Starmer seeking 'special relationship' with Trump

THE UK will work with Donald Trump on economic and security issues, Sir Keir Starmer said, as he insisted the “special relationship” will prosper with the new United States president-elect.

The Prime Minister congratulated Mr Trump on a “historic election victory”, after voters returned him to the White House.

Sir Keir was among the first world leaders to congratulate Mr Trump as the Government sought to build bridges with the president-elect after the Republican politician’s campaign filed a legal complaint about Labour activists supporting rival Kamala Harris.

Senior Labour figures, including Foreign Secretary David Lammy, have also been strident in their criticism of Mr Trump in the past.

But the Prime Minister said: “As the closest of allies, we stand shoulder to shoulder in defence of our shared values of freedom, democracy and enterprise.

“From growth and security to innovation and tech, I know that the UK-US special relationship will continue to prosper on both sides of the Atlantic for years to come.”

At Prime Minister’s Questions in the Commons, new Tory leader Kemi Badenoch urged Sir Keir to apologise for Mr Lammy’s 2018 description of Mr Trump as a “woman-hating, neo-Nazisympathising sociopath” who is “a profound threat to the international order”.

Mrs Badenoch also called on Sir Keir to back an invitation for Mr Trump to address Parliament and revive talks on a UK-US trade deal.

Sir Keir said: “Of course we will discuss issues of our economy with the president-elect, as we already have done.”