Keir Starmer has congratulated Donald Trump on his “historic election victory” and said that “as the closest of allies, we stand shoulder to shoulder in defence of our shared values of freedom, democracy and enterprise”.
The British prime minister said the UK-US special relationship would “continue to prosper”.
However, facing Kemi Badenoch for the first time at prime minister’s questions hours later, Starmer faced pressure from the new Conservative leader over Labour politicians’ previous comments about the new US president.
Citing comments in 2018 by David Lammy, who called Trump “a woman-hating, neo-Nazi-sympathising sociopath”, Badenoch asked if the foreign secretary and Starmer had met Trump in New York in September. She went on: “And if he did not apologise, will the prime minister do so now on his behalf?”
Badenoch called on Starmer to request that the speaker, Lindsay Hoyle, invite Trump to address parliament when he next visits the UK, and thus “show that he and his government can be more than student politicians”.
Starmer replied to loud cheers: “I think the leader of the opposition is giving a masterclass on student politics.”
The London mayor, Sadiq Khan, who had a long-running row with Trump during his first term in the White House, on Wednesday morning said he knew many Londoners might be “anxious” and “fearful” about the election outcome and what it could mean for “democracy and for women’s rights … the situation in the Middle East or the fate of Ukraine” and “the future of Nato or tackling the climate crisis”.
He added: “The lesson of today is that progress is not inevitable. But asserting our progressive values is more important than ever – re-committing to building a world where racism and hatred is rejected, the fundamental rights of women and girls are upheld, and where we continue to tackle the crisis of climate change head on.”
Starmer said: “Congratulations President-elect Trump on your historic election victory. I look forward to working with you in the years ahead. As the closest of allies, we stand shoulder to shoulder in defence of our shared values of freedom, democracy and enterprise.
“From growth and security to innovation and tech, I know that the UK-US special relationship will continue to prosper on both sides of the Atlantic for years to come.”
Starmer will be keen to build bridges with Trump after the Republican politician’s campaign filed a legal complaint about Labour activists supporting Kamala Harris.
Lammy also offered his congratulations to Trump, saying on X: “The UK has no greater friend than the US, with the special relationship being cherished on both sides of the Atlantic for more than 80 years. We look forward to working with you and JD Vance in the years ahead.”
Khan said: “London is – and will always be – for everyone” and “we will always be pro-women, pro-diversity, pro-climate and pro-human rights”.
Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK and the MP for Clacton, who backed Trump and was present at Trump’s address on Wednesday morning to supporters, said he believed the new president would be a “genuine radical”.
Trump had put together “a remarkable coalition”, he said, including the billionaire X owner, Elon Musk, and “a member of the Kennedy family, which would have been unthinkable at any point in the last 70 years”.
Farage said he believed Musk would be tasked with a “big fightback against the administrative bureaucratic state, which is far too big, far too powerful and actually very undemocratic”.
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