Tag: Keir Starmer

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Trump gets royal welcome at Windsor Castle at start of his two-day UK visit

President Donald Trump relished the glow of a British royal spectacle as he opened a two-day state visit Wednesday, calling the hours of pageantry with King Charles III “truly one of the highest honours of my life” while also making time for a quiet tribute at Queen Elizabeth II’s tomb.

The grandeur-loving president soaked up all the revelry, from the largest guard of honor in living memory, with 120 horses and 1,300 troops, to carriage rides, an air show and a Windsor Castle dinner.

After the pomp comes the real work Thursday, when Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer meet to talk trade, technology and geopolitical issues.

No US president, or any other world leader, has had the honour of a second UK state visit; Trump’s first was in 2019, during his previous term. The display of regal splendor was meant to bolster ties with Trump at a time when his America First policies are putting pressure on trade and security arrangements around the globe.

Prince William and his wife, Kate, met the presidential helicopter in the private Walled Garden on the vast Windsor estate, then walked Trump and first lady Melania Trump over to be greeted by Charles and Queen Camilla. A gigantic royal standard – the flag used for official celebration days – flew from the Royal Tower.

The guests travelled to the castle in a procession of horse-drawn carriages, past ranks of soldiers, sailors and aviators. The king and the Republican president chatted in the Irish State Coach during the short journey to the castle quadrangle, where both inspected an honour guard of soldiers in red tunics and bearskin hats.

They continued to chat and joke as the day progressed, with the king occasionally putting his hand on Trump’s back. The president stepped in front of Charles during a review of troops after the king gestured for him to do so. The king’s invitation avoided a violation of protocol, which was not the case in 2019, when Trump stepped in front of Queen Elizabeth.

Part of the day was spent at St. George’s Chapel on the castle grounds, where Trump placed a wreath in honour of Elizabeth, who died in 2022.

The president and Charles toured the Royal Collection Display in an ornate room where officials laid out five tables of artifacts on US-British relations.

Among the items were 18th-century watercolours and documents on the United States seeking independence from King George III. There were materials from the first trans-Atlantic cable, including messages between Queen Victoria and President James Buchanan, as well as a 1930s hot dog picnic that a young Elizabeth wrote about, and a large glass vessel that President Dwight D. Eisenhower gave the queen during a 1957 state visit.

The president walked a red carpet on the castle’s East Lawn to watch the Beating Retreat, a military parade ceremony that featured 200-plus musicians, dates to the 1600s and was once used to call patrolling soldiers back to their castle at day’s end.

A scheduled flyover by F-35 jets from the UK and US militaries was scrapped because of poor weather conditions. But the Red Arrows, the Royal Air Force’s aerobatics display team, thundered overhead, leaving streaks of red, white and blue smoke in their wake and drawing a visible reaction from both Trumps.

Charles and Camilla also presented the president and first lady with a handbound leather volume celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, as well as the Union flag that flew above Buckingham Palace on the day of Trump’s inauguration in January. The royals also gave first lady Melania Trump a silver and enamel bowl and a personalised handbag by British designer Anya Hindmarch.

Trump gave Charles a replica of an Eisenhower sword, and Camilla received a vintage Tiffany & Co. gold, diamond and ruby brooch.

The history, tradition and celebrity of the royal family give it a cachet that means presidents and prime ministers covet joining them. In his talks with Trump, Starmer will promote a new UK-US technology agreement. The British government hopes the deal, and billions in investment from U.S. tech companies, will help show that the trans-Atlantic bond remains strong despite differences over Ukraine, the Middle East and the future of NATO.

Trump and Charles walked together, leading a procession for the evening banquet. Trump wore white tie while his wife was in a yellow gown. Charles was in white tie with a blue sash, and Camilla in a blue gown with a tiara.

Beefeaters in traditional red uniforms and ruff collars lined the entrance to the castle’s St. George’s Hall for the dinner, which featured 100 staff members attending to 160 guests. The grand Waterloo table was set with 1,462 pieces of silver sparkling in the light from 139 candles and elaborate floral arrangements handpicked from the castle grounds.

The guest list included Apple’s Tim Cook, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Open AI’s Sam Altman and US Masters-winning golfer Nick Faldo. Also appearing was publishing mogul Rupert Murdoch, whom Trump recently sued for $10 billion over The Wall Street Journal’s report on a sexually suggestive letter purportedly written by Trump for disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.

The menu featured Hampshire watercress panna cotta with Parmesan shortbread and quail egg salad, along with Norfolk chicken ballotine. Dessert was vanilla ice cream bombe with a raspberry sherbet interior and lightly poached Victorian plums.

Trump avoids alcohol, but the bar offerings included a cocktail known as a Transatlantic whiskey sour infused with marmalade, Warre’s 1945 Vintage Port – Trump is the 45th and 47th American president – and Hennessy 1912 Cognac Grande Champagne. That was the year Trump’s mother, Mary Anne MacLeod, was born in Scotland.

The musical playlist included the theme from the James Bond movies and pop and rock staples, as well as top showtunes, often featured at Trump’s campaign rallies.

In his toast, Charles saluted Trump’s British roots and his recent visits to the UK In a nod to the president’s favourite sport, he said, “I understand that British soil makes for rather splendid golf courses.”

Trump read from prepared remarks and was on his best behaviour, declaring, “This is truly one of the highest honours of my life” and sneaking in only one dig about his predecessor, Democratic President Joe Biden, by saying the US was “sick” a year ago.

Trump also touched on Britain’s contributions to literature, history and the arts and said “special” does not begin to do justice to his country’s relationship with the UK.

“Together we’ve done more good for humanity than any two countries in all of history,” he said.

Thousands of demonstrators marched through central London on Wednesday to protest Trump’s visit. Some held banners that said “No to the racism, no to Trump.” Though the activities were smaller than during Trump’s visit in June 2019, they included mini versions of the giant Trump baby blimp, an orange-tinted caricature of the president in a diaper that made a big impression during those demonstrations six years ago.

In Windsor, protesters projected an image of Trump and Epstein on a tower at the castle, a reminder of the president’s relationship with the late American financier. Police said they arrested four people. (France24)

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Trump gets royal welcome in UK as he makes historic second state visit

US President Donald Trump arrived in Britain on Tuesday for an unprecedented second state visit, with the UK government rolling out a royal red carpet welcome to win over the mercurial leader.

“A lot of things here warm my heart,” the 79-year-old Republican told reporters after he arrived with First Lady Melania Trump. “It’s a very special place.”

King Charles III will host Trump at Windsor Castle for a lavish banquet and carriage ride on Wednesday, before Trump meets Prime Minister Keir Starmer at his country residence on Thursday.

In a sign of the pomp and pageantry to come, a guard of honour greeted the Trumps as they stepped off Air Force One at Stansted Airport near London.

Trump then expressed his admiration for the British monarch.

“He’s been a friend of mine for a long time, and everyone respects him, and they love him,” Trump said as he arrived by helicopter at Winfield House, the US ambassador’s residence in London, where he will spend the night.

“Tomorrow’s going to be a very big day.”

Trump is the first US president to be invited for two state visits, after previously being hosted by Queen Elizabeth II during his last term in office in 2019 — as Britain tries to keep the so-called special relationship alive.

The British government has been unapologetic about its efforts to get on the right side of Trump, whose mother was Scottish and who owns a number of golf courses in the UK.

But the British public will be kept far away from Trump, with the visit taking place entirely behind closed doors and heavy security.

A large anti-Trump demonstration has been called in London on Wednesday, while protesters projected images of Trump and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein onto the towers of Windsor Castle late Tuesday.

The shadow of the Epstein scandal has hung over Trump for weeks after his administration declined to release files on the issue. 

It has also embroiled British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who sacked his ambassador to Washington Peter Mandelson on the eve of the visit over the envoy’s emails to Epstein.

Starmer’s government is however counting on the sheer scale of the state visit to keep Trump onside, despite his unpredictability over everything from tariffs to Ukraine and Gaza.

In Windsor on Wednesday, Trump will get a ceremonial carriage ride and a flypast by both UK and US jets in what officials call the largest military show for a state visit in living memory.

In the evening King Charles will host Trump for a lavish state dinner where both men will give speeches.

Trump may also relish the royal part of the visit as a chance to escape a turbulent period at home, where the killing of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk has caused turmoil.

Politics will take over again on Thursday when Starmer hosts Trump at his country residence Chequers for talks focusing on trade and the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

The visit has been timed to line up with announcements of several investments in Britain — the latest being a pledge by Microsoft to spend $30 billion over four years.

Starmer needs the visit to go well after a miserable few days in which some in his Labour party have openly questioned whether he can remain as leader over the Mandelson resignation.

Downing Street has said Trump’s visit would see the “unbreakable friendship” between the countries “reach new heights”.

The visit is “a huge moment for both” men, said Evie Aspinall, director of the British Foreign Policy Group think-tank.

“For Trump, the state visit is an opportunity to revel in the pomp and ceremony he loves,” she told AFP.

“For Starmer, the visit is a chance to distract from domestic discontent and shift the limelight onto international issues where he has had greater success.” (France24)

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UK deputy PM Angela Rayner resigns over tax error

Britain’s deputy prime minister, Angela Rayner, resigned on Friday after an investigation found she breached the ministerial code by underpaying on a property tax, in a major blow to Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s embattled Labour government.

Rayner, a figurehead among the party’s left-wing base, had earlier this week admitted not paying enough on the flat purchase and referred herself to the government’s independent ethics adviser.

In a letter to Starmer, ethics chief, Laurie Magnus, wrote that Rayner had failed to “heed the caution” of legal advice she had received and had therefore breached the ministerial code.

“Given the findings, and the impact on my family, I have therefore decided to resign,” Rayner wrote in a letter to Starmer, adding she would also be stepping down as housing minister and deputy leader of the Labour Party.

“I deeply regret my decision to not seek additional specialist tax advice,” Rayner said, adding she took “full responsiblity for this error”.

In his reply, Starmer told her he was “very sad” to lose her from government, but added: “You will remain a major figure in our party”.

Rayner disclosed on Wednesday that she had underpayed on the so-called stamp duty on a flat in southern England following days of reports suggesting that she had saved £40,000 ($53,000) by removing her name from the deeds of another property.

The 45-year-old has three sons, one of whom was born prematurely and is registered blind with lifelong special needs.

She said on Wednesday that after her 2023 divorce she sold her part of the family home to the trust fund to protect it for her child’s future and used the money in the flat purchase.

She paid less of the property surcharge because she claimed it was her main home rather than a second home, but later conceded this was wrong because her son is under 18 years old.

Magnus said Rayner had “acted with integrity and with a dedicated and exemplary commitment to public service” but concluded he considered the “code to have been breached”.

Rayner had often been tipped to become Labour leader one day and has been a top target for political attacks by the Conservatives and right-wing media.

She left school with no qualifications after becoming pregnant aged 16, and has a straight-talking style that has proved popular with working-class voters.

She grew up in Stockport on the outskirts of Manchester in northwest England, living in one of the area’s most deprived social housing complexes. (Punch)

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Britain’s Duchess of Kent, known for her ‘human touch,’ dead at 92

The Duchess of Kent, one of Britain’s most beloved royals, died on Thursday night at age 92, surrounded by close family, Buckingham Palace announced Friday.

“It is with deep sorrow that Buckingham Palace announces the death of Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Kent,” a statement from Buckingham Palace said.

“Her Royal Highness passed away peacefully last night at Kensington Palace, surrounded by her family,” the statement continued.

King Charles, Queen Camilla and other members of the British royal family will remember the duchess for her “life-long devotion to all the organisations with which she was associated, her passion for music and her empathy for young people,” the palace said.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer sent his “sincere condolences” to the royal family following the death, calling the duchess “one of our hardest working royals.”

“She brought compassion, dignity and a human touch to everything she did,” he added.

The Prince and Princess of Wales said the duchess “will be a much missed member of the family” in a statement posted on X. “The Duchess worked tirelessly to help others and supported many causes, including through her love of music,” the post said.

The King has approved a period of royal mourning to take place until the day of her funeral. Details of the funeral and who will attend have not yet been released. The Union Jack over Buckingham Palace was lowered to half mast in a sign of respect following the announcement of the duchess’ death, and the traditional framed announcement was placed on the royal residence’s railings.

During this period of royal mourning, members of the royal family and staff will wear specific clothing until the funeral. Troops on public duties and those working in the Royal Mews and Livery will wear black armbands.

The duchess may not be as well known as other members of the family to the current generation of royal-watchers as she stepped back from royal duties more than two decades ago, in 2002. However, in Britain and to tennis fans worldwide she will be remembered for the part she played at the Wimbledon tennis tournament., where she presented the trophy at the ladies’ singles final for years.

Born Katharine Worsley to an aristocratic family from Yorkshire, the duchess met her future husband, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, in 1956, while he was stationed at a military barracks in northern England. She married into the royal family five years later, in 1961. Prince Edward was a cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth II.

Following their wedding, the duchess became a working royal, volunteering for the Passage night shelter for the homeless, and traveling the world as an ambassador for UNICEF. The couple had three children, and another son who was stillborn. In 1994, she became the first royal to convert to Catholicism for more than 300 years.

At Wimbledon, she famously cast aside royal formalities and became a consoling figure for the competition’s finalists – most notably comforting a devastated Jana Novotna following the Czech star’s defeat in the 1993 final.

Five years later, it was a different story when Novotna beat Nathalie Tauziat in the final to win the title, with the duchess on hand to present the trophy.

After stepping back from public duties in 2002, the duchess, who had a deep passion for music and played the piano, organ and violin, taught the subject at a primary school in Hull, northeastern England, for several years. She also founded Future Talent, a charity that seeks to give children equal opportunities to excel in music. (CNN)

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Bank of England cuts rate amid tariff concerns

The Bank of England on Thursday cut its key interest rate by a quarter point to four percent, the lowest level in 2.5 years, as it bids to boost a UK economy threatened by US tariffs.

Alongside the expected decision, the BoE forecast British economic growth to hit 1.25 percent this year, slightly better than the central bank’s previous estimate of one percent.

“The direct impact of US tariffs is milder than feared, but more general tariff-related uncertainty still weighs on sentiment,” the BoE said in a statement after studying data gathered by UK businesses.

London and Washington reached an agreement in May to cut levies of more than 10 percent imposed by US President Donald Trump on certain UK-made items imported by the United States, notably vehicles.

The quarter-point cut on Thursday was the BoE’s fifth such reduction since starting a trimming cycle in August 2024.

“Interest rates are still on a downward path, but any future rate cuts will need to be made gradually and carefully,” its governor, Andrew Bailey, said following Thursday’s decision.

The BoE voted 5-4 for the reduction, but not before an unprecedented second vote owing to a three-way split among its nine policymakers that prevented a necessary majority result.

Initially, four members voted for the reduction and four for no change. One member called for a larger cut of 0.50 percent, before switching in favour of a quarter-point drop, as voted for by Bailey.

It was the first time since the BoE became independent of the UK government in 1997 that a second vote had to be held.

“Looking ahead, interest rates are expected to be 3.5 percent in a year, which is slightly higher than before the (latest) meeting,” noted Kathleen Brooks, research director at XTB trading group.

Expectations that the rate will remain at four percent for longer boosted the British pound.

The BoE’s main task is to keep Britain’s annual inflation rate at 2.0 percent, but the latest official data showed it had jumped unexpectedly to an 18-month high in June.

The Consumer Prices Index increased to 3.6 percent as motor fuel and food prices stayed high.

The BoE on Thursday predicted that the annual inflation rate would peak at four percent next month.

Latest official figures show that Britain’s economy unexpectedly contracted for a second month running in May, and UK unemployment is at a near four-year high of 4.7 percent.

This is largely down to Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government increasing a UK business tax from April, the same month that the country became subject to Trump’s 10-percent baseline tariff on most goods.

Finance minister Rachel Reeves welcomed the latest rate cut, saying in a statement that it helps to “bring down the cost of mortgages and loans for families and businesses”.

The US Federal Reserve last week kept interest rates unchanged, defying strong political pressure from Trump to slash borrowing costs in a bid to boost the world’s biggest economy.

Asked about US tariffs following the decision, Fed Chair Jerome Powell told a press conference: “We’re still a ways away from seeing where things settle down.”

The European Central Bank is meanwhile widely expected to keep rates unchanged at its next meeting, with eurozone inflation around the ECB’s two-percent target.

But that could change, according to some economists, based on how Trump’s tariffs affect the single-currency bloc. (Punch)