State visit to UK Trump dismisses Farage's idea that parliament be recalled

Donald Trump has said he does not want parliament to be recalled for his state visit to the UK and praised Keir Starmer, saying that despite being a liberal, the prime minister was straightening out a "sloppy" Brexit.

- Jessica Elgot

Speaking in a rare interview with the BBC, the president said he had made trade agreements to lower tariffs on the UK specifically because of his affinity with Britain, saying he believed in its special relationship with the US.

Trump added that he was convinced the UK would come to the aid of the US if it were at war. He said: "I think they would be. I don't think a lot of the other countries would be.

"It's a special relationship. Look, that's why I made a deal with them. For the most part in terms of your competitors and in terms of the European Union, I haven't made a deal. Now the UK is very special... they have been a really true ally."