America’s only special relationship is ‘probably Israel’ – British ambassador

America’s only “special relationship” is “probably Israel”, the British ambassador to the US has said.

The comments by Sir Christian Turner, published by the Financial Times, threaten to embarrass the King during this week’s crucial state visit to the US, amid transatlantic tensions over the Iran war.

The Foreign Office has stressed the top diplomat’s remarks made to a group of visiting students in February were “certainly not any reflection of the UK Government’s position”.

Sir Christian also said it was “extraordinary” the scandal over the paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein, which has had far-reaching consequences in the UK, “hasn’t touched anybody” in the US.

In contrast, the controversy had “brought down” the former prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sir Christian’s predecessor in Washington, Lord Peter Mandelson.

Sir Christian also said the future of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer had been “quite touch and go” over his appointment of the disgraced peer, and if Labour did badly in the upcoming local elections, the party could “remove him”.

A recording of his comments were obtained by the FT this week.

During a question-and-answer session, Sir Christian said he disliked the phrase “special relationship” to describe the US-UK ties and argued it was “quite nostalgic, it’s quite backwards-looking, and it has a lot of baggage about it”.

He added: “I think there is probably one country that has a special relationship with the United States – and that is probably Israel.”

His remarks were made ahead of the US and Israel launching military strikes against Iran, triggering the current Middle East conflict.

Nevertheless, he said Britain’s links to US were “so strong”, and added: “There is a deep history and affinity between us. Particularly on defence and security, we are intertwined.”

He went on: “The relationship will carry on, if you want, being ‘special’, but I think it’s going to have to be different.”

Responding to questions about the Epstein scandal, Sir Christian said it was “extraordinary” the controversy had “brought down a senior member of the royal family (Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor), a British ambassador to Washington, potentially the prime minister, and yet here in the US, it really hasn’t touched anybody”.

It raised an “interesting question” about the “different levels of accountability in our systems”, he added.

US legislators had sought to “bring to account some of those senior figures” associated with the convicted sex offender, including inviting Lord Mandelson and Mr Mountbatten-Windsor to give evidence to Congress, he said.

But he added: “How many Americans have been called to testify before Congress when the Epstein files show very, very senior people, politicians, business folks, Bill Gates, all having a close association with Epstein?”

Since his comments, the Microsoft co-founder has agreed to give evidence.

‘Crisis’

Sir Christian also said the furore over Lord Mandelson was a “crisis” that “has nearly brought down the Government and ended the Prime Minister’s tenure”.

He said that “at one stage he was pretty clearly on the ropes” and his future looked “quite touch and go”.

Removing the Prime Minister would need 80 MPs to “sign a letter in public, which is like signing a death warrant”, he pointed out.

While reaching this threshold was “still quite difficult” and Sir Keir was “a stubborn guy”, the ambassador added: “The moment I would look to is the May elections. If Labour does very badly … I suspect the party will be able to go over that threshold and remove him – seems to me to be the conventional thinking.”

He went on: “If they do OK, he might carry on going … That’s just for me as a citizen speculating because I have to serve whomever is there.”

On the appointment of Lord Mandelson, Sir Christian argued “the vetting thing’s a bit of a red herring”.

He said: “The problem was he had a bunch of associations that were embarrassing to him and the Government that had not been revealed.

“And, arguably, once they were uncovered, the Prime Minister moved to sack him.”

Royal visit

His remarks were made public ahead of the King’s speech to Congress as part of his four-day royal visit to the US with Queen.

There are hopes the trip could help repair relations between the two countries after US President Donald Trump’s repeated criticism of the Prime Minister for refusing to join the offensive against Tehran, branding him weak and indecisive.

A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson said: “These were private, informal comments made to a group of UK sixth-form students visiting the US in early February. They are certainly not any reflection of the UK Government’s position.”