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The relationship between Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump is “getting a bit embarrassing,” according to former Deputy Prime Minister Sir Nick Clegg.
Speaking at an event during the Liberal Democrat conference, Sir Nick described the “endless knee-bending” as “slightly cringey,” urging the prime minister to “speak up” for British values.
Downing Street has actively sought a constructive rapport with the often-unpredictable US president, citing a trade agreement as a tangible outcome of these efforts.
President Trump recently concluded a three-day visit to the UK, marked by ceremonial displays including marching bands, a Red Arrows flypast, and a state banquet at Windsor Castle.
Sir Nick contended that amidst the “pomp and circumstances,” certain actions by the Trump administration, particularly its lukewarm stance on NATO, the transatlantic military alliance, should have been “called out.”
He argued that the government’s pursuit of the US president is rooted in a “miscalculation” that the UK “does not have to choose between the US and the EU.”
“That is rubbish on stilts,” he stated, adding, “We can’t have our cake and eat it. We will have to choose.”
While acknowledging some of the investment announcements made during the visit, Sir Nick cautioned the British government against over-reliance on the US and its technology, asserting that the relationship between the two countries is undergoing “irrevocable” change.
Sir Keir has emphasized that the investment is “boosting jobs and driving growth across the country,” adding, “We are making change happen for working people.”
Sir Nick also voiced his support for the current Liberal Democrat leader, Sir Ed Davey, in his strong condemnation of tech billionaire Elon Musk.
Last week, Musk reportedly told protesters at the Unite the Kingdom rally that they would have to “fight back or you die.”
Speaking at an event hosted by the Institute for Government, Sir Nick characterized Musk’s comments as an “outrageous intrusion into our sovereignty.”
Sir Nick noted that the party’s conference in Bournemouth would be his first in a decade, telling the audience he felt “a mixture of delight and PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder].”
He served as leader of the Liberal Democrats from 2007 to 2015, a period that included a coalition government with the Conservatives and culminated in a significant defeat in the 2015 general election.
He recently concluded a seven-year tenure in the US as president of global affairs for Meta, the social media conglomerate that owns Facebook and Instagram.
Reflecting on his decision to depart from the company, he suggested he might have “drunk the Kool-Aid a bit” and chose to leave because he no longer felt like “an outsider” in Silicon Valley.
His departure coincided with the return of Trump to the White House, whom Sir Nick had previously banned from Facebook.
When asked about a potential return to frontline politics, Sir Nick responded: “No.”
The president expresses frustration that “nothing is being done” and calls on Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate his opponents.
Sir Keir Starmer has insisted Hamas can have “no future, no role in government, no role in security”.
Jane Dodds told her party’s conference Wales needed the best-skilled workforce in the world.
A complete transcription of Sir Keir Starmer’s video announcement on Palestinian statehood.
Law enforcement officials will also be required to identify themselves while conducting duties by both name and badge number.
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