Change of PM will not affect UK's support for Estonia and Ukraine

The new government of the United Kingdom continues to support Ukraine as well as Estonia as an ally, say Estonian foreign policy experts and the British Ambassador to Estonia Ross Allen.
Before last Christmas, when the newly appointed British Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited Tapa as the then leader of the opposition to shake hands with his soldiers, he told ERR journalist Epp Ehand that the United Kingdom's support for Estonia is also a priority for his party.
"We're very proud to support the troops here in Estonia. My message this morning was that if there's a change of government next year in 2024 – we have a general election – there will be no lack of support for Estonia," Starmer said, adding that British troops will be staying in Estonia. "This is my second trip to support the troops here up in Tapa, and it will be unshakeable support from a Labour government if we are elected into government."
Estonian foreign policy experts also confirm that the United Kingdom's foreign policy towards Ukraine and Estonia will not change.
"If you look at what Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Defense Secretary John Healey have said while still in opposition, they vowed that aiding Ukraine is an ironclad commitment for the Labour Party. Secondly, they demanded while in opposition that the U.K. increase its defense spending. Thirdly, they criticized the cuts to the U.K.'s armed forces," commented Kalev Stoicescu, chairman of the Riigikogu National Defense Committee (Eesti 200).
"The U.K. has historically valued its military strength and presence in the world – it's ingrained in them. This is important. The question is whether a Labour government will be able to increase defense spending, which is clearly needed. And how long this popularity will last, because as has been suggested, the hard work is done, and now the very hard work begins for Labour," said Eerik-Niiles Kross, a member of the Riigikogu Foreign Affairs Committee (Reform).
British Ambassador to Estonia Ross Allen also confirmed the new government's policy continuity towards Ukraine and Estonia.
"We have continuity, for example, in our support for Ukraine and our work against Russia. And there is also continuity in having our battle group here in Tapa. And we have a brigade in the U.K. that is ready to come here quickly if needed. But there is a change, an important change – our new government wants better relations with the European Union. I believe that hopefully, the new High Representative of the European Union, Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, will play a significant role in this," Allen said in Estonian.
The question, however, is how long the British voter will tolerate their ruling parties. Politico published an article noting that Britons are generally tired of the political elite – the country's involvement in the Iraq War, the 2008 economic crisis, Brexit, massive COVID-19 spending and the war in Ukraine have worn people out. One Nigel Farage voter stated bluntly – money should be invested in British healthcare instead of Ukraine. After Ukraine, there will be another country to protect, the Newark voter remarked.
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Editor: Merili Nael, Marcus Turovski