Donald Trump “does not respect Keir Starmer” as the Prime Minister’s early interactions with the US President were “sycophantic”, says a former foreign secretary.
Sir James Cleverly has accused Starmer of being “indecisive” leading to the UK-US relationship of being damaged.
The comments come as the Prime Minister travels to the Gulf on Wednesday (April 8), where he is expected to discuss a pause in fighting between the US and Iran, and efforts open the Strait of Hormuz shipping lanes permanently.
Trump previously warned on his Truth Social platform that “a whole civilisation will die” if safe passage through the region’s waterways was not restored, as he threatened to ramp up his offensive.
Now Trump and Iran’s supreme national security council confirmed a two-week ceasefire less than two hours before the US’s deadline, with shipping allowed through the strait.
(Image: PA)
Cleverly, who is the Conservative shadow local government secretary, warned that the damage to the relationship has already been done despite the ceasefire. He told GB News: “It’s quite clear now that President Trump does not respect Keir Starmer at all.
“I mean, Keir Starmer was sycophantic initially, waving around that offer of a state visit almost immediately. He did not show strength.
“He was shown to be indecisive, as I say, sycophantic, desperately trying to win favour with the US president when he went to America, then came back to the UK to try and sound tough at the despatch box. And the thing is, you can’t talk out of both sides of your mouth at the same time.
“The US has seen that. His personal relationship with the president of the US, I think, is now beyond repair. But worse than that, the UK system, the wider diplomatic and defence and intelligence system, has always had a very strong relationship with the United States of America.
(Image: Getty Images)
“And I worry that that system-to-system relationship has been damaged, because Keir Starmer basically is such a weak and ineffective leader.”
Trump has continued to mock Starmer throughout the conflict with Iran, including saying the PM is “no Churchill”.
The president said he asked the UK to send “two old broken-down aircraft carriers” to assist the US, and impersonated the Prime Minister as he continued: “‘Oh, I’ll have to ask my team.’”
The UK previously granted the US permission to use military bases, including Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean and RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, for “defensive” strikes on Iranian missile sites.
But Starmer has said several times: “This is not our war and we’re not going to get dragged into it.”
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