Britain’s ambassador to the United States, Sir Christian Turner, has told Donald Trump that he is “factually wrong” over critical claims about the UK.
Speaking at the King’s Birthday Party at the British embassy in Washington, Turner rejected what he called “distorted narratives and forces of division”.
“To those who say British cities are unsafe, that we are being overrun by migrants or have abandoned freedom of speech, I say you are factually wrong,” he said.
Turner’s remarks followed Trump’s repeated claim that parts of London had become lawless “no-go” areas because of migration, with police allegedly “afraid” to patrol. Trump also warned that the UK would not have “a country left” if it failed to stop people arriving from around the world.
US Vice-President JD Vance has also faced criticism over remarks linking the murder of student Henry Nowak in Southampton to “the politics of self-hatred and the mass invasion of migrants”. Vance has also accused the UK of curbing free speech and urged anti-immigration protesters to continue their demonstrations.
Turner acknowledged recent tensions across the Atlantic, including disagreements connected to the Iran war, but highlighted the “very positive” first meeting between Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Trump at the United Nations the previous week.
He said some people questioned whether longstanding alliances still mattered and argued that nations should turn inward. Turner said he drew the opposite conclusion, adding that the answer to change was “not retreat” but “renewal”.
“As we reflect on the spirit of 1776, our two countries have, of course, disagreed at times,” he said, referring to differences including language. “The story of our alliance has never been the absence of disagreement. No, it has been the ability to work through disagreement and emerge stronger.”
The ambassador said the UK-US relationship should be adapted for the coming decades rather than preserved unchanged. He invited doubters to discuss the issue over a drink at the embassy’s new pub, The Two Georges.
As the United States marked the 250th anniversary of its independence from Britain, Turner described the two countries as having moved “from adversaries to allies” and said their partnership was among the most productive alliances in the world.
