developed jointly with France, the drones may have their first deployment date brought forward to help in the Gulf.

Ed Miliband has suggested Britain's minesweeping ships were being considered for deployment.

The Energy Secretary said "any options that can help to get the strait" reopened are being looked at by the Government.

Sir Keir spoke with the President on Sunday, the first time since Mr Trump's call for aid.

Britain so far has only sent HMS Dragon, which will be stationed in the Mediterranean to assist with Cyprus's air defence.

But Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, the Chief of the Defence Staff, was reportedly at odds with Downing Street in regards to British defence mobilisation.

He said the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales did not need to be sent to the region - with sovereign base RAF Akrotiri serving as the equivalent.

"We have an aircraft carrier – it's called Cyprus," he is reported to have said.

But Downing Street denied claims of a rift between the Prime Minister and his Armed Forces chief.

The PM's official spokesman said any suggestions of a "fracture in relations" were "ridiculous", and lauded Sir Richard's military service.