Sir Keir Starmer has contradicted JD Vance after the US vice president claimed there are “infringements on free speech” in the UK.
The prime minister is in Washington for talks with US President Donald Trump, with the pair taking questions from reporters during a meeting in the Oval Office on Thursday.
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Mr Vance was also present, and was invited by his boss to expand on his recent claims that free speech is “in retreat” in the UK and Europe and there had been a “backside” of rights for religious Britons.
He doubled down on the remarks, claiming it is something that affects US tech companies and, therefore, American citizens.
He said: “We do have of course a special relationship with our friends in the UK and also our European allies, but we also know there have been infringements on free speech that affect not just the British – what the British do in their own country is up to them – but also affect American technology companies and by extension, American citizens.
“So that’s something we will talk about at lunch.”
Sir Keir interjected, saying “we’ve had free speech for a very long time, it will last a long time, and we are very proud of that”.
Asked if he does not agree, he said: “No. I mean, I certainly we wouldn’t want to reach across the US and we don’t and that’s absolutely right. In relation to free speech in the UK. I’m very proud of our history there.”
Sir Keir also intervened when Mr Trump repeated his claim that European nations “get their money back” they give to Ukraine in the war against Russia.
The prime minister said: “We’re not getting all of ours. I mean, quite a bit of ours was gifted. There were some loans, but mainly, it was gifted actually.”
French President Emmanuel Macron fact-checked the same claim during a meeting in the Oval Office on Tuesday, placing his hand on Mr Trump’s arm during the intervention.
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Earlier on Thursday, cabinet minister Steve Reed was asked by reporters if Sir Keir would follow in Mr Macron’s footsteps and correct the US president in real-time if he says things that are not true, and suggested he would not.
Mr Reed told a press gallery lunch in parliament: “I don’t think it is for the prime minister on any visit to be fact checking, as you put it, his host… It’s for the British Prime Minister to advocate for the interest of the United Kingdom in a way that is most likely to secure the outcomes that we want.”
Sir Keir is in Washington to discuss his desire for a US security backstop for any peace deal with Ukraine.
The meeting began with the prime minister presenting the president with an invite from King Charles for a state visit to the UK.
It comes ahead of a press conference in which they are expected to reveal details of their discussions on the Ukraine war and trade.
