The US president threatened that he could change the terms of the US-UK trade deal as he hit out again at the UK
Sir Keir Starmer said he is ‘not going to yield’ over the Iran war after Donald Trump’s latest criticism of the Prime Minister.
It comes after the US president threatened that he could change the terms of the US-UK trade deal as he hit out again at the UK during an interview with Sky News.
Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons, Sir Keir addressed Mr Trump’s overnight comments.
He told MPs: “My position on the Iran war has been clear from the start. We’re not going to get dragged into this war. It is not our war.
“A lot of pressure has been applied to me to take a different course, and that pressure included what happened last night.
“I’m not going to change my mind. I’m not going to yield.
“It is not in our national interest to join this war, and we will not do so. I know where I stand.”
“The monarchy is an important reminder of the long-standing bonds and enduring relationship between our two countries, which are far greater than anyone who occupies any particular office at any particular time.”
Relations between the British and American leaders have deteriorated after Sir Keir rejected the prospect of UK involvement in the Middle East conflict.
In an interview to Sky News the US president hit out at Sir Keir Starmer for making “tragic” mistakes on winding down drilling in the North Sea and on migration, and suggested the terms of the UK-US trade deal brokered last year could be changed.
He told the broadcaster that while he liked the Prime Minister, he had made a “tragic mistake in closing the North Sea oil”, as well as “a tragic mistake on immigration”.
Asked for his thoughts on the special relationship, Mr Trump replied: “With who?”
Sky then clarified they meant with the UK, to which the president reiterated his disappointment that Britain and other Nato allies had not joined the war with Iran “when we needed them”.
He then said that America had given the UK “a good trade deal, better than I had to”.
In what appeared to be a threat to the agreement with Britain, Mr Trump suggested the deal “can always be changed”.
He also told Sky News an agreement to end the war with Iran is “very possible”.
The president has reportedly said talks to end the conflict could resume in the next “two days”.
American vice-president JD Vance took part in negotiations in Islamabad, Pakistan, over the weekend aimed at ending the war, which concluded without any major breakthrough.


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