Starmer-Trump live: NHS ‘not on table’ in trade talks insists Streeting after president hints at ‘great’ deal

The NHS is “not on the desk” in any US commerce deal, Well being Secretary Wes Streeting has mentioned.

Talking to Sky Information after Sir Keir Starmer’s go to to Washington on Thursday, Mr Streeting mentioned: “The NHS shouldn’t be up for grabs and isn’t on the desk within the context of commerce.

“However there are a variety of areas the place we are able to and will work collectively to deepen the buying and selling relationship between our two nations.”

Mr Streeting mentioned he was “excited” by Donald Trump’s obvious enthusiasm for the buying and selling relationship with the UK, however warned “onerous yards” are forward to get any deal accomplished.

“My good friend the Enterprise and Commerce Secretary (Jonathan Reynolds) was eager to remind me and colleagues final night time that the heat and enthusiasm is the bit to get the ball rolling however the onerous yards are nonetheless forward.

“As we learn about President Trump, he’s a hard-headed businessman and he’s not a pushover and – as we heard from President Trump, so don’t take my phrase for it as a loyal Cupboard minister – our Prime Minister is a tricky negotiator as effectively.

“So the onerous yards on this are forward however we do need to make progress. We need to try this rapidly. We genuinely assume there’s quite a bit in it for each the UK and the US and our collective financial safety.”

Donald Trump is true {that a} US presence in Ukraine on account of a minerals deal would deter additional assaults from Russia, a Cupboard minister has steered.

Well being Secretary Wes Streeting informed Sky Information that the US has been the “backstop in addition to the bedrock” of European safety since Nato was based.

“I believe there are two issues right here. One is that I believe President Trump is true in regards to the US’s pursuits and presence in Ukraine appearing as a deterrent.

“And secondly the USA has at all times – since Nato was based – it has at all times been the backstop in addition to the bedrock of European defence and safety for Britain, and for the continent as effectively due to the shared commitments that we have now via the Nato alliance.”

Requested whether or not greater than the minerals deal was wanted for safety in Ukraine, Mr Streeting added: “It is a fast-moving scenario and we’ve been clear all through we are going to again Ukraine to the hilt, and there might be no determination about Ukraine with out Ukraine.

“That’s why President Zelensky’s go to at present goes to be notably necessary however I believe we’ve seen actual indicators of progress in current weeks.”

Wes Streeting mentioned he’s certain some individuals will disagree with Donald Trump making one other state go to to the UK, however “in doing so, they’re exercising the very freedom and democracy that we’re dedicated to defending with President Trump”.

Requested on GB Information if he was flawed in 2017 to signal – and urge different individuals to signal and share – a petition to stop Donald Trump from making a state go to to the UK, the Well being Secretary mentioned: “Properly, I positively gained’t be doing that this time.”

Mr Streeting mentioned: “Individuals I’m certain will disagree with it in some components of the nation, individuals could even train their proper to voice their disagreement and protest, however individuals shouldn’t neglect that in doing so they’re exercising the very freedom and democracy that we’re dedicated to defending with President Trump.

“So if individuals take pleasure in Britain’s freedom and democracy, as I believe we do, we’ve received to verify we defend it, and the connection with the USA and the connection with President Trump is completely essential to defending that freedom of speech, that proper to participate in elections and democracy.

“The freedoms that we’ve taken as a right, to be sincere, over a few years now, it’s fragile, and we have to defend it, and that’s why the connection between Keir Starmer and President Trump, between the UK and the USA is completely important for Britain’s financial and nationwide safety.”

Talking on GB Information, Wes Streeting mentioned the assembly between Donald Trump and Sir Keir Starmer confirmed “heat and enthusiasm”.

“The ultimate factor, which actually took took me unexpectedly, though I believe there’s been a number of work on the a part of my colleagues happening behind the scenes, was the heat and enthusiasm that the president confirmed when it comes to bettering the buying and selling relationship between our two nations.

“Now, look, heat and friendship is de facto good and actually encouraging.“My good friend the Enterprise and Commerce Secretary (Jonathan Reynolds) would say the onerous yards are nonetheless to return in commerce negotiations – we all know that President Trump is a tricky negotiator; President Trump mentioned yesterday our Prime Minister is a tricky negotiator.

“So there are onerous yards forward however an ideal begin to what will be a fully defining relationship between the president and our Prime Minister, as a result of Britain and America, I imply, that is an important alliance for our nation, it’s the bedrock on which our nationwide safety is constructed and Britain’s financial safety is constructed as effectively. So a very necessary second.”

Talking on Sky Information, well being secretary Wes Streeting mentioned that Sir Keir Starmer had “delivered” what he promised throughout his assembly with Donald Trump.

Requested in regards to the assembly, he mentioned: “What’s delivering at house, that is additionally a primary minister delivering overseas.”

He added that the assembly had been “essential” for each UK nationwide pursuits, Ukraine and the collective defence of Europe, saying: “What we noticed was the prime minister ship what he mentioned he would.

“We may see the energy of the private relationship he has constructed with President Trump which is completely essential.”

He added that the conversations concerning a Ukraine peace deal had proven “actually encouraging indicators of progress”.

Sir Keir Starmer will welcome Volodymyr Zelensky to Downing Road this weekend as he follows up his go to to see Donald Trump with efforts to bridge the hole between the US and Europe over a possible deal to finish the Ukraine conflict.

Leaders from throughout Europe will collect in London on Sunday, following per week which can have seen Sir Keir, France’s Emmanuel Macron and the Ukrainian president journey for talks with Mr Trump.

The US President continues to withstand calls to completely commit American navy would possibly to ensure any Ukraine peace deal, however he has steered nearer financial ties and an settlement on mineral entry between Kyiv and Washington would successfully act as a safety “backstop”.

Sir Keir returned to the UK following a visit to the White Home which went in addition to No 10 may have hoped, with Mr Trump clearly happy with the King’s invitation for an unprecedented second state go to, giving a sign that he wouldn’t block the Chagos Islands deal and suggesting a commerce deal may spare British exports from US tariffs.

Sunday’s intensive diplomatic exercise will see Mr Zelensky and Italy’s Giorgia Meloni individually go to No 10, the Prime Minister chair a name with the Baltic nations – Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia – earlier than internet hosting the summit of European leaders.

Mr Zelensky, Mr Macron and Ms Meloni have been invited to the summit together with leaders from Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Turkey, Finland, Sweden, the Czech Republic and Romania, in addition to the Nato secretary common and the presidents of the European Fee and European Council.

British prime minister Keir Starmer reaffirmed his assist for a two-state answer, calling it “in the end the one approach for a long-lasting peace within the area”.

He was responding to the query about Donald Trump’s extensively condemned proposal for a US takeover of Gaza and the everlasting displacement of Palestinians.

Israel’s navy assault on Gaza has killed greater than 48,000 Palestinians since October 2023, in keeping with Gaza’s well being ministry, and has led to accusations of genocide and conflict crimes, which Israel denies.

Sir Keir claimed that the US president’s deal for highly valuable rare earth minerals would form “at least one element” of a security guarantee for Kyiv against Russia.

“I can see the value in the approach in relation to minerals,” he said in an interview to NBC on Thursday, shortly after addressing a press convention with Mr Trump.

“That may be a matter between President Trump and President Zelenskyy. However I can see very clearly the argument that President Trump makes in relation to minerals, and I may see the validity of his factors when he says that if there’s a deal on minerals then the US has financial pursuits in Ukraine, which, when you like, type not less than one ingredient of any safety assure.”

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