UK Ambassador Comments on 'Special Relationship' with the US
The United Kingdom's ambassador to the United States has stated that the only country maintaining a "special relationship" with the US is "probably Israel."
Addressing a group of students about the transatlantic relationship in February, Sir Christian Turner remarked:
"My advice to my prime minister is 'I can't just put my hands on my ears and say it's special, it's going to be fine'."
These comments were initially reported by the Financial Times during King Charles III's state visit to the US, a period marked by increased tensions related to the Iran conflict.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) clarified that these "private, informal comments" do not represent the official position of the UK government.
Details from Leaked Audio Recording
In a leaked audio recording of Sir Christian's meeting with sixth-form students, he expressed reservations about the term "special relationship," describing it as nostalgic and backward-looking with considerable historical baggage.
"'Special relationship' is a phrase I try not to utter because it's quite nostalgic, it's quite backwards-looking, and it has a lot of sort of baggage about it."
He further stated:
"I think there is probably one country that has a special relationship with the United States, and that is probably Israel."
UK-US Ties and Future Outlook
Sir Christian acknowledged the deep historical ties and affinity between the US and the UK, especially in areas of security and defence, and noted the close economic connections between the two nations.
"There are things we do together that no two other countries do."
He also commented on the current state of UK-US relations, indicating that while he did not believe they were experiencing a "moment of rupture," the era of their relationship is evolving.
"We're certainly at the end of an era, and the era is changing."
He emphasized the need for Europe to reconsider its reliance on US security guarantees.
"We in Europe can't just rely on a US security umbrella."
Regarding the future of the UK-US relationship, he said:
"The relationship will carry on, if you want, special, but I think it's going to have to be different."
Diplomatic Context and Official Response
It is understood that diplomats have moved away from using the phrase "special relationship," as some consider it outdated.
The FCDO issued a statement saying:
"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."
Sir Christian Turner, a career diplomat, was appointed as the UK ambassador to the US in December.
