Starmer calls for ‘calm discussion’ on Greenland and plays down chance of retaliatory tariffs on US – UK politics live | Politics
Starmer downplays possibility of retaliatory tariffs on US
star player now taking questions.
Q: Would you consider responding with tariffs?
star player He says he doesn’t want a trade war. Tariffs, he says, would be in no one’s interest.
We must find a pragmatic, logical and sustainable way to eliminate some of the consequences that may have very serious consequences for our country.
important events
Q: [From the Guardian’s Peter Walker] Today, Trump’s message to the Norwegian Prime Minister was widely reported. Can you see why people think he’s not serious?
Trump is literally going Mad King.
In a letter to the Prime Minister of Norway, Trump blames their impending invasion on Norway’s refusal to award him the Nobel Prize.
“Considering that your country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for stopping 8 Wars PLUS, I don’t feel anything anymore… pic.twitter.com/v7fC2IPAPX
— Jay at Kiev (@JayinKyiv) January 19, 2026
star player He says he understands why people in the UK feel this way about the announcement of the tariff.
Q; [From Andy Bell’s Five Live] Don’t you think he’s being too soft on Trump?
star player He does not accept this. He says the approach he has adopted has created billions of dollars in investment and secured many jobs.
He says security cooperation with the US keeps Britain safe in ways he cannot always discuss.
Starmer says he doesn’t think Trump is seriously considering military action against Greenland
Q: [From the Telegraph’s Ben Riley-Smith] Do you think Trump is really considering military action against Greenland?
“I actually don’t know,” he says. star player.
He says he thinks this issue can be resolved by discussion.
Q: [From Bloomberg’s Kitty Donaldson] The US supreme court will rule on tariff policy soon. Is it worth waiting until this decision? So what is your answer to the question about the king’s visit?
In the high court, star player He says he doesn’t want to wait until the Supreme Court decision comes out.
Asked about the king’s visit, Starmer said he wanted to focus on the “pragmatic response here”.
This means he is not in favor of the boycott that some people are demanding.
Starmer said he clarified the nature of the deployment of European troops to Greenland when he spoke to Trump
Q: [From Gary Gibbon from Channel 4 News] Is there anything Trump could do that would prevent you from considering him as an ally? And do you think he announced the tariffs because he was given misinformation about the nature of the military deployment of some European countries to Greenland?
star player He emphasized that he talked to Trump about the deployment yesterday and that the troops were there to protect it from Russia.
(He does not dispute the claim that Trump may have believed this was an anti-US deployment.)
On the other hand, he says, working with allies doesn’t mean pretending there are no differences between them.
Starmer says he doesn’t accept Britain having to choose between US and Europe
Q: [From GB News’s Christopher Hope] Is it time to choose between the USA and Europe?
star player replied:
First of all, I think it is not right for us to choose between the USA and Europe. This is not a new position today. This is the position that I, like previous governments, have constantly advocated.
Starmer sidesteps question on whether Greenland issue will lead to cancellation of King Charles’ US visit
Q: [From ITV’s Robert Peston] It is clear that it is wrong to assume that Trump respects international law. When will you reply with tariffs? So, will you talk to the king about canceling his planned state visit to the United States?
star player replied:
As I said before, it is wrong to threaten allies with tariffs. Completely wrong. The trade war is not in our interest. So my first mission is to make sure we don’t get to that point, which is what I’m focusing on.
He did not address the point of a state visit.
Starmer downplays possibility of retaliatory tariffs on US
star player now taking questions.
Q: Would you consider responding with tariffs?
star player He says he doesn’t want a trade war. Tariffs, he says, would be in no one’s interest.
We must find a pragmatic, logical and sustainable way to eliminate some of the consequences that may have very serious consequences for our country.
Starmer criticizes politicians for ‘grandiose’ treatment of Greenland crisis
star player He concludes by welcoming Kemi Badenoch’s stance on Greenland.
But it continues:
[In] In moments like these, there will always be people who gravitate towards performance, thinking that an angry social media post or the crowd is a substitute for hard work.
It’s an understandable instinct, but it’s not effective. It never happened.
It may make politicians feel good, but it does nothing for working people whose jobs, livelihoods and security depend on the relationships we build around the world.
This seems like a mockery to people like Ed Davey and Zack Polanski.
star player He said he spoke to Trump yesterday.
He welcomes his role in Gaza and his efforts to bring peace to Ukraine.
And he says foreign relations are important to people in Britain.
In today’s world, geopolitics is not something that happens elsewhere. It shapes the cost of energy, the price of food, job security and the stability families rely on to plan their lives.
Starmer reiterates view that Trump’s tariff threats against Greenland are ‘completely wrong’
star player He says Trump’s threat to impose tariffs on NATO allies over this situation is “completely wrong.”
Denmark is a close ally of the UK and the US, a proud NATO member who stands shoulder to shoulder with us, including at real human cost.
In recent years, alliances have survived because they are based on respect and partnership, not pressure.
That’s why I said it was completely wrong to impose tariffs against allies.
This is not the right way to resolve differences within an alliance, nor is it helpful to frame efforts to strengthen Greenlandic security as justification for economic pressure.
Such measures harm British workers, British businesses and the British economy.
That’s why I spoke so clearly about this issue. A trade war is in no one’s interests and my job is always to act in the UK’s national interest.
