Starmer will not be swayed by Trump’s ‘small and petty’ insults, says Lammy | David Lammy

David Lammy said Donald Trump’s insults towards Keir Starmer were “petty and inconsequential” and designed to pressure the prime minister to change his stance on Iran, as he insisted the UK would not be dragged into the conflict.

The deputy prime minister argued that the US president should be able to “get along” with his allies rather than broadcasting attacks on social media, and that when it comes to global instability, US actions “make things worse, not better”.

As the conflict continued, the UK’s relationship with Washington became increasingly strained; Starmer was heavily criticized and at times mocked by Trump for not committing British equipment and personnel to combat.

In response, Starmer said he was “fed up” with the impact of Trump’s actions in the Middle East on British energy bills, while chancellor Rachel Reeves described the conflict as a “mistake” damaging the global economy.

In an effort to repair relations and emphasize the urgency of reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route through which much of the world’s oil and goods pass, Lammy flew to Washington last week to meet with US vice president J.D. Vance and secretary of state Marco Rubio.

In his first interview since the visit, Lammy said he had “no doubt” that all US politicians understood the economic impact of the war “entirely in their own self-interest” and that Vance was concerned about the cost of living ahead of the US midterm elections.

Trump on Sunday warned that the United States would “disable” all power plants in Iran if it does not agree to a deal and the strait remains closed, even as he announced that US negotiators will travel to Pakistan this week to resume peace talks.

Asked if he was sure the US was serious about ending the conflict, Lammy said: “The only thing everyone wants to talk about is affordability and prices. This war, on top of the war in Ukraine and the pandemic, has made things worse, not better. The sooner it’s over, the better for everyone.”

Speaking at a conference of global progressives in Barcelona, ​​Lammy said: “Donald Trump has tried to pressure the prime minister to change his stance on Iran and he will not do that. This is not our war and we will not participate in it.”

“The rhetoric is intense, but I think the public is starting to see it for what it is. It feels petty and petty at times, and I certainly think the comments made a few weeks ago about the contribution of our armed forces to Afghanistan were absolutely incomprehensible.”

Lammy said he emphasized to Vance the importance of reopening the strait for the sake of the global economy. “He talked about the price of oil in the United States. I think he recognizes the impact of that on affordability as well, and he’s heading into the midterms and I think he’s focused on that.”

Later this month, King Charles and Queen Camilla will travel to the US for an official visit, amid some concerns that Charles could be in an embarrassing situation given strained relations.

But Lammy said: “I fully expect the state visit to be a huge success. The politicians I have spoken to are all aware that this is also not just any old state visit. This is a celebration of 250 years of independence.”

He added that the visit was an important moment to reflect on the transatlantic relationship in time at a time when it was under pressure.

“Let’s be absolutely clear, Churchill and Roosevelt had disagreements about how to deal with Stalin; Wilson… disagreed with the American administration at the time on Vietnam; even Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan disagreed on Grenada.

“We have a special relationship for many reasons, but even so we can disagree. In my view, it’s better to agree and disagree, and we’re traditionally used to that. Frankly, I lament the age of social media where we don’t live up to the best standards.”

Lammy, who met with left-leaning leaders including Spain’s Pedro Sánchez and Brazil’s Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, turned to the EU and said Britain wanted even greater alignment on goods ahead of the next election.

“I feel that the mood, both in Europe and in the UK, in difficult economic times is one of acceptance of the fact that greater alignment with the EU would be beneficial for all of us,” he said.

“These are times when you have to come together, especially in an era where we are seeing renewed protectionism.”

But the committed pro-European said he had “stopped doing crystal balls” about whether he could see the UK rejoin the EU in his lifetime.

“I entered politics in an era when politics had a central base. I never thought I would see the kind of populism and some of the extremely ugly rhetoric (especially nativist, racial overtones) that you see in public life now.”

“So I’ve stopped speculating. But my belief is that the UK will act in its own interests in difficult economic times, and its interests are clearly larger and closer to the EU, our largest trading partner.”

Last week Lammy traveled to the US, the Gulf and Spain on behalf of the prime minister and is regularly consulted by him, particularly on US relations.

Asked about the suggestion that he was the “real” foreign secretary, he laughed and said he had just spoken to Yvette Cooper following her diplomatic tour of the Middle East. “He works every day and I can help where I can, but he’s definitely driving here,” he said.

Lammy said he felt Starmer’s position at home had been strengthened by his handling of the conflict, but acknowledged next month’s local elections would be “difficult” and some voters would give Labor a nosebleed. But he suggested it was still possible for ruling parties to “recalibrate”.