PM must ‘stand up for Britain’ in Trump-BBC row

Sir Keir Starmer has been urged to intervene in the row between Donald Trump and the BBC after the US president ramped up threats to sue the corporation.

- CAITLIN DOHERTY POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT

Speaking to reporters on board Air Force One on Friday night, Mr Trump said he would sue the corporation for “anywhere between $1bn (£759.8m) and $5bn (£3.79bn), probably sometime next week” after the BBC apologised over the Panorama speech edit.

Mr Trump also said that Sir Keir had asked to speak to him and indicated that they would talk over the weekend.

The prime minister has now been urged to “demand” that Mr Trump “drops his ludicrous lawsuit” with the BBC, with Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey saying Sir Keir has a moment to “stand up for Britain”.

“This is Keir Starmer’s moment to stand up for Britain, for every TV licence fee payer in the country, and for a free press that can hold the powerful to account,” he said yesterday. “When he speaks to Trump, Keir Starmer must demand that he drops his ludicrous lawsuit and stops interfering in our country.