Canada ‘not impressed’ by Trump second UK state visit ‘given the circumstances’, PM Mark Carney says
Canada's Prime Minister has said his country's people are not impressed by the UK offering a second state visit to US President Donald Trump.
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Mark Carney said the invitation "cut across" messages his government is trying to send to the White House in response to threats against Canada's sovereignty.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer handed Trump an invitation letter from King Charles in February during his visit to Washington, and the US president said Buckingham Palace was "setting a date for September".
"To be frank, they (Canadians) weren't impressed by that gesture ... given the circumstance.
"It was at a time when we were being quite clear, some of us were being quite clear, about the issues around sovereignty," he said.
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Trump has been doubling down on his wish to make Canada the 51st US state, to which Carney has steadfastly replied the country is 'not for sale.
"It cut across some of those messages," Carney told Sky News.
A senior Cabinet minister has downplayed the criticism, saying Mr Carney is "entitled to his view".
Pat McFadden, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, told the broadcaster the US relationship is "really important" but that "our relationship and friendship with Canada is really important too".
Asked if he is disappointed with the criticism from the Commonwealth nation, Mr McFadden said: "We've got free speech in the world. Prime Minister Carney is entitled to his view.
"He's got to decide how Canada conducts its relationships with the United States, and, by the same token, so do we."
He said he is "completely relaxed" about Mr Carney's comments and "glad" that Mr Trump is coming for a state visit.
"And I'm particularly glad that we've conducted a trade deal that saves thousands of automotive jobs in this country and is a platform for future trade which can benefit the United Kingdom economically more in the future too."
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer handed a letter from the King to Mr Trump at the White House in February, inviting him to make an unprecedented second state visit to the UK and also suggesting a pre-state visit trip to Scotland.
The UK struck an economic deal with the American leader last week which cut tariffs on car exports and reduced tariffs on steel and aluminium, and kept a 10% baseline tariff on most goods.