Donald Trump has urged Sir Keir Starmer to slash taxes and immigration to defeat Nigel Farage at the next election.
Speaking at his Turnberry golf course ball room in South Ayrshire on Monday, Mr Trump described both the PM and Reform UK leader as “friends”.
“The one who cuts taxes the most, the one who gives you the lowest energy prices, the one who keeps you out of wars tend to win,” he said.
"Low taxes, keep us safe, keep us out of wars….And in your case a big immigration component.” He also said he thought he won the US election because of immigration.
Earlier, Mr Trump praised Sir Keir Starmer's efforts to reduce immigration via small boat crossings as a “fantastic thing” as the two leaders met in Scotland.
Mr Trump said he knew “nothing about the boats” while meeting the PM at his Turnberry golf resort on Monday, but said “my hats are off to you” if the UK was trying to reduce immigration.
Key points
- Starmer must cut taxes and tackle immigration to win the next election, says Trump
- Trump doesn’t know what the ‘small boats’ are but praises Starmer
- US may not impose tariffs on British drug industry, Trump suggests
- Trump says he wants to make Starmer ‘happy’ as pair speak on Turnberry steps
- Trump praises Starmer’s wife Victoria as she joins PM on Scotland visit
Analysis | Trump’s dramatic shift on Middle East policy is another diplomatic triumph for Starmer
17:39 , Jabed AhmedOur Political Editor David Maddox writes:
The impromptu press call on the steps of Turnberry with Keir Starmer and Donald Trump provided an historic moment for UK, US and Middle East politics.
Amid the rambling of the US president almost drowned out by the bagpipe music commissioned to welcome the prime minister and his wife Lady Victoria, there was a significant shift in policy.
Trump essentially greenlighted Sir Keir recognising a Palestinian state and almost simultaneously rewrote US Republican party policy in regards to Israel and supporting Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.
Read the full article below:
Trump’s dramatic shift on Middle East policy is another diplomatic win for Starmer
Recap | Trump says outcome will be known ‘pretty soon’ over steel tariffs
17:29 , Jabed AhmedDonald Trump has hinted that the UK will know “pretty soon” whether or not tariffs on steel will increase to 50%.
The President said the US wants to “make our own steel” when he faced questions from journalists on Monday.
It remains to be seen whether tariffs on British steel imports into America will be eliminated, remain at 25% where they currently stand, or increase further.
Asked by reporters at the top of his meeting with Sir Keir Starmer when the cost of steel tariffs will come down, Mr Trump said: “We’re gonna know pretty soon, we’re gonna have it pretty soon.
“These people are tough negotiators, OK. We’re a big buyer of steel, but we’re going to make our own steel and we’re going to make our own aluminium for the most part.
“But we buy a lot of aluminium from right here and a lot of steel too.”
Pictured | Starmer boards AF1 with Trump
17:20 , Jabed Ahmed
Trump and Starmer discuss Gaza and Ukraine in Scotland meeting
17:17 , Archie MitchellA Downing Street readout of the prime minister’s meeting with the US president reveals the leaders spoke about a range of topics including Gaza, the war in Ukraine and the UK-US trade deal.
No10 said Sir Keir Starmer and Donald Trump condemned the “appalling scenes in Gaza” and agreed “urgent action” is needed.
A spokesman said they also “reiterated their calls for an immediate ceasefire to pave the way for peace in the region”, with Sir Keir praising Mr Trump’s efforts in the region.
The pair also hinted at fresh sanctions against Russia, agreeing to continue piling economic pressure on Vladimir Putin and his war machine.
They also touted the recently signed UK-US trade deal and said they are looking forward to Mr Trump’s second state visit in September.
Watch | Starmer says Scotland's first minister should move away from 'politics of yesteryear' over second referendum
16:59 , Jabed AhmedProtesters rally near Trump’s Menie resort
16:48 , Jabed AhmedA hundred or so protesters against Donald Trump have listened to speeches at a demonstration in Balmedie, close to the US president’s Menie golf resort.
The demonstrators, many carrying signs and banners with anti-Trump slogans, were addressed by disability rights campaigners, a member of the CND and a local activist.
Alena Ivanova of the Stop Trump Coalition, the group behind the protest, also told the crowd they had been “inundated” with support from US citizens following Saturday’s protests in Edinburgh and Aberdeen.
She said: “We were inundated by messages on our social media and on email from US citizens deeply, deeply grateful to the people of Scotland for showing up for them, for showing up for the migrants in the States, for showing up for the people of Palestine, for the people that are being genocided right now, for showing up for our common humanity.
“And this is what we are here to do again, and this is what we will keep gathering to do for as long as it takes.”
Following the speeches, the crowd were led in a series of anti-Trump chants before heading off to an area on the coast nearer to the Menie course.
Comment | Sean O'Grady: Britain has no business laughing at Trump’s EU trade deal
16:44 , Jabed AhmedOur Associate Editor Sean O’Grady writes:
In a world where Donald Trump’s tariffs and trade wars make everyone a loser, are there any winners from his latest deal, sealed by a handshake with the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, in a ballroom at one of the US president’s Scottish golf courses, of all places?
One very clear loser is Von der Leyen herself. If body language is anything to go by, she looked like she’d been badly bullied by the Big Orange Man – and, truthfully, so she had. In her own clipped remarks, she admitted that a reduction in tariffs to 15 per cent, while “not to be underestimated”, was “the best we could get”.
Emmanuel Macron has declared the US-EU trade deal a “dark day” for Europe – and you can understand why.
Read the full Voices article below:
Recap | Trump and Starmer's press conference
16:25 , Jabed Ahmed- Donald Trump called Sir Keir Starmer a “tax cutter” and praised him for doing a “great thing with the economy” ahead of their meeting at Turnberry.
- The US president expressed his “great love” for Scotland and said he wanted the nation to “thrive”.
- Mr Trump and Sir Keir took questions for more than an hour before their talks, covering trade, Gaza and immigration.
- The president labelled London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan a “nasty person” who has done a “terrible job”. Sir Keir defended Mr Khan, saying: “He’s a friend of mine, actually.”
- Mr Trump described both Sir Keir and Nigel Farage as “great men”, adding: “I like this man (Sir Keir) a lot, and I like Nigel.”
- On planned US tariffs for pharmaceuticals, Mr Trump suggested the UK might avoid the worst, saying: “We certainly feel a lot better with your country working on pharmaceuticals for America.”
- Asked about small boat crossings, Mr Trump said: “If the boats are loaded up with bad people… my hats are off to you.”
- Mr Trump joked about whisky tariffs: “I didn’t know whisky was a problem. I’m not a big whisky drinker but maybe I should be.”
Sadiq Khan hits back at Trump criticism
15:56 , Alexander ButlerSadiq Khan has hit back at Donald Trump after the US president called him a “nasty person”.
A spokesman for the mayor of London said: “Sadiq is delighted that president Trump wants to come to the greatest city in the world.
“He’d see how our diversity makes us stronger, not weaker; richer, not poorer.
“Perhaps these are the reasons why a record number of Americans have applied for British citizenship under his presidency.”
Watch: Trump praises Starmer's 'beautiful wife' during talks in Scotland
15:34 , Alexander ButlerTrump gives Starmer the green light to recognise a Palestinian state
15:26 , Alexander Butler
Trump gives Starmer the green light to recognise a Palestinian state
Trump praises GB News reporter for asking ‘such nice questions’
15:16 , Alexander ButlerDonald Trump has praised a GB News reporter for asking “such nice questions” at his press conference with Sir Keir Starmer.
The US president interrupted the broadcaster’s Bev Turner to ask which outlet she is from.
“Who are you with? Who are you with? Because you are asking such nice questions,” he said.
Trump tells Starmer to cut taxes and tackle immigration to win the next election
15:05 , Alexander ButlerDonald Trump has advised Keir Starmer to cut taxes and tackle immigration to beat Nigel Farage at the next election.
Asked about the Reform UK and Labour leaders, he said: “The one who cuts taxes the most, the one who gives you the lowest energy prices, the one who keeps you out of wars," tend to win.
“Low taxes, keep us safe, keep us out of wars….And in your case a big immigration component,” he added.
He also said he thought he had won his election to the White House because of immigration.
Watch: Trump Praises Starmer's 'Beautiful Wife' During Talks In Scotland
14:59 , Alexander ButlerRolls Royce nuclear plants ‘sound pretty good’, Trump says
14:51 , Alexander ButlerRolls Royce nuclear power plants sound “pretty good”, Donald Trump has said, in an awkward moment which suggested he is unaware of the company’s long-standing status supplying reactors to the Royal Navy.
The US president said: “We also discussed inside that we are, you know, there's a whole new thing happening with regard to energy, from nuclear, and the Prime Minister is looking at that very strongly.“
“And I know you have Rolls Royce nuclear plants, that sounds pretty good, right? “I love that. What a great brand that is.”
The remark comes despite Rolls Royce having long designed, built and maintained reactors for the Royal Navy’s submarine fleet.
Trump calls King Charles a ‘great guy’
14:46 , Alexander ButlerDonald Trump has said he is looking forward to his unprecedented second state visit to the UK in September, calling King Charles a ‘great guy’.
He told reporters: “I am a big fan of King Charles… a great guy, a great person … a very, very successful man”.
He also praised the King as “very committed to the relationship” between the UK and the US.
And he described the Royal Family as “really great people”, saying the UK was lucky to have them.
US may not impose tariffs on British drug industry, Trump suggests
14:36 , Alexander ButlerThe United States may not impose heavy tariffs on British pharmaceuticals, Donald Trump has hinted.
Asked by reporters whether his plans for an import levy on medicines would affect the UK, the US president told reporters: “We will be announcing on pharmaceuticals sometime in the very near future. We have a very big plan on pharmaceuticals.
“We want to bring a lot of the pharmaceuticals back to America, where they should be.
“If you look at Covid it sort of taught us a lesson. We were getting our pharmaceuticals from other countries; we almost didn’t make any, we used to make them ourselves.
“And we’re going to want to be making a lot of them ourselves, all of them, in a sense.
“But you also have a good pharmaceutical business – we’ll be dealing with you on pharmaceuticals also – and we certainly feel a lot better with your country working on pharmaceuticals for America than some of the other countries that were… with the relationship we have, you would not use that as a cudgel. You wouldn’t be using it as a block.”
Trump says Starmer has a 'perfect wife' in bizarre compliment to UK prime minister
14:24 , Alexander ButlerDonald Trump has said Sir Keir Starmer has a "perfect wife", a bizarre compliment that was brushed off by the UK prime minister as the pair met today.
Heaping praise on Sir Keir and his wife Victoria, Mr Trump said: "I respect him much more today than I did before, because I just met his wife and family.
He's got a perfect wife and that's never easy to achieve, right?"Responding, the UK prime minister said: "I take no credit for that."
Trump-Starmer love-in continues as US president praises PM as 'so strong'
14:21 , Alexander ButlerDonald Trump has heaped praise on Sir Keir Starmer, describing the UK prime minister as "so strong and so respected".
He praised Sir Keir for having been "so supportive" of the US, adding that the prime minister did a "fantastic job" in securing a trade deal.
“You know, they wanted a trade deal here for years, many years, through many different terms of different people, and you got it done. So I want to congratulate you on that", Mr Trump said.
"And it's a great it's a great deal for both that brings unity. We didn't need unity, but it brings us even closer together. I think it's good for both parties."
He added: "We are doing really well as a country, and I think that the prime minister is he's been so supportive of us, and so so strong and so respected."
Donald Trump claims he has 'stopped six wars'
14:17 , Alexander ButlerDonald Trump has claimed he has "stopped six wars" since he came into office.
The US president - who has promised to bring an end to so-called "forever wars" - referred to the dispute between Thailand and Cambodia, claiming that his intervention, particularly his threat to end trade talks, led to a ceasefire.
He also cited the conflict between India and Pakistan and the peace deal between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Speaking in Scotland, the US president said: "Now this would be six that we've stopped... I'm averaging about a war a month".
Trump revises Putin's Ukraine war deadline to 10 days
14:15 , Alexander ButlerDonald Trump indicated his new deadline for Vladimir Putin to come to the negotiating table over the Ukraine invasion would be between 10 and 12 days.
The US president had earlier announced he will bring forward a deadline for Russia to agree a ceasefire with Ukraine, as he met Sir Keir Starmer in Scotland.
Asked by reporters how long he would set for the new deadline, Mr Trump said: “I am going to make a new deadline of about 10 or 12 days from today.
“There is no reason in waiting.”
Gaza is facing real starvation, says US president
14:08 , Alexander ButlerUS president Donald Trump said Gazan children were facing “real starvation”.
“You can’t fake that,” Mr Trump said. He said the US was stepping up sending food to Gaza, but did not specify how.
It was not clear if he meant through the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation or through other means.
'We want to get the children fed', says Trump
14:02 , Alexander ButlerUS president Donald Trump said he “wants to get the children fed” as he urged other countries to step up aid to Gaza.
“We’re going to set up food centres, in conjunction with some very good people. We are going to spend a little money and food and other nations are joining us,” Mr Trump said.
“It is crazy what is going on over there. We will work closely with the UK to get aid in.”
Trump praises UK on trying to reduce small boat crossings
14:00 , Alexander ButlerDonald Trump suggested that the UK is “doing a fantastic thing” in trying to reduce immigration via small boat crossings.
Mr Trump said he knows “nothing about the boats” when asked about the issue while meeting Sir Keir Starmer at his Turnberry golf resort, but said “my hats are off to you” if the UK is trying to reduce immigration.
Sir Keir and his wife Lady Victoria were greeted by the President and a chorus of bagpipes as they arrived in South Ayrshire on Monday.
When Mr Trump was asked about how he would deal with small boats, Sir Keir explained that it refers to people who are crossing the Channel.
Mr Trump told reporters: “If you’re stopping immigration and stopping the wrong people, … my hats are off to you. You’re doing, not a good thing, you’re doing a fantastic thing.”
Other countries need to step up to help Gaza, says Trump
13:59 , Alexander ButlerDonald Trump said “other nations are going to have to step up” when it comes to helping people in Gaza.
Speaking outside his hotel in Turnberry, South Ayrshire, the US president said: “The United States recently, just a couple of weeks ago, we gave 60 million US dollars. It’s a lot of money.
“No other nation gave money, I know the Prime Minister would, if he knew about it. And he really knows about it now, because we’re going to be discussing it.
“But we gave 60 million US dollars, nobody said even thank you, you know, thanks, somebody should be saying thank you. But other nations are going to have to step up.”
Watch: Donald Trump's speech drowned out by Scottish bagpipes as US president greets Keir Starmer
13:46 , Alexander ButlerStarmer will present UK-led plan to bring peace to Middle East, No 10 says
13:36 , Tara CobhamSir Keir Starmer will present a UK-led plan to bring peace to the Middle East, forged alongside France and Germany, to Donald Trump and other allies in coming days, Downing Street said.
Referencing a call with leaders over the weekend, the prime minister's official spokesman told reporters: "From the readout that you've seen from the call that he had with Chancellor Merz and President Macron, you will see that they agreed to work closely together on a plan.
"It builds on the collaboration to date that paves the way to a long-term solution on security in the region. As I've said, the prime minister will be presenting that plan to other key allies, including the USA and Arab states, over the coming days, and indeed convening Cabinet this week. You can expect to see more coming out of that."
Palestinians have an "inalienable right to statehood", and it is a "question of when, not if" the UK will agree to recognition, No 10 added.
The prime minister is also mindful of the "wider context of the human suffering in Gaza and the release of the remaining hostages, which must also be prioritised if we want to see a sustainable and lasting peace in the region", the spokesman said.
Starmer says Gaza is facing 'absolute catastrophe'
13:34 , Tara CobhamSir Keir Starmer has said that Gaza is facing an "absolute catastrophe".
Speaking at Turnberry ahead of his talks with Donald Trump, the prime minister said: "It's a humanitarian crisis, it's an absolute catastrophe.
"Nobody wants to see that. I think people in Britain are revolted at seeing what they're seeing on their screens, so we've got to get to that ceasefire.
"And thank you, Mr President, for leading on that, and also to just get more and more aid in and again America has done a lot on this. A lot of countries have done a lot.”
Sir Keir added: "This is a desperate situation."
Trump says he's 'very much involved' in Gaza ahead of talks with Starmer
13:25 , Tara CobhamDonald Trump has said he is "very much involved" when asked about the war in Gaza.
Speaking over the sound of a bagpipe playing, the US president could be heard saying: "We've, as you know, given a lot of money to Gaza for food and everything else.”
He added: "We're very much involved..."
Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer then said: "Yes we're going to be discussing it today."
Trump gives permission to Starmer to recognise a Palestinian state
13:15 , Tara CobhamThe Independent’s political editor David Maddox reports:
On the political issue vexing Sir Keir Starmer over recognising Palestine as a state Donald Trump also appeared to give permission for the UK PM to change policy and go ahead with it.
In contrast to the anger over France recognising Palestine last Friday from secretary of state Marco Rubio, he said: “I'm not going to take a position. I don't mind him [Sir Keir] taking a position. I'm looking for getting people fed right now. That's the number one position, because you have a lot of starving people.”
The US president made it very clear that he does not agree with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu that “nobody is starving in Gaza”.
He said: “Based on television I would say [on agreeing with Netanyahu] ‘not particularly’, because those children look pretty hungry to me.”
He also was not enthused about Israel’s tactics saying that nobody was coming out of the crisis well.
“It’s a real mess,” he added.
But the US president warned that Hamas will not release its final 20 hostages and that was now the sticking point.
Trump praises Starmer’s wife Victoria as she joins PM on Scotland visit
13:12 , Tara CobhamDonald Trump halted the impromptu press conference at his Scottish golf course to talk about Sir Keir Starmer’s wife, who has joined the prime minister on his visit to Scotland.
He told reporters: “By the way, your first lady… she's a respected person all over the United States.”
Gesturing to the prime minister, he added: “I don't know what he's doing, but she's very respected, as respected as him. I don't want to say more. I'll get myself in trouble. But she's married. She's a great woman and very highly respected.”
In February he described her as a “beautiful, great woman” as he answered a question about EU-US relations during his first face-to-face meeting with the PM in the Oval Office.
Trump 'very disappointed' in Putin
13:11 , Tara CobhamWhite House correspondent Andrew Feinberg reports:
President Donald Trump has said he is "very disappointed" in Russia's Vladimir Putin and suggested that will be moving up the deadline he set for Moscow to avoid secondary sanctions on Russian oil by ending his three-year-old war against Ukraine.
He complained that Putin had too often talked a good game about wanting to reach a cease-fire in the conflict only to resume bombing civilian targets in short order.
"We thought we had that settled numerous times. And then President Putin goes out and starts launching rockets into some city like Kiev and kills a lot of people in a nursing home or whatever. You have bodies lying all over the street. And I say that's not the way to do it," Trump said.
"I'm very disappointed. I'm disappointed in President Putin. Very disappointed in him. So we're going to have to look and I'm going to reduce that 50 days that I gave him to a lesser number."
Trump had set a 50-day deadline starting 14 July for Putin to avoid what he described as “very severe tariffs” during a meeting in the Oval Office with Nato Secretary-General Mark Rutte.
At the time, Trump said the US would be "doing secondary tariffs" at "100 per cent" if Putin didn't meet that deadline. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick later clarified to reporters that Trump was indeed speaking of secondary sanctions on countries that purchase Russian petroleum rather than tariffs on Russian goods.
Trump says he will talk trade deals and whisky with Starmer as he praises PM
13:09 , Tara CobhamThe Independent’s Whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports:
The President praised Sir Keir and said the two men would discuss tariffs.
Of the current trade deal, which does not yet include the key industry of steel, he said: “We're in great shape…. They did a great job. You know, they've been trying to make that deal for 12 years and he (Starmer) got it done.”
He claimed the UK-US relationship was “unparalleled, but it keeps it even closer” and had improved thanks to this year’s trade deal.
Asked about whisky, he said he did not know “whisky was a problem… we'll take a look. We want to make the prime minister happy.”
Trump doesn’t know what the ‘small boats’ are but praises Starmer
13:07 , Tara CobhamThe Independent’s political editor David Maddox reports:
Not for the first time Donald Trump has given Keir Starmer some cover on a sticky issue.
A journalist called out asking what advice Trump would give to Starmer on the increasing number of “small boats”. But the US president said he did not know what the “small boats” were.
Seizing the opportunity, the prime minister outlined what he is doing.
He said: “It's about the boats coming over the channel, so we're taking a lot of action to stop people coming over the channel who shouldn't be here.”
He later told the US president that his government had sent 35,000 illegal immigrants back.
Trump responded by suggesting the UK PM is doing the right thing.
He said: “If you're stopping immigration and stopping the wrong people, I take my hat off to you. You're doing a fantastic thing.
“So I know nothing about the boats, but if the boats are loaded up with bad people, and they usually are, because, you know, other countries don't send their best, they send people that they don't want, and they're not stupid people, and they're they send the people that they don't want. And I've heard that you've taken a much stronger stance.”
Trump says EU to give more aid to Gaza and will ask UK to help
13:02 , Tara CobhamUS president Donald Trump has said the European Union was going to send more aid to help Gaza and that he planned to ask British prime minister Keith Starmer to help.
Trump, speaking alongside Starmer in Scotland, also said he had talked to Israeli officials and told them they may need to do things a different way.
Trump says he told Netanyahu fight in Gaza will have to be different
13:00 , Tara CobhamUS president Donald Trump has said he told Israeli prime minster Benjamin Netanyahu the fight in Gaza against the Hamas militant group would have to be different after talks on a ceasefire and hostage release fell apart last week.
Trump, speaking to reporters at his golf resort in Turnberry, Scotland as he welcomed British prime minister Keir Starmer, also said people in Gaza needed to get food and safety right now. He said he would discuss the situation with Starmer.
Trump says he wants to make Starmer ‘happy’ as pair speak on Turnberry steps
12:58 , Tara CobhamThe Independent’s Whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports:
Within minutes of their highly anticipated meeting in Scotland, Donald Trump said he wanted to make Keir Starmer “happy”.
The prime minister is expected to press the president on a number of issues, including tariffs on UK goods to the US and the war in Gaza.
As the PM arrived the two men were asked about levies on whisky.
The famously teetotal president Trump said he did not know “whisky was a problem… we'll take a look. We want to make the prime minister happy”.
Starmer will convene cabinet this week to discuss Gaza crisis
12:49 , Tara CobhamSir Keir Starmer will convene his cabinet this week to discuss the situation in Gaza.
The prime minister's official spokesperson said: "This week, the Prime Minister is focused on a pathway to peace to ensure immediate relief for those on the ground, and a sustainable route to a two-state solution."
"We are clear that the recognition of the Palestinian state is a matter of when, not if, but it must be one of the steps on the path to a two state solution as part of a wider plan that delivers lasting security for both Palestinians and Israelis," he added.
Starmer arrives at Trump Turnberry
12:42 , Tara CobhamKeir Starmer has just been seen arriving at Trump Turnberry ahead of his meeting with Donald Trump.
The UK prime minister’s motorcade was seen driving through the Scottish area of South Ayrshire, with the sound of bagpipes playing in the background.
A short time later, the pair were seen speaking on the steps of the US president’s property, alongside the prime minister’s wife Lady Victoria Starmer.
Swinney to ensure Trump knows 'strength of feeling' in Scotland over Gaza crisis
12:17 , Tara CobhamJohn Swinney has said he will seek to ensure Donald Trump knows the "strength of feeling" in Scotland over the humanitarian situation in Gaza when they meet.
The Scottish first minister said the US president is "best placed" to put pressure on the Israeli government. They are due to have a meeting tomorrow when President Trump opens his new golf course in Aberdeenshire, and the First Minister's team has not denied reports they will have dinner on Monday.
The first minister said: "I want to use the opportunity of President Trump's visit in Scotland to pursue some of the domestic and international concerns of the people of Scotland."
Relief for US tariffs on Scotch whisky would be one of the key issues, he said.
Mr Swinney said people had been "horrified" by events in Gaza, adding: "We need to take action to secure a ceasefire in the Middle East.
"We need to take action to deliver humanitarian aid on the ground for the people of Gaza and the individual who is perhaps best placed to apply that pressure to the Israeli government is President Trump.
"And I want to ensure that President Trump appreciates the strength of feeling in Scotland that that should be the case."
Farage insists that relationship with Trump not cooling
12:15 , David MaddoxNigel Farage has noticeably not been a guest at Turnberry over the weekend with the US president staying at his golf course.
It has stuck out with Keir Starmer visiting Donald Trump today with their bilateral meeting. The US president has also been very complimentary about the British prime minister.
Asked if his relationship with Trump is “cooling”, Farage insisted it is not.“It’s very difficult diplomatically,” he said, pointing out that as an MP he cannot just roll up while the prime minister is there.
He pointed out he recently had dinner with Trump’s son Donald Jr .But other Brexiteers were there with Trump on Sunday including his long term ally Andy Wigmore.
Asked about Trump liking Sir Keir Starmer, he rather uncomfortably adds: “The prime minister is very lucky” to have such a pro-British president.
Corbyn’s new party will force Starmer to recognise Palestinian state, Farage says
12:14 , Tara CobhamThe Independent’s political editor David Maddox reports:
Nigel Farage has said he does not agree with recognising a Palestinian state because it will “reward Hamas”.
The Reform UK leader added: “We seem to have forgotten what 7 October was all about.”
But he then turned to Keir Starmer pointing out that the prime minister has been refusing to recognise a Palestinian state for six months, “which means he will probably do it soon,” he said.
He argued that the new party on the left led by Jeremy Corbyn and Zara Sultana “is a very big problem” for Starmer. He speculated that this more than anything else will lead Starmer to recognise Palestine as a state.
Pushed on the Middle East crisis by The Independent, he added that Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu “needs to stop losing friends”.
More pressure on Starmer ahead of Trump talks as number of MPs calling on PM to recognise Palestine rises to 255
12:00 , Alexander ButlerBy Kate Devlin, Whitehall Editor
A total of 255 MPs have now signed a letter urging the UK to recognise Palestine, up from 221 on Friday.
The extra numbers will add pressure on Keir Starmer, who is expected to discuss Gaza and push for the need for a ceasefire when he meets Donald Trump in Scotland later.Cabinet ministers are among those pushing for the move.
But the PM has “it must be part of a wider plan which ultimately results in a two-state solution and lasting security for Palestinians and Israelis."
Starmer urged to raise case of British prosecutor sanctioned over Gaza investigation with Donald Trump
11:30 , Alexander ButlerBy Kate Devlin, Whitehall Editor
Keir Starmer has been urged to raise Donald Trump’s sanctions against the International Criminal Court over the tribunal’s investigation into alleged war crimes by Israel in Gaza when the two men meet this afternoon.
Karim Khan, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, who is British, was sanctioned by the Trump administration along with others, incuding four judges, earlier this year.
SNP MP Stephen Gethins said: “The international rules based system helps keep us all safe. Donald Trump’s sanctioning of judges from the International Criminal Court was unmerited and damaging.
“If the Government believes in the Court then the prime minister must take the opportunity to challenge the US.”
In February Sir Keir backed the ICC in the face of the sanctions.
Social media roasts Trump’s golf game after clip appears to show alleged cheating in Scotland
11:19 , Alexander Butler
Rough deal: Trump roasted over clip appearing to show ‘cheating’ at golf in Scotland
Starmer under cabinet pressure to recognise Palestinian state, say reports
11:17 , Alexander ButlerSir Keir Starmer is facing pressure from his cabinet to recognise a Palestinian state, according to reports.
“We say that recognising Palestinian statehood is a really important symbol that you can only do once. But if not now, then when?” a cabinet minister told The Guardian.
In an unusual Commons intervention on Gaza, the health secretary Wes Streeting last week called for recognition of the state of Palestine “while there’s still a state of Palestine left to recognise”.
Rewatch: Donald Trump touches down in Scotland for five-day trip
11:00 , Alexander ButlerRecap: Tariffs slashed as historic UK-US trade deal between Starmer and Trump comes into effect
10:45 , Alexander Butler
Tariffs slashed as historic UK-US trade deal comes into effect
What will Sir Keir aim to resolve around US tariffs?
10:28 , Alexander ButlerWhen the UK and US signed a trade deal in June, it reduced tariffs on car and aerospace imports to the US.
But agreement on a similar arrangement for Britain’s steel imports was not reached, leaving tariffs on steel at 25 per cent.
American concerns over steel products made elsewhere in the world, then finished in the UK, are said to be among the sticking points.
Sir Keir is expected to spend most of the day with President Trump on Monday, when he will have a chance to press the president on a steel deal.
But Business Secretary Mr Reynolds suggested it may take more than a meeting between the two leaders to resolve the matter, telling BBC Breakfast: “We were very happy to announce the breakthrough that we had a few months ago in relation to sectors like automotive, aerospace, which are really important to the UK economy.
“But we always said it was job saved, but it wasn’t job done. There’s more to do.”
More to do on UK-US trade deal, says business secretary
10:19 , Alexander ButlerThere is “more to do” on the UK-US trade deal, the business secretary has said, as he indicated it may be unlikely there will be a “resolution” to the talks to announce after Sir Keir Starmer’s meeting with Donald Trump on Monday.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Jonathan Reynolds said “it’s really important to have the president here” and the visit offers “a chance to do a bit of business”.
On the UK-US trade relationship, he added, “We were very happy to announce the breakthrough that we had a few months ago in relation to sectors like automotive, aerospace, which are really important to the UK economy.
“But we always said it was job saved, but it wasn’t job done. There’s more to do.
“The negotiations have been going on on a daily basis since then. There’s a few issues to push a little bit further today.
“We won’t perhaps have anything to announce a resolution of those talks, but there’s some sectors that we still need to resolve, particularly around steel and aluminium, and there’s the wider conversation about what the US calls its reciprocal tariffs.”
Recap: Trump’s stark warning to Europe on immigration as he lands in Scotland ahead of Starmer meeting
10:00 , Alexander Butler
Trump’s stark warning to Europe on immigration as he lands in Scotland
