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A diplomatic row has exploded after Sir Keir Starmer declined to back Canada against Donald Trump’s ambitions to turn it into the 51st state of the USA.
A Conservative MP in Canada and a former ambassador are among those to criticise the UK prime minister for failing to stand up for their country.
Mr Trump has made repeatedly made calls for Canada to become America’s 51st state in recent months, including a claim that without a massive subsidy from the US “Canada ceases to exist as a viable country”.
The backlash followed The Independent’s White House correspondent Andrew Feinberg challenging Sir Keir on his position on Canada during a press conference after the meeting between the US president and prime minister.
Sir Keir had brought a letter from King Charles inviting Mr Trump to a second state visit, and Mr Feinberg asked if there was a message also not to remove his Canadian realm.
Asked if he had discussed the US president’s “repeatedly stated desire to annex Canada” with him or whether the monarch had “expressed any concern”, the PM attempted to laugh off the issue.
He said: ”Look, we had a really good discussion, a productive discussion….you mentioned Canada, I think you are trying to find a divide between us that doesn’t exist we are the closest of nations. We didn’t discuss Canada.”
Canadian Conservative MP Dan Albas was one of the first to express his disappointment at Starmer.
He said: “Disappointing, considering the trips that Trudeau has taken to the UK.”
Retired Canadian ambassador Artur Wilczynski noted: “Starmer’s refusing to come to Canada’s defence in front of Trump is more than disappointing. Canadians died for the UK by the tens of thousands. He could have opened his bloody mouth to speak up for us.”
Leading Toronto Star columnist Susan Delacourt added: “Ahem, Prime Minister Keir Starmer. That was a very good question on Canada and Trump’s threats to this country, and with all respect, you blew the answer and threw us under the bus. Not feeling all that Commonwealthy right now.”
The exchanges and criticism have tarnished what otherwise had been viewed as a hugely successful visit by Starmer to the White House where he won Trump’s support for his Chagos Islands deal and was able to initiate trade talks. He also believed he had nudged Trump towards supporting a military backstop for a Ukraine peace deal.
But there has been criticism that he has been too willing to praise Mr Trump and not stand up to some of his more bellicose policies including on Canada as well as wanting to annex Greenland and carve Ukraine out of the peace talks.
