Sir Keir Starmer must embrace Donald Trump’s agenda by repealing hate speech laws in order to get a trade deal over the line, a Washington source has told The Independent.
The warning came after the US vice-president suggested a UK-US agreement may be close, with the White House “working very hard” on it.
But a senior Washington figure, who has provided advice for the administration, claimed he is “obsessed by the fall of Western civilisation” – including his view that free speech is being eroded in Britain – and that he will demand the Labour government rolls back laws against hateful comments, including abuse targeting LGBT+ groups or other minorities, as a condition of any deal.
The Independent was told: “The vice-president expressing optimism [on a trade deal] is a way of putting further pressure on the UK over free speech. If a deal does not go through, it makes Labour look bad.”
It is understood that Britain has already offered to drop its proposed digital services tax as a means of getting a trade deal through. But the US wants to see laws on hate speech repealed as well as plans for a new online safety law dropped.
Labour has made it clear it is not prepared to go that far. A Downing Street source said the subject “is not a feature of the talks”.
However, the issue seems to be one of the main sticking points from the White House’s perspective.
Posted by John3262005
13 Comments
I hate these ghouls so much
The fall of Western Civilization? Where? I must have missed the memo.
They’re already 25% of the way there with trans people
If he does that he deserves to lose the next election.
Trump’s word means nothing, he’ll go back on his words and you’ll have nothing
All while the US starts the path of unprecedented anti free speech policy
Ask Canada and Mexico how much a Trump trade deal is worth it.
You’d have to be an idiot to look at this administration and assume they’ll abide by any deal they make. UK could sign this deal and have new tariffs put on them the next day just because Trump gets bored.
[removed]
This seems like a really good time for UK and EU to knock down some trade barriers or outright unbrexit
Well, who is bringing down “western civilization” and acting like an oriental despot? I’m certain it’s not Starmer.
Why are they so evil?
Is the unnamed figure Musk? It sounds like Musk.
The article title is pretty misleading, Starmer hasn’t told UK they must repeal these laws. Rather he was apparently told about this