Starmer distances himself from Lammy’s comments on Trump

Keir Starmer (R) and David Lammy (L) have now both indicated that they will work with whoever occupies the White House. - MINAS PANAGIOTAKIS/GETTY IMAGES

Sir Keir Starmer has distanced himself from his shadow foreign secretary David Lammy’s past criticism of Donald Trump.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, Sir Keir was challenged over Mr Lammy’s description of Mr Trump in 2018 as a “woman-hating neo-Nazi sympathising sociopath” and a “profound threat to the international order.”

Sir Keir said: “Those aren’t words that I’ve ever used. I’ve dealt with all sorts of leaders when I was chief prosecutor across the world.

“I know the job of the person who leads our country is to deal with the leaders of other countries, who are elected by their people. You don’t always get to choose the leaders of other countries.”

The Labour leader also refused to comment on Joe Biden’s shaky, fumbled performance in the first head-to-head debate with Mr Trump.

Mr Lammy previously called Mr Trump a "woman-hating neo-Nazi sympathising sociopath" and a "profound threat to the international order" - DAN KITWOOD/GETTY IMAGES EUROPE

Asked if he was “concerned” about US President Mr Biden’s mental state following last night’s debate, the Labour leader told BBC Radio 5 Live: “I have to say I’ve got enough on my hands with my own election campaign to go too far into that.”

When told by presenter Nicky Campbell that it is an important question, he replied: “Well, it is. In the end, the person who is president of the US will be determined by the American people in due course and if we’re elected into government to serve, we will deal with whoever is the president.

“The relationship between the UK and the US is strong, it’s historic and obviously it’s above the individuals who are in office.”

Mr Lammy has changed his tone towards Mr Trump in recent months, rejecting calls to label him “racist,” and insisting Labour would work with whoever occupies the White House.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has urged Labour leaders to end a Republican charm offensive and call Mr Trump out as a “sexist” and “a homophobe.”

However, last month Mr Lammy said he would find “common cause” with the de-facto Republican nominee for president.

Mr Lammy highlighted past instances where Labour prime ministers had worked with Republican US presidents, citing Harold Wilson and Richard Nixon, Tony Blair and George Bush.

“Whoever is in the White House, or Number 10, in a big election year we must work together,” he said during a speech at the Institute for Government.

“The special relationship between the United Kingdom and our American friends is core not just to our own national security, but the security of much of the world,” Mr Lammy said - citing the need for international cooperation in wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

During a goodwill mission to the US last week, Mr Lammy reportedly met Mr Trump’s campaign manager Chris LaCivita – in what is believed to be the first official contact between Labour and the former president in the run-up to the 2024 US election.

As Labour’s spokesman on foreign affairs, Mr Lammy is seeking to forge closer ties with both major US parties, to prepare for power if his party — which is well ahead in the opinion polls – wins the UK general election later this year.

In a speech last week at a Republican think tank in Washington, Mr Lammy said Mr Trump was “often misunderstood” over his commitment to European security.

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