UK

Donald Trump has hit out at Keir Starmer’s taxes on North Sea oil just hours after praising the prime minister when the two met at his Scottish golf course. The president said the resource is a “treasure chest for the United Kingdom” as he urged Starmer to ”incentivise the drillers”.It comes less than a day after Trump described Sir Keir as “strong” and “respected” in an impromptu press conference on Monday, even saying that he wanted “to make the prime minister happy.” Now the president has used his Truth Social network to attack North Sea oil taxes, which he said make “no sense”. He posted: “North Sea Oil is a TREASURE CHEST for the United Kingdom. The taxes are so high, however, that it makes no sense. “They have essentially told drillers and oil companies that, “we don’t want you.” Incentivize the drillers, FAST. A VAST FORTUNE TO BE MADE for the UK, and far lower energy costs for the people!”The two men met at Trump’s Scottish golf course More

The Netherlands will ban two far-right Israeli ministers from entering the country, in the latest European response to the rapidly deteriorating situation in Gaza, the country’s foreign minister said. The ban and other measures were announced in a letter Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp sent to lawmakers late Monday evening, declaring “The war in Gaza must stop.” The ban targets hard-line National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, key partners in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition. The pair are champions of the Israeli settlement movement who support continuing the war in Gaza, facilitating what they call the voluntary emigration of its Palestinian population and the building of Jewish settlements there.Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway imposed financial sanctions on the two men last month. Later on Tuesday, leaders will meet in Brussels to discuss a European Union response, including evaluating a trade agreement between the bloc and Israel. The Netherlands wants part of that agreement to be suspended. Ben-Gvir and Smotrich remained defiant. In a statement on social media, Smotrich said European leaders were surrendering to “the lies of radical Islam” and that Jews may not be able to live safely in Europe in the future. Ben-Gvir said he will “continue to act” and said that in Europe “a Jewish minister from Israel is unwanted, terrorists are free, and Jews are boycotted.” Pressure has been mounting on the Dutch government, which is gearing up for elections in October, to change course on Israeli policy. Last week, thousands demonstrated at train stations across the country, carrying pots and pans to signify the food shortage in Gaza. The government will also summon the Israeli ambassador to the Netherlands to urge Netanyahu to change course and “immediately take measures that lead to a substantial and rapid improvement in the humanitarian situation throughout the Gaza Strip,” Veldkamp wrote. After international pressure, Israel over the weekend announced humanitarian pauses, airdrops and other measures meant to allow more aid to Palestinians in Gaza. But people there say little or nothing has changed on the ground. The U.N. has described it as a one-week scale-up of aid, and Israel has not said how long these latest measures would last.Israel asserts that Hamas is the reason aid isn’t reaching Palestinians in Gaza and accuses its militants of siphoning off aid to support its rule in the territory. The U.N. denies that looting of aid is systematic and says it lessens or ends entirely when enough aid is allowed to enter Gaza. Netanyahu and his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant, are currently wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity. The men are accused of using “starvation as a method of warfare” by restricting humanitarian aid, and of intentionally targeting civilians in Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza. Member states of the ICC are obliged to arrest the men if they arrive on their territory. More

A row has broken out between Labour and Reform after the Technology Secretary accused Nigel Farage of being on the side of “extreme pornographers” and “Jimmy Savile” over his party’s pledge to scrap the Online Safety Act.Mr Farage labelled the comments “disgusting” and called on Peter Kyle to apologise, after the Cabinet minister said the Reform leader is “on the side of turning the clock back” to when “strangers can get in touch via messaging apps with children”.Former Reform chairman Zia Yusuf claimed the remarks are “one of the most outrageous and disgusting things apolitician has said in the political arena”.Under rules that came into effect on July 25, online platforms such as social media sites and search engines must take steps to prevent children accessing harmful content such as pornography or material that encourages suicide.Mr Yusuf said on Monday that the party would repeal the legislation if they got into Government, claiming it works to “suppress freedom of speech” and “force social media companies to censor anti-government speech”.Speaking to Sky News on Tuesday, Mr Kyle said that children have been living in a “wild west” and labelled the new law “a big step forward”.He added: “I see that Nigel Farage is already saying that he’s going to overturn these laws. So you know, we have people out there who are extreme pornographers, peddling hate, peddling violence. Nigel Farage is on their side.“Make no mistake about it, if people like Jimmy Savile were alive today, he’d be perpetrating his crimes online. And Nigel Farage is saying that he’s on their side.”Asked to clarify his comments, Mr Kyle said: “Nigel Farage is on the side of turning the clock back to the time when strange adults, strangers can get in touch via messaging apps with children.”Mr Farage reacted on X by calling Mr Kyle’s remarks “disgusting” and said “he should do the right thing and apologise”.Mr Kyle then doubled down on his comments in response, and said that “if you want to overturn the Online Safety Act you are on the side of predators. It is as simple as that.”Mr Yusuf claimed that Mr Kyle’s remarks showed “how deeply unserious” the Government was about child safety, adding: “Talking about Jimmy Savile in that way does nothing other than denigrate the victims of Jimmy Savile.”He told Sky News that the comments are “one of the most outrageous and disgusting things a politician has said in the political arena that I can remember. And that’s quite a high bar, frankly.”Sir Keir Starmer jumped to defend the legislation from its critics when he met Donald Trump on Monday, telling reporters “We’re not censoring anyone”.“We’ve got some measures which are there to protect children, in particular, from sites like suicide sites.”He added: “I personally feel very strongly that we should protect our young teenagers, and that’s what it usually is, from things like suicide sites. I don’t see that as a free speech issue, I see that as child protection.” More

Donald Trump has removed a key obstacle to Sir Keir Starmer officially recognising a Palestinian state as the prime minister prepares to discuss the issue at a crucial cabinet meeting this week.The president, seen as one of Israel’s strongest supporters, signalled the United States would not object to such a move – giving Sir Keir the green light as pressure mounts on him politically to follow Emmanuel Macron, who last week announced France would do so.In an apparent shift in US backing for Israel, the president also expressed his concern at images and reports of children starving in Gaza, as a ground blockade means only very limited aid is getting through.And he joined calls for Benjamin Netanyahu to soften his tactics in Gaza, saying the Israeli PM “may have to do it a different way”.Keir Starmer is greeted by Donald Trump at his Trump Turnberry golf course in South Ayrshire More

The impromptu press call on the steps of Turnberry with Keir Starmer and Donald Trump provided a historic moment for UK, US and Middle East politics.Amid the rambling of the US president, almost drowned out by the bagpipe music commissioned to welcome the prime minister and his wife, Lady Victoria, there was a significant shift in policy.Trump essentially greenlit Sir Keir recognising a Palestinian state and almost simultaneously rewrote US Republican Party policy on Israel and supporting Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.Trump publicly dismissed the Israeli prime minister’s claim that “nobody is starving in Gaza”.Starmer and Trump in Turnberry More

Sir Sadiq Khan has hit back at Donald Trump after the US president called him a “nasty person”. After Mr Trump said he has done “a terrible job”, a spokesman for the London mayor said that a record number of Americans are leaving the US for the UK’s capital under his administration. The spokesman said: “Sadiq is delighted that president Trump wants to come to the greatest city in the world.“He’d see how our diversity makes us stronger, not weaker; richer, not poorer.“Perhaps these are the reasons why a record number of Americans have applied for British citizenship under his presidency.”Sir Sadiq Khan hit back at Donald Trump on Monday More

Trump and Starmer announce signing of historic US and UK trade dealDonald Trump has urged Sir Keir Starmer to slash taxes and immigration to defeat Nigel Farage at the next election.Speaking at his Turnberry golf course ball room in South Ayrshire on Monday, Mr Trump described both the PM and Reform UK leader as “friends”.“The one who cuts taxes the most, the one who gives you the lowest energy prices, the one who keeps you out of wars tend to win,” he said.”Low taxes, keep us safe, keep us out of wars….And in your case a big immigration component.” He also said he thought he won the US election because of immigration.Earlier, Mr Trump praised Sir Keir Starmer’s efforts to reduce immigration via small boat crossings as a “fantastic thing” as the two leaders met in Scotland.Mr Trump said he knew “nothing about the boats” while meeting the PM at his Turnberry golf resort on Monday, but said “my hats are off to you” if the UK was trying to reduce immigration.Watch: Trump praises Starmer’s ‘beautiful wife’ during talks in ScotlandTrump praises Starmer’s ‘beautiful wife’ during talks in ScotlandAlexander Butler28 July 2025 15:34Trump gives Starmer the green light to recognise a Palestinian stateAlexander Butler28 July 2025 15:26Trump praises GB News reporter for asking ‘such nice questions’Donald Trump has praised a GB News reporter for asking “such nice questions” at his press conference with Sir Keir Starmer.The US president interrupted the broadcaster’s Bev Turner to ask which outlet she is from.“Who are you with? Who are you with? Because you are asking such nice questions,” he said.Alexander Butler28 July 2025 15:16Trump tells Starmer to cut taxes and tackle immigration to win the next electionDonald Trump has advised Keir Starmer to cut taxes and tackle immigration to beat Nigel Farage at the next election.Asked about the Reform UK and Labour leaders, he said: “The one who cuts taxes the most, the one who gives you the lowest energy prices, the one who keeps you out of wars,” tend to win.“Low taxes, keep us safe, keep us out of wars….And in your case a big immigration component,” he added.He also said he thought he had won his election to the White House because of immigration.Alexander Butler28 July 2025 15:05Watch: Trump Praises Starmer’s ‘Beautiful Wife’ During Talks In ScotlandTrump Praises Starmer’s ‘Beautiful Wife’ During Talks In ScotlandAlexander Butler28 July 2025 14:59Rolls Royce nuclear plants ‘sound pretty good’, Trump saysRolls Royce nuclear power plants sound “pretty good”, Donald Trump has said, in an awkward moment which suggested he is unaware of the company’s long-standing status supplying reactors to the Royal Navy.The US president said: “We also discussed inside that we are, you know, there’s a whole new thing happening with regard to energy, from nuclear, and the Prime Minister is looking at that very strongly.““And I know you have Rolls Royce nuclear plants, that sounds pretty good, right? “I love that. What a great brand that is.”The remark comes despite Rolls Royce having long designed, built and maintained reactors for the Royal Navy’s submarine fleet.Alexander Butler28 July 2025 14:51Trump calls King Charles a ‘great guy’Donald Trump has said he is looking forward to his unprecedented second state visit to the UK in September, calling King Charles a ‘great guy’.He told reporters: “I am a big fan of King Charles… a great guy, a great person … a very, very successful man”.He also praised the King as “very committed to the relationship” between the UK and the US.And he described the Royal Family as “really great people”, saying the UK was lucky to have them.US President Donald Trump and Charles, then the Prince of Wales, in 2019 (Chris Jackson/PA) More

Donald Trump has given Keir Starmer the green light to go ahead and recognise the state of Palestine.It came as the prime minister met with the US president at his Turnberry golf resort in Scotland for crucial talks on the Middle East crisis, trade and Ukraine.Speaking to journalists ahead of their meeting in Scotland, the US president took a very different tone to his secretary of state Marco Rubio who last Friday condemned French president Emmanuel Macron for going ahead in recognising Palestine.President Trump and Sir Keir appeared to be on the same page in wanting to end the hunger in the besieged territory, with the UK set to lead a new peace process with American support.On the political issue vexing Sir Keir Starmer over recognising Palestine as a state, Mr Trump said: “I’m not going to take a position. I don’t mind him [Sir Keir] taking a position. I’m looking to getting people fed right now. That’s the number one position, because you have a lot of starving people.”He also made it very clear that he does not agree with Benjamin Netanyahu, after the Israeli PM claimed “nobody is starving in Gaza”.Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (left) is greeted by US President Donald Trump at his Trump Turnberry golf course in South Ayrshire (Chris Furlong/PA) More