Sir Keir Starmer has emphasised the importance of respecting journalists after US President Donald Trump was heard calling a reporter “piggy”. Footage emerged of Trump uttering the insult at journalist Catherine Lucey while answering questions on Air Force One about his relationship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
The Prime Minister declined to directly criticise Trump, saying: “I haven’t actually seen that footage but I’ve had it explained to me. President Trump can speak for himself so I’m not going to speak for him, but my approach is that I will always be respectful to journalists, whatever questions they’re putting to me.” He added that journalists perform “a really important job” in UK democracy.
Cabinet minister Wes Streeting went further, telling ITV that the slur “belongs in the history books”. The Health Secretary said: “We need to move on from that kind of language and behaviour towards women. For all the faults in British politics, I would be surprised if any leading politician in our country ever spoke to a woman in our press lobby like that.”
Starmer made the comments while travelling to the G20 summit in South Africa, which Trump is boycotting over unsubstantiated claims of white persecution. The PM stressed the importance of attending the summit to discuss global issues and pursue deals for the UK.
