Minister Hits Back At Trump's Vice-President Pick For Claiming 'UK Is An Islamist Country'

A minister has hit back at the remarks from Donald Trump’s running mate JD Vance that the UK is an “Islamist country”.

In a speech earlier this month, the Republican said he saw the UK as the “first truly Islamist country that will get a nuclear weapon” now that Labour are in power.

Vance was announced as Trump’s pick as his vice-president (if he gets into the White House) last night, potentially putting the new Labour government in a sticky situation,

So Sky News’ Kay Burley asked the exchequer secretary to the Treasury, James Murray, his thoughts on Vance’s  remarks.

Burley began: “He said the UK is the first Islamist country with nuclear weapons. How do you respond to that?”

“I don’t know what he means by that, to be honest. I don’t really understand those comments,” Murray said.

“It’s a little bit alarming, isn’t it?” Burley pushed.

Murray tried to dodge the question, saying: “It’s for America to decide who they elect in their election.

“From my point of view, whoever they elect in the White House, whoever they elect in the US, we have a very strong relationship between the UK and the US, which is really important to our security, to our economic growth.”

But Burley cut in: “And [who] thinks that the UK is an Islamist country with nukes?”

“As I say, I don’t know what he meant, and as I say, we disagree on those particular comments that he’s made,” Murray replied.

He added that the long relationship between the two countries is more important than personalities, adding: “It’s in Britain’s interest to make sure we are working together on those shared goals.”

Burley read out Vance’s remarks again, adding: “This could be the second most important man in the free world. Are you left flummoxed by that?”

“I don’t know what he was driving at with that comment, to be honest,” Murray said. “In Britain, we’re very proud of our diversity, and I’m very proud we have a new government, I’ve very proud our Labour government is committed to national security and economic growth, I’m very clear where we are, I don’t know where that comment fits in.”

Burley repeated Vance’s comment that he had to “beat up on the UK”, asking: “I thought we had a special bond?”

“We do,” the minister said, while also insisting the bond exists “irrespective” of individuals.

Murray’s comments were much more diplomatic than those from the Tories.

Shadows veterans minister Andrew Bowie told Times Radio that he thought it was “actually quite offensive, frankly, to my colleagues in the Labour Party”, adding that he thought it was key to move “political discourse back to a sensible, safe ground”.