Keir Starmer has hit back at suggestions that he is ruining the UK’s so-called ‘special relationship’ with the US, following pointed comments from Donald Trump.
During Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, Starmer was asked by Tory MP Gareth Bacon whether his “dithering response” to events in the Middle East had made UK-US relations “stronger or weaker.”
This came after President Trump had hit out at Starmer on Tuesday over his refusal to join the US in its military action in Iran.
In response to Bacon’s question on Wednesday, Starmer perfectly outlined what the ‘special relationship’ actually is.
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He said: “American planes are operating out of British bases, that is the special relationship in action.
“British jets are shooting down drones and missiles to protect American lives in the Middle East on our joint bases, that is the special relationship in action.
“Sharing intelligence every day to keep our people safe, that is the special relationship in action.”
He then added: “Hanging on to President Trump’s latest words is not the special relationship in action.”
Speaking in the Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump criticised UK government’s Chagos Islands deal once again, claiming it has inconvenienced the US in its military action against Iran.
He said: “That island that you read about, the lease, for whatever reason, he made a lease of the island, somebody came and took it away from him.
“And it’s taken three, four days for us to work out where we can land, it would have been much more convenient landing there as opposed to flying many extra hours.
“So we are very surprised.”
In reference to Starmer, Trump then said: “This is not Winston Churchill that we’re dealing with.”