Keir Starmer blasts Donald Trump’s ‘insulting and admittedly appalling’ British troop slur

Keir Starmer has said Donald Trump’s remarks about British troops in Afghanistan were “insulting and frankly appalling” and suggested he should apologise

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Keir Starmer has said Donald Trump’s remarks about British troops in Afghanistan were “insulting and frankly appalling” and suggested he should apologise.

The Prime Minister hit back after the US President claimed NATO allies “stayed a little back, off the front line” in Afghanistan. In total 457 British troops died in the conflict, and hundreds more suffered life-changing injuries.

He said: “If I had mispoken in that way I would certainly apologise.” Speaking in Downing Street he paid tribute to the 457 British personnel who died and those who were injured.

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“I will never forget their courage, their bravery and the sacrifice they made for their country,” he said.“There were many also who were injured, some with life-changing injuries.

“I consider President Trump’s remarks to be insulting and frankly appalling and I am not surprised they have caused such hurt to the loved ones of those who were killed or injured and, in fact, across the country.”

Earlier the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “The President was wrong to diminish the role of NATO troops, including British forces in Afghanistan. Following the 9/11 attacks on the US, Article 5 of the NATO Treaty (a mutual defence agreement if one member is attacked) was invoked for the first time, and British forces served alongside American and other allied troops in sustained combat operations.

“457 British service personnel lost their lives in Afghanistan, and many more were wounded.” He continued: “Their sacrifice and that of other NATO allies was made in the service of collective security and in response to an attack on our ally.

“We are incredibly proud of our armed forces and their service and sacrifice will never be forgotten.” Asked if the Government wants Trump to apologise, the PM’s spokesman said: “I’m not going to speak for the President, I’ve just set out our position.

“We are incredibly proud of our armed forces and their service and sacrifice. For decades, the US and UK trained together as troops, they have fought together, and tragically, they have died together.

“And they have made the ultimate sacrifice in the defence of our countries and our values.” The PM faces calls to summon the US Ambassador to explain Trump’s remark.

The US President made his comments in an interview with Fox News, saying of NATO: “We’ve never needed them.

“They’ll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan … and they did, they stayed a little back, a little off the front lines.”

Veterans have voiced their fury at the President’s remarks and demanded the PM challenged the US commander-in-chief.

Armed Forces Minister Al Carns, a former Royal Marines officer who served five tours in Afghanistan and was awarded the Military Cross, branded Trump’s remarks “absolutely ridiculous”.

He said in a video posted on X: “I’d suggest whoever believes these comments come have a whiskey with me, my colleagues, their families and importantly, the families of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for both our nations.”

Labour MP Clive Lewis, who served in Afghanistan, told The Mirror: “Donald Trump’s comments will hurt many people, especially those who lost loved ones or are still living with the consequences of serving in Afghanistan.

“But this was a deliberate provocation, not a serious claim. Those who served alongside allies, and the families who supported them, know it’s false.

“Ultimately, we shouldn’t give him the reaction he wants.

“This is part of a broader far-right political style we are increasingly familiar with at home and abroad: dismissing institutions, demeaning those who serve within them, and replacing facts with grievance and spectacle.

“The truth is already known by those who matter.”

Earlier Diane Dernie, whose son Ben Parkinson suffered horrific injuries when the vehicle he was in struck a landmine, said: “I can assure you, the Taliban didn’t plant IEDs (improvised explosive devices) miles and miles back from the front line.”

She said the PM has to stand up for British armed forces and refute Trump’s claim.

Mrs Dernie said: “Call him out. Make a stand for those who fought for this country and for our flag, because it’s just beyond belief.”

Ben had both his legs amputated and suffered a twisted spine and brain damage.

His mum said: “Come and look at us, the life that Ben leads – 19-and-a-half years on, still fighting for his care, still fighting for him to have a decent life, recovering from a recent operation.

To hear this man say: ‘Oh, well, you just fannied about behind the front lines’… It’s the ultimate insult.”

And she continued: “To say that British troops, NATO forces, were not involved on the front lines – it’s just a childish man trying to deflect from his own actions, and it’s just beyond belief.

“I mean, it is so insulting, it’s so hard to hear.

“We’d be very interested to see what our own Prime Minister’s response is to this, because this is just disgraceful.”

Robert Dicketts, whose son Oliver Dicketts, 27, was killed while serving with the Parachute Regiment in Afghanistan in 2006, said: “When I read it, I thought, ‘What a bloody cheek.’

“I think my thoughts about Donald Trump are probably unprintable.

“To put it politely, Donald Trump’s knowledge of history is lacking considerably.”

Trump made the vile insult as he continued to pressure NATO allies to grant him greater control over Greenland.

Veterans and bereaved families of people who served in Afghanistan were left furious by the remarks, made in a TV interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Even Nigel Farage said his pal in the White House had gone too far.

“Donald Trump is wrong,” the Reform UK leader stated.

“For 20 years our armed forces fought bravely alongside America’s in Afghanistan.”

Furious Labour backbencher Dame Emily Thornberry, who chairs the Foreign Affairs Committee, said: “How dare this man who’s never seen any action, who somehow or other when there was a draft for everybody else in the United States managed to avoid it, and yet now is commander-in-chief and knows nothing about how it is that America has been defended.

“I mean, seriously, it’s an absolute insult. We have had a very shocking few days.”

Ian Sadler, whose son, Trooper Jack Sadler, 21, was killed in Afghanistan in 2007, while serving with the 4/73 Special Observation Battery, Brigade Reconnaissance Force, said: “Trump is just ill-advised by his military aides and the people around him.“Some of the Nato troops were not on the front line in the same way the British and US troops were, that’s true.”Mr Sadler, from Exeter, Devon, added: “The British certainly were in the hotspots, they were on the front line.

“457 of them were lost and there was probably three times as many seriously injured as deaths.”

Lib Dem defence spokesman James MacCleary said yesterday(FRI): “Trump’s lies about the British soldiers who laid down their lives in Afghanistan are disgraceful.

“The President shows his true colours in denigrating the best of us – those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.

“Keir Starmer must summon the US ambassador over this insult to our brave troops.”