Skip to main content
On Air Now

Trump-Starmer relationship is ‘irreparable’, says Robert Jenrick

The Reform MP said the relationship had suffered a "massive blow"

Share

President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer
President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Picture: Getty

By Georgia Rowe

Keir Starmer and Donald Trump’s relationship has suffered a "massive blow" and may be beyond repair, Reform MP Robert Jenrick told LBC on Friday.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

The Reform MP continued: "I don't like to see foreign leaders berating the leader of the UK, regardless of which party he or she is.

"You want our prime minister to be somebody who is respected on the world stage and is treated with respect by our main allies.

"The relationship between Keir Starmer and Donald Trump has clearly taken a massive blow - probably irreparably so."

Mr Jenrick cited Sir Keir's decision not to initially make UK bases available to the US as part of the reason for this relationship breakdown, but added that he was in no means defending Donald Trump "or the way he conducts himself - far from it".

Read more: RAF gunners in Middle East down multiple Iranian drones in overnight attacks

Read more: 'Build some courage and take it': Trump tells allies to take Strait of Hormuz themselves as he claims near-victory in Iran

Sir Keir agreed to allow the US to use British bases to launch strikes on Iranian sites targeting the Strait of Hormuz on 20 March.

The prime minister had previously allowed US forces to use the bases only for defensive operations to prevent Iran firing missiles that put British interests or lives at risk.

Trump told reporters of the UK's decision: "It's been a very late response from the UK."

Mr Jenrick added: "What I want to see happen now is this war come to an end because I'm mostly concerned about the impact its having on people's living standards here in the UK, and that's clearly very, very damaging."

The MP's comments come after the prime minister warned that the impact of the Iran war will “affect the future of our country”.

Speaking to the nation on Wednesday, Sir Keir declared that the Iran conflict is ‘not all out war’ and called for closer ties with the EU in the form of 'closer economic cooperation and closer security cooperation’.