Sir Keir Starmer stated a robust UK-US relationship was “essential” as he congratulated Donald Trump on his election as US president.
Talking at Prime Minister’s Questions, Sir Keir stated the world was “in all probability extra unstable” than it had been for a lot of many years, including the 2 international locations had been the “closest of allies” and that he regarded ahead to working with Trump within the coming years.
Kemi Badenoch – making her first look in Parliament as Conservative chief – urged Sir Keir to apologise for feedback beforehand made about Trump by David Lammy earlier than he was overseas secretary.
And he or she pressed the prime minister on how Trump’s election would have an effect on UK insurance policies on commerce and defence.
In opposition, Lammy labelled Trump a “neo-Nazi sympathising sociopath” however since stepping into authorities has sought to construct bridges with the president-elect and his workforce.
Sir Keir didn’t supply an apology however pointed to a dinner he and Lammy held with Trump in New York earlier this yr.
“We mentioned quite a lot of points of world significance – it was a really constructive train,” he instructed MPs.
Badenoch additionally requested the prime minister if he would push for Trump to get an invite to deal with Parliament, however didn’t obtain a direct reply.
Pressed afterwards on whether or not Lammy would preserve his job for all the Parliament in mild of his previous feedback, the PM’s spokeswoman stated: “Sure, he’s the overseas secretary.”
Badenoch’s spokesman stated: “The purpose is that this man is now the overseas secretary and he has stated one thing that’s fairly offensive to the president and she or he needs to know, has he apologised.”
If not, the spokesman added, “why not?”
The PM’s spokeswoman declined to say whether or not backbench Labour MPs had been ordered to not touch upon Trump’s victory.
She stated the PM had not but spoken to Trump to congratulate him however hoped to take action “in the end”.
The president-elect was hopefully getting some “well-deserved relaxation”, she added, and Starmer is aware of first hand how busy the primary days after successful an election may be.
Within the Commons, Badenoch stated the US was the UK’s single largest commerce companion and warned the prime minister he would want to “take care of the particular relationship”.
She stated there was now a “threat of elevated tariffs on UK exports” and requested if he would revisit talks on establishing a free commerce settlement with the US.
Since leaving the European Union, UK ministers have been eager to succeed in a commerce cope with the US – nonetheless, there was little progress.
Throughout his election marketing campaign, Trump pledged to dramatically increase tariffs on overseas exports.
Replying to Badenoch, Sir Keir stated: “After all we’ll talk about problems with our financial system with the president-elect, as we have already got accomplished.”
On defence, the Conservative chief echoed calls from Trump that European international locations ought to improve their defence spending and urged the prime minister to match her celebration’s dedication to boost defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2030.
Sir Keir reiterated his authorities’s dedication to the two.5% goal – though it has not set a deadline for assembly the purpose.
He added that, in contrast to the earlier Labour authorities, the Conservatives had failed to fulfill the goal while in workplace.
He additionally attacked the Conservatives for leaving a £17bn black hole within the Ministry of Defence’s funds.
Labour accused Badenoch of deceptive Parliament when she incorrectly instructed MPs that the “chancellor’s Price range didn’t even point out defence”.
Badenoch’s spokesman insisted she had not bought it unsuitable as a result of it was “apparent” from the context of what she had stated in her earlier query that “she was referring to the truth that there was no reference to how Labour intend to get to that 2.5%”.
In her Price range speech final week, Chancellor Rachel Reeves stated “we’ll set a path to spending 2.5% of GDP on defence at a future fiscal occasion.”
‘Roll out the purple carpet’
Trump’s election victory has divided UK politicians.
In a press release launched on Wednesday morning, Sir Keir congratulated Trump, saying the UK and US would “stand shoulder to shoulder in defence of our shared values of freedom, democracy and enterprise”.
“From progress and safety to innovation and tech, I do know that the UK-US particular relationship will proceed to prosper on either side of the Atlantic for years to come back.”
Echoing his chief’s sentiments, Lammy additionally stated he regarded ahead to working with Trump and his operating mate JD Vance.
Providing his personal congratulations, Scottish First Minister John Swinney stated Scotland and the US “share many social, cultural and financial hyperlinks”.
“In that relationship, we’ll stand quick in assist of our values of equity, democracy and equality – beliefs that America was constructed upon.”
Badenoch stated: “The world faces many severe challenges and I sit up for our two international locations working collectively to confront them.”
Nigel Farage, Reform UK chief and a buddy of Trump, stated the president-elect was a “real buddy of the UK” and urged the prime minister to “roll out the purple carpet” for him.
“It is a large alternative to be grasped.”
‘Darkish day’
Different UK celebration leaders have been extra important. Lib Dem chief Sir Ed Davey called the election result “a darkish, darkish day for individuals across the globe”.
“The world’s largest financial system and strongest army will likely be led by a harmful, harmful demagogue.
“Fixing the UK’s damaged relationship with the EU is much more pressing than earlier than – we should strengthen commerce and defence cooperation throughout Europe to assist shield ourselves from the injury Trump will do.”
Inexperienced Celebration co-leader Carla Denyer referred to as Trump “a harmful bigot, bully, and liar”.
“On this darkish day, we stand in solidarity with all US residents who worry a convicted legal and a fascist within the White Home.”
And Labour London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who has repeatedly clashed with Trump, stated many Londoners would really feel “anxious” and “fearful” about what the result of the election would imply for democracy, ladies’s rights, the Center East, Ukraine or tackling the local weather disaster.
