Sir Keir Starmer has defended freedom of speech as “one of the founding values of the United Kingdom” amid criticism from across the Atlantic about the UK’s commitment to it.
Speaking alongside Donald Trump at Chequers, the Prime Minister’s grace and favour country estate, Sir Keir also paid condolences to Charlie Kirk, the right-wing American influencer shot dead during a speaking engagement in Utah last week.
Christianity is “wired into” the UK, Sir Keir also suggested, when asked about faith.
Speaking at Chequers alongside Mr Trump, Sir Keir said: “Free speech is one of the founding values of the United Kingdom, and we protect it jealously and fiercely and always will. And we will bear down on any limits of free speech.”
The Prime Minister and his Government have come under fire from influential American figures, including Vice President JD Vance and tech billionaire Elon Musk, amid accusations that new online safety laws restrict freedom of speech.
The Government’s reaction to last summer’s riots, including the legal pursuit of incitement to violence online, has also been a target for US critics of the PM.
Referring to the Online Safety Act, Sir Keir continued: “I draw a limit between free speech and the speech of those that want to peddle paedophilia and suicide (on) social media to children.
“And therefore I’m all for free speech, I’m also for protecting children from things that will harm them: paedophiles, those that peddle suicide, which has had a terrible consequence for individuals, particularly teenagers. And so that’s the balance we strike.”
In one question from a journalist, Sir Keir was asked if the UK is a Christian country, after America was described as such.
The Prime Minister said: “I was christened, so that is my church, has been all my life. And that is wired into our informal constitution.
“Of course, we celebrate many other faiths as well and I’m really proud that we’re able to do so as a country.”
Elsewhere, he described the killing of activist and influencer Mr Kirk as “shocking” to “everybody who believes in free speech and in democracy”.
Sir Keir added: “It sent shockwaves through the world and I know that he was a friend of the president, and I reached out straight away to the president, because I understood how impactful it would be on him and his family, and we all need to be absolutely clear about that: whatever our political views, it is shocking and is to be condemned.”
Mr Trump meanwhile said he once told Mr Kirk he could be president in the future and thanked the “many British citizens” who have offered their condolences.
