Keir Starmer’s senior minister, Peter Kyle, the UK business secretary, has publicly dismissed suggestions made by former US President Donald Trump regarding the deployment of the military to address irregular migration. Trump, at the conclusion of his two-day state visit, had asserted during a press conference at Chequers that the UK government should consider any means, including military intervention, to halt the influx of people. His remarks, made on Thursday, prompted an immediate rebuttal from Kyle the following day.

Kyle clarified on Friday that the British government does not deem it necessary to involve the armed forces in managing small boat crossings. He highlighted the capability of the existing UK Border Force, which he noted has been significantly reinforced and bolstered with new powers under the current administration. While acknowledging that the Royal Navy does maintain a working relationship with the UK Border Force and can be called upon if operational needs arise, Kyle stressed that the military's primary focus should remain on critical global issues directly pertaining to national defence and security. This statement came just hours after the UK successfully completed the deportation of a second asylum seeker to France, operating under the new “one-in, one-out” pilot scheme.

The “one-in, one-out” pilot scheme, under which the government aims to deport up to 50 individuals weekly in exchange for accepting an equivalent number of others, has seen initial success despite facing legal challenges. Kyle confirmed that an Eritrean man became the second person to be flown back to France, indicating the scheme’s operational commencement. He stated, “We are making sure that we are getting as many people who don’t have the right to be here returned as swiftly as possible. There’s a lot of cases going through the courts at the moment. As you can see, we are successfully able to begin the deportations and the returns to France,” addressing the government's ongoing efforts amid various last-minute legal interventions.

Beyond migration, Trump’s unprecedented second state visit to the UK concluded with mixed outcomes for British officials. Despite the president largely avoiding significant controversy during his 90-minute press conference on Thursday, a key objective for the UK remained unfulfilled: securing a reduction in the 25% tariffs imposed by the US on British steel products. Privately, officials concede that a reduction in these tariffs is not anticipated in the foreseeable future. However, Kyle maintained a positive outlook on Friday, confirming that discussions between the two nations on steel and other trade areas would continue, reiterating Trump’s own commitment to ongoing talks.

Kyle also addressed and defended his earlier comments concerning the appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the US, attributing the selection to Mandelson’s “talents.” This defence followed Mandelson’s dismissal days prior to Trump’s trip, subsequent to the emergence of details about his historical association with child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. While asserting that no one is appointed to such a significant diplomatic role without talent, Kyle unequivocally distanced himself from Mandelson’s past actions, stating, “Let me be really clear about this, I do not defend any of the actions that Peter Mandelson took in his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. Absolutely not.”