quickest

"The main thing will be who gets to grips with the track the quickest," he explained.

"Israel has stated that its goal is to return its citizens to their home in the north. I believe the quickest way to do that is through diplomacy," Austin said.

Harrods' current owners have previously said they were "utterly appalled" by the allegations against Fayed and had been seeking to settle claims "in the quickest way possible" since new information came to light in 2023.

It said its "priority" is to "settle claims in the quickest way possible, avoiding lengthy legal proceedings for the women involved", which can be done online.

Asked if he was intimidated by Putin's threats of a potential war with Nato, Sir Keir said "the quickest way to resolve" the war in Ukraine "lies through what Putin actually does".