Britain’s new ambassador to the United States has reportedly suggested that the primary special relationship the US holds is with Israel, based on leaked comments. Christian Turner also allegedly mentioned that the scandal involving his predecessor, Peter Mandelson, nearly resulted in Keir Starmer’s term as Prime Minister coming to an end. Turner expressed his dislike for the term “special relationship” when referring to UK-US connections, describing it as outdated and burdened with historical connotations. However, he acknowledged the deep historical ties and mutual interests, especially in defense and security.

These remarks have surfaced at a time when US-UK relations are strained due to fallout from the Iran conflict and during a sensitive period with King Charles on a significant state visit to America. The Foreign Office clarified that Turner’s comments were made informally in early February during an event with UK students visiting Washington DC and do not reflect the official position of the UK government.

According to the leaked recording, Turner characterized the situation surrounding Lord Mandelson’s appointment as a crisis that almost led to the downfall of the government and the Prime Minister stepping down. In a surprising revelation, Turner also discussed the process within the Labour Party rulebook for removing a Prime Minister, highlighting the challenges and complexities involved.

Additionally, Turner speculated on the potential scenarios for Keir Starmer’s future as Prime Minister based on the outcome of the upcoming elections in May. The Foreign Office emphasized that Turner’s remarks were private and not indicative of the UK government’s stance.