Prime Minister Keir Starmer has brushed off US President Donald Trump's remarks that it was “very dangerous” for the UK to do business with China, suggesting Trump was “talking more about Canada”. Trump made the comments on Thursday when asked about Starmer's recent visit to Beijing.
Speaking to Sky News, Starmer said the US president “was probably talking more about Canada than the United Kingdom”. He added that his visit to China had been discussed with Trump's team ahead of time and noted that Trump has a scheduled trip to China in April.
China has lifted sanctions it imposed on nine British MPs and peers in 2021, a move seen as a sign of warming relations after Starmer's talks with President Xi Jinping. However, those affected said they take “no comfort” from the decision, citing ongoing human rights concerns in Xinjiang and the imprisonment of British citizen Jimmy Lai.
Meanwhile, the Green Party has unveiled Hannah Spencer as its candidate for the Gorton and Denton by-election, while Reform UK has selected hard-right activist Matthew Goodwin, endorsed by far-right figure Tommy Robinson. The by-election is viewed as a test for Starmer's leadership amid declining approval ratings.
Exiled Hong Kong and Uyghur activists have accused Starmer of seeking China's approval, with pro-democracy campaigner Finn Lau expressing disappointment but not surprise at the government's “short sightedness”. Separately, Starmer signalled support for a US strike on Iran, backing Trump's goal of preventing Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
