Keir Starmer sends big message to Donald Trump after latest rant and vents frustration

 

Keir Starmer has said he "will not buckle" as Donald Trump tries to pressure him into getting stuck into the Middle East conflict.

The Prime Minister also vented his frustration at the misery the US President's actions is inflicting on the UK economy. In his latest tantrum, the unpredictable 79-year-old dismissed British aircraft carriers as "toys" and ranted about the PM refusing to let him launch his haphazard war in Iran from UK military bases.

Mr Starmer said he did not know whether Trump was trying to bounce him into changing his mind, adding: "But it's obvious that you know, from a number of sides there's pressure being applied, but I'm not going to buckle under pressure and that's the long and the short of it."

Speaking to Sky News' Electoral Dysfunction podcast he went on: "I think I understand what's happening, it's to put pressure on me in different ways. But that pressure isn't going to make me waver.

"It's not going to make me abandon my principles or values. And that's just the way I am. That is not new. That isn't because of President Trump. I've got core values and principles I've held all my life and they're irreducible."

He admitted he was frustrated that Trump's war - launced on February 28 alongside Israel - is impacting the UK economy. The Prime Minister told the host: "Of course there's a frustration there.

"The spring statement, which was only a few weeks ago, we were able to show that inflation was down to 3% and predicted to go down further. Interest rates have been cut six times, and the prediction was they'd go down again.

"We've built up a good headroom, so there was the stability. And, you know, these aren't just statistics. What that meant is that for families across the country, here's the economy at last stabilised, the conditions in which we could then build. And so now, a few weeks later, yeah, of course, there's a frustration with that."

And asked if he felt frustrated about the economic impact, with rising petrol prices expected to cause inflation to swell, he said: "Well, I say two things about that. Firstly, it is really important to acknowledge that we go into this conflict in a stronger place than we went into the Ukraine conflict in 2022.

"Two, that the extent of damage, the extent of the challenge we now face will depend on how long this war goes on, and that's why we've got to de-escalate. But am I frustrated that, having spent 18 months getting the economy stabilised and in a better position..."

Ms Rigby interrupted to ask: "Having quite a rough time?" The PM responded: "Well, of course we had to take difficult and hard decisions." He continued: "Well, what the spring statement showed with inflation, as I say, in the right place and all the rest of it, is that the plan that we had in place was the right plan, notwithstanding the criticism that everybody puts on it...

"But now the question is, look, there are these challenges, these are global conflicts and there's no point in me sort of complaining about it. That's the world we live in.

"You've got to face the world as it is. I have to lead us through this war too on two fronts..." Asked if he sometimes goes to his studies and swears, the PM said: "Well, occasionally. I keep my expletives to myself most of the time. Although I don't think that's even safe all the time."

In a veiled swipe at Tony Blair, who criticised the decision not to support the US at a private event earlier this month, the PM said: "I looked back at the example of the Iraq invasion, the invasion and learned the lessons. It is not in our interest to join a war like this, and I'm not going to do so. Undoubtedly, pressure is being put on me by many quarters."

Mr Starmer confirmed that any support the Government provides will be targeted, as Rachel Reeves indicated on Tuesday. He said: "I think we need to try and reduce the cost for everybody. But, and we don't want to leave anyone behind, but any support is likely to have to be targeted. Now, obviously, the extent of that, the nature of the package will depend on where we are."

In a rant on Thursday the US President lashed out at the UK. He claimed: "We had the UK say that 'we'll send' - this is three weeks ago - 'we'll send our aircraft carriers', which aren't the best aircraft carriers by the way. They're toys compared to what we have.

"But 'we'll send our aircraft carrier when the war is over'. I said 'oh that's wonderful, thank you very much. Don't bother. We don't need it"'.

Keir Starmer sends big message to Donald Trump after latest rant and vents frustration

Story by Dave Burke