The UK's special relationship with the US is very much in the national interest
It is better by far to be the junior partner in a close alignment with the world’s most powerful nation than no partner at all
Most relationships go through difficult phases and all involve give and take, with compromise perhaps the key ingredient for long-lasting success.
The special relationship between the UK and the US seems to be going through its rockiest patch since it was forged during the Second World War.
There were fears over how well Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Donald Trump would work together when the US President began his second term in January last year.
Those concerns were allayed when the odd couple seemed to get along well, as Sir Keir visited the White House and Mr Trump visited Scotland in July, followed by his second state visit to the UK in September.
But diplomatic relations were put under intense strain when the UK initially denied the US permission to launch strikes on Iran from British territory, including the Diego Garcia base in the Chagos Islands.
This prompted a sharp rebuke from Mr Trump, who said he was “very disappointed” in Sir Keir, describing him as “not Winston Churchill”.
Mr Trump lashed out at Sir Keir again over the weekend amid reports the UK is preparing to send aircraft carriers in response to the Iran crisis.
Writing on his Truth Social platform, he said: “We will remember. We don’t need people that join Wars after we’ve already won!”
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper was correct when she responded: “It is our job as the UK government to decide what’s in the UK national interest, and that doesn’t mean simply agreeing with other countries or outsourcing our foreign policy to other countries.”
However, former Labour prime minister Sir Tony Blair was also correct when he reportedly said of the UK-US special relationship: “It’s not a question of whether it’s this president or that president. If they are your ally and they are an indispensable cornerstone for your security … you had better show up.”
The special relationship itself is very much in the UK’s national interest. Of course the UK is the junior partner. But it is better to be the junior partner in a close alignment with the world’s biggest power than no partner at all.
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