SIR Keir Starmer will meet US Presidential hopeful Donald Trump for the first time tonight.
The PM, who said he wanted to get to know him personally, will chat with the Republican candidate at his Trump Tower skyscraper in New York.
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But it could be an awkward meeting if the notoriously prickly former president confronts Sir Keir on disparaging comments made by top Labour MPs.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy has described him as a “neo-Nazi-sympathizing sociopath”.
And this week Home Office minister Angela Eagle accused Mr Trump, 78, of helping to breed racism in Britain.
Ahead of the meeting Sir Keir, in town for the United Nations General Assembly, was hopeful of getting cosy with Don.
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He insisted: “It’ll be really to establish a relationship between the two of us.
“I’m a great believer in personal relations on the international stage.
“I think it really matters you know who your counterpart is in any given country and know them personally, get to know them face to face.”
Sir Keir remained tight-lipped about whether he would press Mr Trump to keep up support for Ukraine should he beat Democratic candidate Kamala Harris on November 2.
He did, however, insist the UK-US relationship was “as strong as it’s ever been, in relation to the Middle East and Ukraine”.
No10 is also pushing for a meeting between the PM and Vice President Harris.
In his speech to the UN Sir Keir said Britain would be less bossy on the world stage.
He said: “We will change how the UK does things.
“Moving from the paternalism of the past. Towards partnership for the future. Listening a lot more — speaking a bit less.”
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