In brief
At the Nato summit in Ankara, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gifted UK Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer a custom revolver engraved with his name and loaded with live ammunition. The gun was part of a series given to heads of state and remains with Turkish officials due to UK import restrictions. While the weapon is expected to be decommissioned before its return, the gesture coincided with a defence agreement that will deepen intelligence sharing between the UK and Turkey. The episode highlights the complex interplay between diplomatic symbolism and legal controls in international relations.
Sir Keir Starmer was given a personalised revolver with live ammunition as a gift by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during the Nato summit.
The firearm, engraved with the prime minister's name, was one of a series of similar gifts presented to the leader of each country who attended the event in Ankara.
Sir Keir's revolver has not been brought back to the UK and remains with British officials in Turkey.
It is expected to be decommissioned before it is returned, meaning it will no longer be capable of firing live ammunition.
Erdogan waived export controls on the gift but it was left in Turkey because it is illegal to import a live firearm into the UK.
Downing Street has not released a picture of the revolver.
At the summit, Sir Keir signed a defence agreement with Erdogan which will pave the way for closer intelligence sharing between the countries.
Speaking after the summit, Sir Keir said he believed the alliance was stronger and more united following the gathering.
"This has been a good summit. We achieved what we wanted to achieve, which is unity."
"So important we have that, particularly with the conflicts going on in Ukraine and the conflicts in Iran," he added.
It will be Sir Keir's last major international event, after he announced his resignation last month.
