Sunak declines to say if he would work with a re-elected Trump after conviction

Donald Trump’s trial is not “my focus”, Rishi Sunak has said when asked if he would work with the convicted former US president if the Republican returns to power.

The Prime Minister refused to comment on the ex-president’s hush money trial conviction when asked by reporters.

A New York jury found Mr Trump guilty of falsifying business records in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels, who said the two had sex.

The former president, the first to be convicted of felony crimes, insisted he was a “very innocent man” and claimed without evidence the trial was “rigged”.

Election

Asked whether he was willing to work with a convicted felon in the White House if he wins July’s election, the Prime Minister said: “You wouldn’t expect me to comment on another country’s domestic politics or judicial processes.

“I’m focused squarely on the election here at home, talking to people across the country about the choice at our election.

“That’s my focus.”

Conviction

Mel Stride, the Work and Pensions Secretary and a close ally of Mr Sunak, described Mr Trump’s conviction as “extraordinary”.

Asked if the Prime Minister would trust Mr Trump following the guilty verdict, Mr Stride told Times Radio he would not comment on the judicial process in the US.

But he added: “What I’m absolutely sure of is that whatever the outcome of the election – and I very much hope that Rishi is back in Number 10 for all sorts of reasons that we may come on to – that we will have a good and enduring continuingly positive relationship with the United States, whoever is going to be president in November.

“That’s a relationship which, as you know, goes back many decades, so it’s always been solid and has always been to our advantage, and to the advantage of America in her leadership of the West.”

Labour’s shadow science secretary Peter Kyle said his party would focus on preserving the UK and US’s relationship.

He told Times Radio: “It’s a special relationship and we need to focus on preserving that for future generations. So there are things that transcend the governments of any day.

“Britain and America work incredibly closely on defence, security, intelligence, and of course the economic ties are numerous and incredibly important to both countries.”