Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has urged Prime Minister
Sir Keir Starmer to cancel the King’s planned state visit to the
United States, accusing Donald Trump of waging an “illegal war” in
the Middle East.
The monarch is scheduled to travel to the US in April to mark
250 years since American independence, but the visit has become
embroiled in an escalating diplomatic dispute between London and
Washington over the conflict involving Iran.
Sir Ed said the prime minister should advise King Charles III
not to proceed with the trip while fighting continues. Writing on
social media, he argued that the war had already fuelled
instability across the region and driven up energy costs for
British households.
“At a time when Trump has launched an illegal war that is
devastating the Middle East and pushing up energy bills for British
families, it’s clear this visit should not go ahead,” he said. A
state visit, he added, would hand the US president a major
diplomatic victory and should not be offered to someone who
“repeatedly insults and damages our country”.
The comments come after a week of increasingly sharp exchanges
between Washington and London. President Trump criticised Sir Keir
for initially refusing to allow American forces to launch their
first strikes on Iran from British bases, at one point mocking the
prime minister as “not Winston Churchill”.
Downing Street later approved the use of UK facilities for what
were described as defensive operations. The United States has since
used RAF Fairford and Diego Garcia to support efforts aimed at
preventing Iranian missile attacks in the region. Four American
bombers landed at Fairford over the weekend as part of those
operations.
Despite the tensions, officials confirmed that Mr Trump and Sir
Keir spoke by telephone on Sunday. The call lasted around 20
minutes, during which the leaders discussed the developing
situation in the Middle East and the military cooperation between
their countries.
According to Downing Street, the prime minister also expressed
condolences after the deaths of six US soldiers and the two leaders
agreed to remain in contact.
Sir Keir has defended his earlier decision to withhold
permission for the initial wave of US strikes, suggesting that
authorising the attacks could have breached international law.
Meanwhile His Majesty’s Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs,
Yvette Cooper, said the government would avoid “rhetoric or
hyperbole”, insisting ministers would continue to focus on calm and
measured decision-making as the crisis unfolds.
