Donald Trump and Keir Starmer lastly discuss after public spat over Iran

Keir Starmer has finally spoken to Donald Trump as the US President’s explosive attacks causes a diplomatic crisis.

The US President has directed a string of attacks at his ally after the PM initially refused the use of British bases for strikes on Iran. In an incendiary social media post on Saturday, he described the UK as “our once Great Ally” as the special relationship between the two nations comes under growing strain.

A Downing Street spokeswoman said: “The Prime Minister spoke with the President of the United States, Donald Trump, this afternoon. The leaders began by discussing the latest situation in the Middle East and the military cooperation between the UK and US through the use of RAF bases in support of the collective self-defence of partners in the region.

“The Prime Minister also shared his heartfelt condolences with President Trump and the American people following the deaths of six US soldiers.

“They looked forward to speaking again soon.” Mr Starmer sparked the US President’s ire last Saturday by not bowing to his demand to let British bases be used for aggressive strikes.

In his latest diatribe on Saturday night, Trump wrote: “The United Kingdom, our once Great Ally, maybe the Greatest of them all, is finally giving serious thought to sending two aircraft carriers to the Middle East.

“That’s OK, Prime Minister Starmer, we don’t need them any longer – But we will remember. We don’t need people that join Wars after we’ve already won!”

Last week he angrily told reporters of the Prime Minister: “This is not Winston Churchill we’re dealing with.”

Defending Mr Starmer on Sunday morning, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said joining Trump’s initial strikes was not in Britain’s interests.

She said: “The US president has a responsibility to do what he thinks is right in the US national interest. The UK Prime Minister has the responsibility to do what he thinks is right in the UK’s national interest.

“That means sometimes we will disagree, and there are many areas where our security partnership remains incredibly strong, and I have seen myself the close intelligence cooperation the close military cooperation.

“But there will also be areas where we disagree. So, for example, we had disagreed on Greenland. We disagreed on the initial strikes that took place and whether the UK should provide the basing support for them.

“But that is a legitimate thing for the UK Prime Minister to do.”