Trump UK visit live: Trump’s helicopter forced to divert to Luton Airport at end of state visit

The Navy can be called upon “if needed”, Peter Kyle said after Donald Trump suggested the military could be used to tackle illegal migration.

Asked about the US president’s claims, the Business Secretary told BBC Breakfast: “Well, what he suggested was the military are used, but we have the UK Border Force that is now established and has been reinforced and bolstered and have new powers under this Government.

“The Navy actually does have a working relationship with the UK Border Force, and the Navy can be called upon if needed.

“So we do have the functional relationship that we need between our military and keeping our borders safe and secure but what we really need at the moment is our military focused on all of those really key issues around the world, directly relating to our national defence.”

A helicopter carrying Donald Trump was forced to divert to Luton airport on Thursday.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said “due to a minor hydraulic issue” the aircraft carrying the US president landed at a “local airfield” while on route to Stansted airport.

She said the decision was taken “out of an abundance of caution”, adding that the US president “safely boarded the support helicopter”.

Emergency services were seen at Luton following the landing.

The helicopter carrying the president is known as Marine One.

Mr Trump was travelling from Chequers with his wife, Melania, following a state visit to the UK.

At Stansted he boarded his plane Air Force One and departed for Washington.

The Independent’s Political Correspondent Millie Cooke reports:

A lot could have gone wrong yesterday. From questions over the appointment of Lord Mandelson and Trump’s links with Jeffrey Epstein to criticism of the UK’s free speech laws, Trump’s state visit was certainly not a guaranteed success. And the stakes were even higher than normal for Starmer, given how difficult the last month has been for the UK PM, with the departure of both Lord Mandelson and his deputy Angela Rayner in the space of two weeks.

There were a few sticky moments, like when Trump told Starmer to call the army in to tackle migration, and he admitted disagreements over the recognition of Palestine. But Trump avoided any open berating of the UK, and glossed over questions on Mandelson and free speech – leaving the visit, overall, looking like a success story for the relationship between the Labour government the Republican administration in the states.

Donald Trump said the Prime Minister should take a “strong stand” on immigration, which is “hurting him badly”.

Speaking to Fox News at the end of his state visit to the UK, the US president said of Sir Keir Starmer: “I think he’s a very fine guy. He’s more liberal than me.

“I think he should take a very strong stand on the immigration. It’s really hurting him badly.

“I think he has to open up the North Sea. They have some of the best oil in the world and they have a lot of it.

“They have a lot of it and they made it impossible for people to drill. I think that’s what causes their energy … they have a big energy problem here with the pricing.”

Fox News are currently airing an interview with Donald Trump recorded earlier today in the UK.

Asked whether he thinks Sir Keir Starmer’s government will survive, the US president said: “I just think he’s a really fine person, him and his wife. He’s a really fine guy.”

He did add that Sir Keir is “more liberal” than himself, and said he thinks he should be tougher on immigration and move to open the North Sea for oil drilling.