logo
All the flashpoints of Trump's meeting with Starmer: From awkwardly slating the PM's 'pal' Sadiq Khan, and blasting UK's 'ugly' wind farms to claiming he 'never had the privilege' of visiting Jeffrey Epstein's infamous island

All the flashpoints of Trump's meeting with Starmer: From awkwardly slating the PM's 'pal' Sadiq Khan, and blasting UK's 'ugly' wind farms to claiming he 'never had the privilege' of visiting Jeffrey Epstein's infamous island

Daily Mail​a day ago
Donald Trump and Sir Keir Starmer 's sitdown in front of the world's media came in the ballroom of the President's Turnberry golf course - arranged to resemble the White House 's Oval Office.
Mr Trump, unsurprisingly, did most of the talking as he freewheeled from subject to subject. Here we take a look at what he said.
Sadiq Khan
Mr Trump did not hold back in his criticism of Labour's mayor of London.
When asked if he would head to the capital during his planned state visit in September, he said: 'I'm not a fan of your mayor. I think he's done a terrible job, the Mayor of London... a nasty person.'
Sir Keir intervened to say: 'He's a friend of mine, actually.' But an undeterred Mr Trump went on to say: 'I think he's done a terrible job. But I would certainly visit London.'
Wind turbines
Mr Trump branded wind turbines 'ugly monsters' as he backed North Sea oil and gas during the press conference.
He has long been outspoken about his dislike of wind power and strongly opposed an offshore development which is visible from his Aberdeenshire golf course.
He said: 'Wind is the most expensive form of energy and it destroys the beauty of your fields, your plains and your waterways. Wind needs massive subsidy, and you are paying in Scotland and in the UK, and all over the place, massive subsidies to have these ugly monsters all over the place.'
He urged the UK to exploit North Sea oil and gas.
The Royals
The President heaped praise on the Royal Family as 'really great people'.
Mr Trump, who is known to admire the monarchy, said the UK is 'very lucky' to have the royals, before adding: 'You could have people that weren't great people.'
Despite Mr Trump's 'drill, baby, drill' slogan aimed at ramping up fossil fuel extraction, he applauded the King's environmentalism.
'King Charles is an environmentalist, I will tell you. I say that in a positive way, not a negative way. Every time I've met with him he talked about the environment and how important it is and I'm all for it - I think that's great.'
Starmer's wife
Before the ballroom engagement, Sir Keir and Mr Trump embraced on the Turnberry steps as the Prime Minister arrived with his wife, Lady Starmer.
In slightly farcical scenes, an off-the-cuff to-and-fro with the gathered media was partly drowned out by the bagpiper.
But the President did make himself heard when he said he wanted to make the PM 'happy', and then, referring to Lady Starmer, said: 'She's a respected person all over the United States. I don't know what he's (Sir Keir) doing but she's very respected, as respected as him.
'I don't want to say more, I'll get myself in trouble. But she's very, she's a great woman and is very highly respected.'
Farms
The President appeared to criticise Labour's inheritance tax on farmers.
While he did not directly mention Sir Keir's reforms to agricultural property relief, he said farmers in the US had been driven to suicide by taxes and noted that he had acted to remove levies on farmland estates, adding: 'I love our farmers.'
'They don't make a lot of money but it's a way of life and they love that dirt,' he said. Defending the policy, Sir Keir said he was trying to increase farmers' income.
Epstein and Maxwell
Donald Trump said he'd 'never had the privilege' of going to Jeffrey Epstein's infamous island, where sordid underage sex parties took place, attended by the rich and powerful.
Epstein, he said, was 'always a very controversial guy' but he hit back at claims he had sent a suggestive birthday note to the paedophile financier, featuring the outline of a naked woman.
'I never went to the island [Little St James in the US Virgin Islands],' Mr Trump said. 'And Bill Clinton went there, supposedly, 28 times. I never went to the island... I never had the privilege. I did turn it down.'
Mr Clinton has said he 'knows nothing' about Epstein's crimes, while his aides have denied he ever went to Little St James.
Asked about the clamour to release the Epstein files in the possession of the FBI and in which he is said to be named, the President said: 'It's a hoax that's been built up way beyond proportion.'
Of the reported birthday note, he said: 'I'm not a drawing person. I don't do drawings of women, that I can tell you.'
Mr Trump also said he had not been asked to pardon Epstein madam Ghislaine Maxwell, the British socialite currently serving 20 years in a US prison over child sex trafficking offences.
Trade with the UK
Mr Trump suggested that the UK will know 'pretty soon' what tariffs will be placed on steel.
He said the US wants to 'make our own steel' but did not say whether levies on UK exports will remain at the current 25 per cent, be cut or even increased.
He also hinted that he may not impose heavy tariffs on British pharmaceuticals because he said he could do a deal with the UK. He said he felt a 'lot better' working with Britain than other countries.
He added: 'With the relationship we have, you would not use that as a cudgel. You wouldn't be using it as a block.'
Free speech
Sir Keir defended the Online Safety Act following questions about whether it censored online content. The Prime Minister said that the laws were there to protect children rather than curbing freedom of speech.
Last week, the law changed to require websites to check users are over 18 before allowing them to access 'harmful' material such as pornography or suicide material, with heavy fines for those that do not comply.
Told that Sir Keir now has the power to censor the President's Truth Social platform, Mr Trump said: 'If you censor me, you're making a mistake.'
Sir Keir replied: '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 don't see that as a free speech issue - I see that as child protection.'
Love of Scotland
Mr Trump spoke of his 'great love' for Scotland, as he vowed to return to the country 'once a year' for a visit. Mr Trump's mother, Mary Anne, was born in the Outer Hebrides on the Isle of Lewis.
He said: 'It gives me a feeling, you know it's different, you go to another country, you have no relationship to it... but it's different when your mother was born here.'
Mr Trump was asked about Scottish trade with the US, and whether there could be a different deal for products such as whisky. He replied: 'I was very particular, this is a part of the world I want to see thrive.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Oil steady after big gains on Trump's Russia ultimatum
Oil steady after big gains on Trump's Russia ultimatum

Reuters

time36 minutes ago

  • Reuters

Oil steady after big gains on Trump's Russia ultimatum

BEIJING, July 30 (Reuters) - Oil prices ticked up in early trading on Wednesday after rising more than 3% in the previous session as potential supply shortages came into focus after U.S. President Donald Trump gave Moscow an abbreviated deadline toward ending the war in Ukraine. Brent crude futures rose 14 cents, or 0.19%, to $72.65 a barrel by 0048 GMT while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude climbed 2 cents, or 0.03%, to $69.23 a barrel. Both contracts had settled at their highest since June 20 on Tuesday. On Tuesday, Trump said he would start imposing measures on Russia, including 100% secondary tariffs on its trading partners, if it did not make progress on ending the war within 10-12 days, moving up an earlier 50-day deadline. "Effective secondary 100% tariffs would lead to a dramatic shift in the oil market. A number of key buyers of Russian oil would likely be reluctant to continue purchases, particularly large U.S. trading partners," ING analysts said in a note. "While this gives OPEC+ room to start unwinding additional tranches of supply cuts, it would still leave the market in deficit under a worst-case scenario." The U.S. had warned China, the largest buyer of Russian oil, that it could face huge tariffs if it continues buying, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told a news conference in Stockholm where the U.S. was holding trade talks with the EU. JP Morgan analysts said in a note that while China was not likely to comply with U.S. sanctions, India has signaled it would do so, potentially putting 2.3 million barrels per day of Russian oil exports at risk. The U.S. and EU averted a trade war with a deal that included 15% U.S. tariffs on European imports, easing concerns about the impact of trade tensions on economic growth and offering further support to oil prices. In Venezuela, foreign partners of state oil company PDVSA are still waiting for authorisations from the U.S. to operate in the sanctioned country after talks on the subject last week, which could return some supply to the market, potentially easing pressure for prices to rise.

Euro hovers near one-month lows after trade deal, focus switches to Fed
Euro hovers near one-month lows after trade deal, focus switches to Fed

Reuters

timean hour ago

  • Reuters

Euro hovers near one-month lows after trade deal, focus switches to Fed

SINGAPORE, July 30 (Reuters) - The euro steadied near its lowest in a month on Wednesday, nursing steep losses this week as investors counted the cost of the U.S.-EU trade pact and looked ahead to policy meetings from the Federal Reserve and the Bank of Japan. U.S. and Chinese officials agreed to seek an extension of their 90-day tariff truce on Tuesday, following two days of what both sides described as constructive talks in Stockholm. No major breakthroughs were announced, and U.S. officials said it was up to President Donald Trump to decide whether to extend a truce that expires on August 12. The Sino-U.S. talks come after a framework deal between the U.S. and EU was announced on Sunday. The accord has evoked a mix of relief and concern from Europe, as the agreement was lopsided and skewed towards the United States. "Markets seem to be increasingly interpreting trade agreements as symbolic and tactical rather than structural resolution," said Charu Chanana, chief investment strategist at Saxo in Singapore. "With terms often vague and enforcement mechanisms weak, investors are assigning lower market beta to these negotiations unless backed by concrete detail." The euro was 0.12% higher at $1.1558 in early trading after dropping for the first two days of the week and hitting a one-month low of $1.15185 on Tuesday. The euro is up 11.7% since the start of the year but on course for its first monthly drop this year. The single currency has benefited this year from the dollar losing its lustre due to Trump's erratic trade policies, prompting investors to look for alternatives. Sterling was at $1.3358 and the Australian dollar last bought $0.6517. The offshore yuan was little changed at 7.178 per U.S. dollar. The Japanese yen firmed a bit to 148.20 per dollar. That left the dollar index , which measures the U.S. currency against six others, at 98.815, hovering near a one-month high. The index is set to record its first month of gains this year. Investor focus will now switch to central bank meetings, with the Fed due to announce its policy decision later on Wednesday. The Fed is widely expected to stand pat, making comments from Chair Jerome Powell crucial to gauge the policy path. The policy decision comes in the wake of Trump's constant demands for rate cuts, which have coincided with an unrelenting campaign of attacks on Powell by the president and administration officials. There is speculation that Governor Christopher Waller and Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman could issue dissents if the Fed on Wednesday holds the policy rate steady for the fifth time since December. "While dissenting isn't uncommon, the dissents at this week's meeting may get more focus because Trump has made it crystal clear that he thinks the FOMC should be lowering interest rates," said Kristina Clifton, a senior economist at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia in Sydney. "Dissents at this meeting may be judged as political and put a dent in perceptions of the FOMC's independence." The BOJ is also expected to stand pat and the spotlight will be on comments from Governor Kazuo Ueda as investors hope the recent trade deal between Japan and the U.S. paves the way for the central bank to raise interest rates again this year.

All new UK cars will have breathalysers and black box-style recorders under Labour plans to align with the EU
All new UK cars will have breathalysers and black box-style recorders under Labour plans to align with the EU

Daily Mail​

timean hour ago

  • Daily Mail​

All new UK cars will have breathalysers and black box-style recorders under Labour plans to align with the EU

New British cars will follow European laws and be fitted with breathalysers and black box-style recorders, amid claims the move is a political ploy by Labour to reset its post-Brexit relationship with the EU. Sir Keir Starmer 's government argues that differences in car manufacturing between Britain and Europe will lead to higher costs being passed on to the customer. But critics argue such a move shows a desire by Labour to closely align Britain to rules and regulations implemented by Brussels. Labour previously agreed the UK would align with EU plant and animal health rules as part of concessions to form a closer relationship with the union. Now Lord Hendy, Minister of State for the Department for Transport, stated earlier this week in parliament that the government 'takes an explicit presumption in favour of alignment' in regards to how cars are manufactured. He added that the government would be 'considering options for requiring the fitment of the safety technologies mandated by the EU's general safety regulation' and would discuss these with individual manufacturers, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, and the National Franchise Dealers Association. Under the EU, new British and European cars followed the same legislation. But following Brexit, Brussels introduced the General Safety Regulation 2 (GSR2), which called for different devices and technology to be pre-installed. These include a breathalyser that prevents the car from starting if the driver fails an alcohol test. Event Data Recorders (EDRs), which can provide information on how fast a car was travelling before an accident, and Driver Drowsiness Warning (DDAW), which can alert a driver if they are becoming sleepy, are also required to be fitted into new vehicles. Northern Ireland follows GSR2 rules as part of the Brexit deal to prevent a hard border with the Republic of Ireland. But differences between new cars made under EU and UK rules could mean customers in Northern Ireland would face higher costs for purchasing a new vehicle from the mainland. Labour is understood to back an 'alignment' of the EU and UK safety laws to stop Northern Irish consumers being treated unfavourably. Car manufacturers are also said to see the advantage of aligning the rules. Mike Hawes, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders told The Telegraph: 'With the heavily integrated nature of the UK and European automotive sectors, regulatory alignment supports efficient production, keeping costs down for consumers while retaining the widest possible model choice.' But Brexit supporters argue that UK car manufacturers do not need to be led by Brussels and the move is simply an attempt by Labour to woo the EU. Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith, said: 'This is a game being played out where they keep incrementally moving back towards the European Union.' Mark Francois, chairman of the Conservative European Research Group, added: 'This is still rule-taking from the EU, however you try and dress it up.' Away from the theatre of politics, in-built breathalysers - or 'alcolocks' as they are also known - are actually backed by the majority of motorists as a solution to stopping drink drivers from reoffending. A recent poll by the RAC found 53 per cent of drivers want courts to have the power to order anyone convicted of drink-driving to have alcolock breathalysers installed in their cars. Support for the interventionist approach comes as a Freedom of Information request to the DVLA found 27,000 individuals were convicted of multiple drink-driving offences in the 11 years leading up to July 2024. On the back of this evidence, the RAC is pushing for the Government to take up this method - already in use in other countries including Australia, Belgium and parts of the US - in a bid to reduce drink-driving. Simon Williams, RAC head of policy, said: 'Too many lives are lost and ruined by drink-driving. 'It's also very apparent that many of the drink-drivers caught by the police are reoffenders which implies something different needs to be done to change this dangerous behaviour.' Alcolocks – what are they? Could they become standard? Not everyone will have heard of alcolocks or alcohol-interlocks as they're properly known. Alcolock is actually a brand name – founded in the 70s - but has become the common name for breathalysers fitted to the car's ignition system. Once fitted a driver has to provide an alcohol-free breath sample in order to start the engine – usually blowing for five seconds. If there's little to no alcohol the engine will start. If it exceeds a set level it won't start. There are various options as to how they're mandated and who pays for them: For instance, courts could mandate them for reoffenders only, or anyone convicted of drink-driving. In other countries the fitting is generally paid for by the offender, although in cases of financial hardship the state can step in to cover the cost. However, it's worth noting that the EU introduced new rules in July 2024 requiring all new cars sold in the EU to be 'prepared' to have an alcolock fitted.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store