Vance remarks 'unreasonable' says ex-RAF chief
A former head of the RAF said comments made by the US vice president were "intensely disappointing, undiplomatic and unreasonable".JD Vance was accused by UK opposition politicians of disrespecting British forces after he said a US stake in Ukraine's economy was a "better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years".As part of a peace deal, the UK and France have said they would be willing to put troops on the ground in Ukraine.Sir Michael Graydon, who was Chief of the Air Staff in the 1990s and now lives in Lincolnshire, said he had "never seen anything like it".
Vance has since said he did not "even mention the UK or France", adding that both had "fought bravely alongside the US over the last 20 years, and beyond".Sir Michael, 86, who retired from the RAF in 1997, played a major role in the Gulf War in 1991 and advised the government over no fly zones in Bosnia during the Balkan Wars during the 90s. Responding to Vance's comments, he told BBC Look North: "I've had a lot of experience working with Americans over the years at quite a high level."Never in my life have I seen anything quite like that."It was intensely disappointing to see a vice president of the United States use words and actions which were just so undiplomatic and unreasonable."
'People feel insulted'
Dereck Hardman, who runs the Armed Forces and Veterans Breakfast Clubs in Hull, said: "People feel insulted, especially those that served in places like Afghanistan and Iraq through the two Gulf Wars."Sir Michael added that "whether we like it or not", US President Donald Trump and Vance "have managed to do something presidents have failed to do for decades.""It was to make the Europeans wake up and realise there are no free lunches any longer and they've got to start spending money on defence," he said. "It's just a shame it has been done in this rather brutal and antagonistic way."Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
North Wales Chronicle
31 minutes ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Lammy holding talks on post-Brexit deal for Gibraltar
Mr Lammy held talks with Gibraltar's leaders, members of the opposition and the business community before leaving the British overseas territory to head to Brussels on Wednesday morning. Talks on rules governing the border of Spain and Gibraltar have been ongoing since Britain left the European Union in 2020, but an agreement has not yet been reached. The PA news agency understands that a deal has not yet been reached and there are still a number of sticking points. A Foreign Office source said: 'We're working to secure an agreement that works for the people and businesses in Gibraltar. 'An agreement that will protect British sovereignty, supports Gibraltar's economy and allows businesses to plan for the future.' Ministers have insisted no deal will be done without the full support of Gibraltar's government. Mr Lammy held talks with chief minister Fabian Picardo in Gibraltar along with the UK's overseas territories minister Stephen Doughty. Today, with @DavidLammy and @SDoughtyMP we held a Cabinet meeting in No6 Convent Place to agree final parameters for negotiation. We will now travel to Brussels to meet @MarosSefcovic and @jmalbares. It's time to try to finalise arrangements for lasting, stable relationship… — Fabian Picardo (@FabianPicardo) June 11, 2025 The ministers and Mr Picardo then travelled to Brussels for talks with the EU and Spanish representatives. In a post on X on Wednesday morning, Mr Picardo said it is 'time to try to finalise arrangements for lasting, stable relationship between Gibraltar and the EU/Spain which is safe, secure and beneficial'. But officials close to the talks said there were still 'hard negotiations ahead'. Gibraltar was ceded to the UK by Spain in 1713 and the population is heavily in favour of remaining a British overseas territory. The last time it voted on a proposal to share sovereignty with Spain, in 2002, almost 99% of Gibraltarians rejected the move. Gibraltar also hosts an RAF base at its airport and an important naval facility. The Government, in line with its Conservative predecessors, has said it will not sign up to a deal that gives sovereignty over Gibraltar to another country, or that the Gibraltarian government is not content with. The strategic defence review, released earlier this month, said the UK would maintain a military presence in Gibraltar, 'upholding the sovereignty of British Gibraltar territorial waters'.
Powys County Times
33 minutes ago
- Powys County Times
Lammy holding talks on post-Brexit deal for Gibraltar
Foreign Secretary David Lammy will have talks with the European Union and Spain in Brussels as a post-Brexit deal on Gibraltar appears close. Mr Lammy held talks with Gibraltar's leaders, members of the opposition and the business community before leaving the British overseas territory to head to Brussels on Wednesday morning. Talks on rules governing the border of Spain and Gibraltar have been ongoing since Britain left the European Union in 2020, but an agreement has not yet been reached. The PA news agency understands that a deal has not yet been reached and there are still a number of sticking points. A Foreign Office source said: 'We're working to secure an agreement that works for the people and businesses in Gibraltar. 'An agreement that will protect British sovereignty, supports Gibraltar's economy and allows businesses to plan for the future.' Ministers have insisted no deal will be done without the full support of Gibraltar's government. Mr Lammy held talks with chief minister Fabian Picardo in Gibraltar along with the UK's overseas territories minister Stephen Doughty. Today, with @DavidLammy and @SDoughtyMP we held a Cabinet meeting in No6 Convent Place to agree final parameters for negotiation. We will now travel to Brussels to meet @MarosSefcovic and @jmalbares. It's time to try to finalise arrangements for lasting, stable relationship… — Fabian Picardo (@FabianPicardo) June 11, 2025 The ministers and Mr Picardo then travelled to Brussels for talks with the EU and Spanish representatives. In a post on X on Wednesday morning, Mr Picardo said it is 'time to try to finalise arrangements for lasting, stable relationship between Gibraltar and the EU/Spain which is safe, secure and beneficial'. But officials close to the talks said there were still 'hard negotiations ahead'. Gibraltar was ceded to the UK by Spain in 1713 and the population is heavily in favour of remaining a British overseas territory. The last time it voted on a proposal to share sovereignty with Spain, in 2002, almost 99% of Gibraltarians rejected the move. Gibraltar also hosts an RAF base at its airport and an important naval facility. The Government, in line with its Conservative predecessors, has said it will not sign up to a deal that gives sovereignty over Gibraltar to another country, or that the Gibraltarian government is not content with.
The National
44 minutes ago
- The National
Douglas Ross panned for chairing Holyrood meeting from Caribbean
On Wednesday morning, Ross plugged in to the Education, Children and Young People Committee from the Turks and Caicos islands, a British overseas territory where he is reported to be on Commonwealth Parliamentary Association business. However, LibDem MSP Willie Rennie raised a point of order about Ross's involvement as convener from abroad. READ MORE: These key economic truths show how independent Scotland and Wales can succeed Rennie said: 'I'd like to raise a point of order. I raised this with the convener in the private pre-briefing. 'I don't think it's appropriate, convener, for you to be conducting this meeting from the Caribbean. 'I think it doesn't make you look good and it doesn't make this committee look good, and I would like you once again to reconsider whether this is appropriate. 'I would ask you to hand over the responsibilities to the vice-convener.' The SNP's Karen Dunbar is vice-convener of the Education, Children and Young People Committee. In response to Rennie's request, Ross said he would be happy to take part as a lay-member and allow Dunbar to chair the meeting, at which Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth, Higher Education Minister Graeme Dey, and Minister for Children Natalie Don-Innes were due to give evidence. READ MORE: Seamus Logan: Anas Sarwar's joy quickly sours as reality of UK Labour's record bites Dunbar took advice from parliamentary clerks and said that there was nothing in the rules to prevent a meeting being chaired remotely. 'The rule makes no distinction between virtual or in-person attendance during committee meetings,' she said. 'It is the role of the convenor to chair the committee if they are present, whether in person or virtually.' Dunbar therefore declined to convene the meeting and passed the responsibility back to Ross. Previously, an SNP source briefed the Daily Record about the fact that the former Scottish Tory leader would attend the meeting from the Caribbean. They said: "Throughout his time at Holyrood, Douglas Ross has treated his role as an MSP as a part-time gig to fit around his other jobs – including his various jaunts across Europe as an assistant referee. "This has been a bit of an embarrassing week for Ross after he was removed from the Chamber for his poor behaviour on Thursday. 'After his tirade of unjustified claims about other members' parliamentary attendance it is now somewhat ironic that Mr Ross will be logging in from near the Caribbean."
