US should judge UK on its actions in Gulf, not on Trump’s social posts, says defence secretary

UK military bases have been invaluable to US, says John Healey, and Britain’s efforts ‘speak for themselves’

• Middle East crisis live – latest updates

The UK’s actions in the Gulf should be the basis for any US judgment of the country’s value rather than Donald Trump’s social media posts, Britain’s defence secretary has said.

Speaking at a conference in London, John Healey said the UK’s recent efforts “spoke for themselves”, as Keir Starmer flew home after a trip that included discussing how to keep the strait of Hormuz open with Donald Trump, as well as meeting leaders in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.