Sky News aired a breaking announcement this morning as deputy prime minister Angela Rayner hit back.
US president Donald Trump announced overnight that the States will halt its military aid to Ukraine after a very public row with President Zelensky in the White House. On Tuesday (March 4), Rayner was quizzed on what that decision means for the UK and for a wider peace deal
Appearing on Sky News, she said: “The prime minister set out yesterday that we are absolutely focused on making sure that we get that peace, and the security guarantees, as part of that. He mentioned in the House that we won’t be derailed or sidelined by commentary, ongoing commentary, but we will use our relationship with the US and our European allies to support Ukraine and President Zelensky in getting that peace deal and making sure those securities are part of that.”
“What the US government decides to do, that’s entirely their decision but the UK and the prime minister is very clear on our support for Ukraine and that we need that peace deal. President Trump has said that we need a peace deal as well, and we’re focused on making sure that we get that over the line with US support and our European partners,” Rayner added.
It comes after Rayner was skewered by Good Morning Britain presenters Susanna Reid and Ed Balls, who quizzed her on her relationship with US vice president JD Vance.
Ed said: “But Angela Rayner, you can’t turn a blind eye to JD Vance meeting the far-right AFD party in Germany against the advice of mainstream German politicians, saying that free speech in Britain is under threat, picking a fight with Zelensky in a meeting last Friday…
“Can you imagine you and Keir Starmer having a meeting in Downing Street with, I don’t know, some local council leader who came in and said he didn’t want to build the homes you want, and you as deputy prime minister speaking to them on camera in the way JD Vance spoke to Zelensky. Can you imagine that for a moment?”
Rayner simply said: “Well, I reference what our prime minister said to JD Vance around free speech – we’re very proud of free speech in the UK. We can have robust discussions and I think President Trump has also acknowledged that him and Keir come from very different sides of the political spectrum, but we have a lot in common-“
Ed abruptly cut her off to ask: “So have you had a robust discussion with JD Vance about meeting the AFD?” – but she said: “Again, I’m not going to go into dialogue that I have with JD Vance.”
