Starmer says that he is acting in the national interest following criticism from Donald Trump16 hours agoKathryn A ArmstrongSir Keir Starmer said that he would not be “diverted” or “deflected” in his decision to not drag the UK into the Iran War, which began late February.Earlier, Trump spoke with the BBC about the relationship between him and the prime minister. He said the UK and other allied countries should have given more support to the US over Iran. Trump said: “If he does not, I don’t believe he has any chance.” Starmer responded to Trump’s remarks by saying: “I am here to serve the British public always, to represent their interests, and to ensure that I make the best decisions for them. “”That’s why I decided that we wouldn’t be dragged into a war in Iran. This is why I decided we wouldn’t get dragged into a blockade [of the Strait of Hormuz]. “That’s in our national interest. It is my duty. I will not be distracted or deflected by what anyone else says. “President Trump stated earlier this week that he would not lift the US blockade of Iranian ports until an agreement had been reached between the US and Iran to end the conflict. Trump tells BBC King’s visit to UK could ‘absolutely help’ repair relationsIs the Trump and Starmer bromance done?He previously said that he was “not happy” with UK’s level of support for the US during the Iran war. Sir Keir, on the other hand, has repeatedly stated that the UK would not be drawn into “a wider war”. The US president has repeatedly urged the UK to increase its oil and gas extraction in the North Sea. Sir Keir is against this, stating that the only way to increase energy resilience is by investing in renewables. The prime minister is also under increasing pressure because of his government’s decision that Lord Mandelson would be appointed as the UK ambassador to the US. The House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee is currently hearing testimony regarding the vetting process for the role. In a Truth Social post on Monday, Trump stated that Lord Mandelson was a “really bad pick”, but that the prime minister still had “plenty time to recover”. When asked by the BBC on the phone what he meant, Trump replied: “If [Starmer] opens the North Sea, and if his Immigration policies become strong, which they are not right now, he can recuperate, but if he does not, I don’t believe he has a shot. “When asked by the BBC why he needed allies like the UK to get into the conflict, the president replied: “I didn’t need them at any time but they should’ve been there.” I didn’t really need them. “We’ve wiped out Iran’s military, he said. “I didn’t have to depend on anyone. “Trump said that next week’s visit by King Charles and Queen Camilla to the US could “absolutely help repair relations with Britain.” The president described the King, adding: “I’ve known him well for years.” “He is a brave and great man. They would be a positive. The King and Queen would be a positive.
