Starmer hails Trump backing off Greenland threats

Keir Starmer hailed Donald Trump backing off Greenland threats today but warned of 'hard yards' to come. The PM said it was a 'good thing' that the US president had dropped the idea of tariffs against Nato allies or seizing Danish territory by force. He insisted he had navigated the past few days with 'pragmatism' and by 'sticking to our values and principles'. But Sir Keir cautioned that a 'better way' needed to be found of guaranteeing security 'for Europe and across the globe'. The comments, on a visit to Hertfordshire, came amid fears of rising tensions with the US on another front.

The UK - along with most other European powers - has signalled it will not be signing up to Mr Trump's new 'board of peace' at a ceremony in Davos today. Mr Trump finally signalled a retreat on his Greenland demands during a rambling speech at the World Economic Forum yesterday. Nato chief Mark Rutte said negotiations still need to take place on the 'the framework of a future deal' regarding control of the Arctic island. Denmark has played down suggestions that sovereignty could be given away for US military bases, with confusion over the nature of the proposals.

Markets in the US rallied on Mr Trump's announcement yesterday, having climbed on his earlier proclamation that he would not use force to take the 'big, beautiful piece of ice'. There is speculation Mr Trump could make the 57,000 inhabitants of Greenland an offer of $1million each - £750,000 - if they vote to join the United States. Speaking to local residents during a visit to Hertfordshire on Thursday, the Prime Minister said: 'I think you will have noticed that the last few days have been incredibly serious in relation to big things happening on the world stage.'

Starmer added: 'And you may have seen but it is a good thing that yesterday, the threat of tariffs against the United Kingdom was lifted and now we can start hard yards and finding a way forward on security in the Arctic, which may seem a long way away, pretty remote, but actually it does matter to all of us in terms of the safety and security of our country. And we've got through the last few days with a mix of British pragmatism, common sense, but also that British sense of sticking to our values and our principles.'

The PM concluded: 'But now, as I say, the hard yards of actually finding a better way for security for our country, for Europe and across the globe. A good thing that yesterday the threat of tariffs against the United Kingdom was lifted and now we can start the hard yards of finding a way forward on security in the Arctic.'