Category Archives: Donald Trump

Minister Dismisses Latvian President’s Call For Europe To Bring Back Conscription

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A senior government minister dismissed the idea of bringing back conscription to the UK this morning.

Although is Europe looking to boost its security amid worries about the Ukraine crisis, Pat McFadden rejected the suggestion of introducing compulsory state service.

It comes after Latvia’s president Edgars Rinkevics told Sky News that his country has introduced conscription again, in case Vladimir Putin returns to seize more European land even after striking a peace deal in Ukraine.

He said: “If Russia is allowed to regroup, then the risks are rising.”

Rinkevics said that means Europe should therefore “increase its overall presence” to the east, especially as it is “quite weak” militarily right now.

He claimed other European nations should “absolutely” introduce the emergency measure.

However, speaking on Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, cabinet office minister McFadden said: “We are not considering conscription, but of course we have announced a major increase in defence expenditure a couple of weeks ago.”

The government recently announced plans to boost defence spending from its current level of 2.3% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to 2.5% by 2027.

Labour also hopes to get it to 3% of GDP by the next parliament, if re-elected.

The move came after US president Donald Trump said Europe had to be more responsible for its own security and could no longer rely on the States to prop it up militarily.

McFadden continued: “We do have to recognise that the world has changed. The phrase ‘step up’ is used a lot. Europe does have to step up in terms of its own defence.

“President Trump isn’t actually the first president to say that, but he said it more loudly and with more force than his predecessors so, I think we have got to recognise that moment.”

He added that the shift seen in the global order in recent weeks means it is “important we don’t cling to old assumptions”.

The chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster added: “Other decisions may be needed in the future which respond to a new reality so we don’t find ourselves operating under the same assumptions as we used to in the past when the situation has changed.”

McFadden refused to offer any further details, saying a defence review published this spring would set out a “roadmap” about how the new cash injection would be spent.

But he noted: “One thing is for sure, you would not spend money today on the same things as you would 10 years ago.

“The experience of the three years of the war in Ukraine has shown just how fast the battlefield is changing in terms of cyber, drones, the use of intelligence.”

Conscription was introduced in Britain in 1916, during World War 1, and again in 1939, after declaring war against Germany.

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Keir Starmer Dismisses Calls For Donald Trump’s State Visit To The UK To Be Cancelled

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Keir Starmer has dismissed calls for Donald Trump’s second state visit to the UK to be cancelled in the wake of his Oval Office row with Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The prime minister said he was “not going to be diverted” by those calling for King Charles to withdraw his invitation to the US president.

Starmer handed over a letter from the monarch to Trump when he visited the White House on Thursday.

It is the first time ever that a US president has been granted the honour of a second state visit.

But calls have been growing for the visit to be shelved after Trump and his vice-president, JD Vance, ganged up on Zelensky on Friday.

SNP leader John Swinney said: “Right now, given [Friday’s] shocking events, it is hard to believe the visit can happen.”

Shadow home affairs minister Alicia Kearns said: “State visits should be conferred to the most honourable of allies, not to curry favour.

“No state visit should proceed until the steadfastness of the US’s commitment to her allies is assured. His Majesty should not have to carry the weight of Keir’s diplomatic failings.”

Asked about the row on BBC1′s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Starmer said: “I’m not going to be diverted by the SNP or others trying to ramp up the rhetoric without really appreciating what is the single most important thing at stake in Europe.”

Meanwhile, a spokesman for Kemi Badenoch slapped down Alicia Kearns.

He said: “Personal views of individual MPs are not official Conservative Party positions.

“In practical terms, the state visit is a matter for the King who extended the invitation, and not for MPs. As Kemi said on TV this morning, it is imperative that the UK remains close to America and they don’t disengage from Nato if we are going to get a just and lasting peace for Ukraine.”

Lib Dem leader Ed Davey also insisted the state visit should go ahead.

He said: “What we’ve said in the Liberal Democrats all along is that the state visit should be used to secure guarantees for Ukraine.

“Therefore, I think we should use every single card that we have, and I think it should be made clear to the White House that the state visit would be a genuine one, we would welcome him here, but on condition that he steps up, that the US steps up, to work with the UK and Europe to support and defend Ukraine.”

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Nigel Farage Has Finally Commented On Trump’s Oval Office Attack On Zelenskyy

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Nigel Farage has finally commented on Donald Trump’s extraordinary Oval Office ambush of Volodymyr Zelenskyy – and people are not impressed.

The Reform UK leader posted his response on X on Saturday morning, more than 12 hours after the bust-up took place.

Trump and his number two JD Vance ganged up on the Ukrainian president, who was supposed to be in Washington to sign a deal which could ultimately lead to the end of his country’s war with Russia.

“You’re either going to make a deal or we’re out, and if we’re out, you’ll fight it out. I don’t think it’s going to be pretty,” Trump told him.

In extraordinary scenes, the pair repeatedly accused Zelenskyy of not being grateful enough to American for the support Ukraine has had during the conflict.

A press conference with Zelenskyy and Trump was cancelled as the Ukrainian leader left the White House without signing an agreement which would have given the US access to his country’s natural minerals in return for some military aid.

MPs from across the political spectrum were quick to condemn the US president, with shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick describing the clash as a “degrading spectacle” and Lib Dem leader Ed Davey accusing Trump and Vance of “thuggery”.

However, Farage – a close ally of Trump who has also praised Russian president Vladimir Putin in the past – would only say: “The spat in the White House last night is regrettable and will make Putin feel like the winner.

“But this is not the end of the story, far from it. A peace deal is essential and Ukraine needs the right security guarantees.”

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The spat in the White House last night is regrettable and will make Putin feel like the winner.

But this is not the end of the story, far from it.

A peace deal is essential and Ukraine needs the right security guarantees.

— Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) March 1, 2025

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The spat in the White House last night is regrettable and will make Putin feel like the winner.

But this is not the end of the story, far from it.

A peace deal is essential and Ukraine needs the right security guarantees.

— Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) March 1, 2025

Former Tory cabinet minister David Gauke was quick to describe Farage’s comments as “pathetic”.

Others also piled in to criticise the Reform UK leader’s response.

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Very tough night for Donald Trump’s spokesperson in the UK. I don’t think he got the balance between Trump bootlicker and actual British MP quite right. https://t.co/lgNn5UQ9ux

— Ed Davey (@EdwardJDavey) March 1, 2025

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Very tough night for Donald Trump’s spokesperson in the UK. I don’t think he got the balance between Trump bootlicker and actual British MP quite right. https://t.co/lgNn5UQ9ux

— Ed Davey (@EdwardJDavey) March 1, 2025