Sir Keir Starmer has been urged by new Tory leader Kemi Badenoch to apologise for “derogatory” remarks Foreign Secretary David Lammy previously made about Donald Trump.
Ms Badenoch pressed the Labour leader on the comments during her first appearance at prime minister’s questions, during which she also congratulated the president-elect on his “impressive” win in the US election.
She immediately challenged Sir Keir on remarks made by Mr Lammy, who called Mr Trump a “woman-hating, neo-Nazi-sympathising sociopath” in a magazine article in 2018.
Addressing Sir Keir at the despatch box, she said: “The prime minister and the foreign secretary met him [Mr Trump] in September.
“Did the foreign secretary take that opportunity to apologise for making derogatory and scatological references, including, and I quote, ‘Trump is not only a woman-hating Neo-Nazi sympathising sociopath, he is also a profound threat to the international order’, and if he did not apologise, will the Prime Minister do so now on his behalf?”
Politics latest: Starmer fights fire with fire in first clash with Badenoch
The prime minister acknowledged that he and Mr Lammy had met Mr Trump in September for dinner, which he said had been a “very constructive exercise”.
However, he repeatedly dodged the issue of an apology, saying only that he would work “closely” with Ms Badenoch on issues of national security and Ukraine, adding: “That’s the right thing for the country, and it’s far more important than party politics”.
In a later statement, a Downing Street spokesperson confirmed Mr Lammy would remain in post.
“Yes, he’s the foreign secretary,” the spokesperson said when asked whether the cabinet minister would stay in post for the whole of the parliamentary term in light of his previous remarks about Mr Trump.
Mr Trump declared victory at 2.20am local time in Florida (7.20am in the UK) on Wednesday after winning 266 electoral votes to Kamala Harris’s 219, saying he would “heal the country”.
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His victory was confirmed when he surpassed 270 electoral college votes by winning the state of Wisconsin, and he remains on course to claim all seven swing states.
Tensions also emerged between Labour and the Trump campaign after the latter filed a legal complaint over Labour Party staff travelling to US battleground states to volunteer for the Harris camp – something the party has described as “normal” and a routine part of elections.
Ms Badenoch, who defeated rival Robert Jenrick to become the new Tory leader, accused the Labour Party of behaving like “student politicians” regarding Mr Trump.
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She referenced a parliamentary motion supported by some Labour MPs that banned Mr Trump from addressing parliament in his first term back in 2017.
The Tory leader said Sir Keir should now invite the president-elect to address parliament on his next visit to the UK.
“The prime minister did not distance himself from the remarks made by the foreign secretary, and I’m very sure that President Trump will soon be calling to thank him for sending all of those North London Labour activists to campaign for his opponent,” she said.
“Given that most of his cabinet signed a motion to ban President Trump from addressing parliament, will the prime minister show that he and his government can be more than student politicians by asking you, Mr Speaker, to extend an invitation to President Trump to address parliament on his next visit?”
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Sir Keir replied: “I thank the leader of the Opposition for giving a masterclass on student politics.
“But seriously, we live in probably a more volatile world than we’ve lived in for many decades.
“It is absolutely crucial that we have a strong relationship, that strong special relationship forged in difficult circumstances, between the US and the UK.
“We will continue to work as we have done in the four months in government.”
Downing Street later said the prime minister “would welcome” a visit by Mr Trump to parliament but said matters relating to the House of Commons were for the Speaker.
