Shropshire Star

‘Diplomatic work to do’ on relationship between UK and US, suggests Cleverly

Former foreign secretary Mr Cleverly said it is ‘good that Keir Starmer had an extended conversation with President Trump’.

By contributor By Caitlin Doherty, Deputy Political Editor
Published
James Cleverly
James Cleverly spoke on Times Radio on Monday (Lucy North/PA)

Former foreign secretary James Cleverly has suggested there is “diplomatic work to do” on the relationship between the UK and the US, after Sir Keir Starmer and Donald Trump spoke for the first time since the inauguration.

The Prime Minister and US President Trump discussed the importance of “close, warm ties” between the two nations and agreed to meet “soon” in a call on Sunday, Downing Street said.

The talks, which lasted 45 minutes, also saw the two leaders discuss Gaza and the Middle East and was characterised as “warm and personal” by Government sources.

Former foreign secretary Mr Cleverly said it is “good that Keir Starmer had an extended conversation with President Trump” but suggested there are “bridges that need to be rebuilt” after criticism of the US president from Labour figures including Foreign Secretary David Lammy.

He told Times Radio on Monday morning: “There is definitely work to do, diplomatic work to do because for a whole range of reasons, including defence and trade which are the headlines, we need to make sure our relationship with America and indeed President Trump works.

“So this is probably an important first step. There is going to be an awful lot of work to be done by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to rebuild what has been, I think, a foolish and unnecessary set of criticisms of the president of one of our closest allies in the world.”

Mr Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, called Mr Trump a “racist and KKK/neo-Nazi sympathiser” in 2017 when he was an opposition MP.

In the same year, now Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said his approach to politics was “normalising hatred”, and Health Secretary Wes Streeting described him as an “odious, sad little man”.

Downing Street said the two leaders also discussed trade and the economy in their discussions on Sunday, “with the Prime Minister setting out how we are deregulating to boost growth”.

“The two leaders stressed the importance of the close and warm ties between the UK and the US, and the president spoke of his respect and affection for the royal family.

“They agreed to meet soon and looked forward to further discussions then.”

The Prime Minister said he looked forward to meeting the president to “strengthen the close ties between our countries”.

The Chagos Islands deal was not discussed. The matter could be a diplomatic challenge for the Government given there has been some opposition to the plans from within Mr Trump’s administration.

Mr Cleverly – was in charge at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office when negotiations first opened in 2022 – claimed the Government has “put themselves in a very weak negotiating position” over the deal.

Mr Cleverly told Times Radio: “Negotiating is one thing, but I always made sure that certain red lines were in place and if the negotiations crossed those red lines then I wouldn’t have accepted a deal.

“And, indeed, over a year’s worth of talks I did not get to a position that I was comfortable with, which is why I never signed off a deal.”

He later added: “It’s clear that they have put themselves in a very weak negotiating position, which is why Mauritius keep coming back for more money and more concessions.”

The UK plans to cede sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory to Mauritius, leasing back the strategically important Diego Garcia base used by the US for 99 years at a reported annual cost of around £90 million.

But allies of the president, including his pick as secretary of state Marco Rubio, have voiced concerns this could allow Chinese influence to increase in the region.

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