Lammy dismisses past criticism calling Trump a ‘sociopath’ as ‘old news’

British foreign secretary says many politicians have said ‘pretty ripe things’ about US president-elect

The British foreign secretary, David Lammy, has described his previous remarks about the US president-elect, Donald Trump, as “deluded, dishonest, xenophobic, narcissistic” and a “neo-Nazi sympathising sociopath” as old news.

Keir Starmer’s government is making efforts to smooth over tensions with the incoming president, whose pledge to raise tariffs on imports into the US could hit the UK economy.